Stretch Film Micron Guide: Which Thickness Do You Need?

Thickness is the single most quoted number in a stretch film spec, and the one most often chosen by habit. Getting the stretch film micron right means enough strength to hold the load without paying for plastic you don’t need. Here is how microns, gauge and performance fit together.

Microns and gauge: the conversion

India, Europe and most of the world specify stretch film thickness in microns (µm): one micron is one thousandth of a millimetre. North American buyers often use gauge, where 1 gauge = 0.254 µm. As a quick rule, 1 µm ≈ 4 gauge.

If a supplier quotes in gauge and you specify in microns (or the reverse), write both on the RFQ to avoid confusion.

Typical thickness by application

The ranges below are common starting points, not rules. Your loads, wrapper, resin and stretch level all move the right answer.

Light, uniform loads

Small cartons, light consumer goods and bundling often use around 12–17 µm, especially with pre-stretched hand film or a machine with powered pre-stretch.

General pallet wrapping

Most mixed carton loads in warehouses and distribution use around 17–23 µm. Hand film for general use often sits around 17–20 µm, and machine film around 20–23 µm.

Heavy, sharp or unstable loads

Bricks, tiles, metal parts, drums, timber and machinery components often need 25–35 µm, or a blown film with higher puncture resistance. Corner boards can let you use a thinner film by protecting it from sharp edges.

Why thickness is not the whole story

Two 23 µm films can perform very differently. What also matters:

• Resin grade: hexene, octene and metallocene LLDPE grades give more puncture resistance and stretch than basic butene grades.
• Number of layers: multi-layer cast films can put strength and cling exactly where they help.
• Process: blown film is tougher at the same thickness; cast film stretches more evenly. See cast vs blown stretch film.
• Stretch level: film applied with powered pre-stretch becomes much thinner on the load than it was on the roll.

Pre-stretch and downgauging

On a machine with a powered pre-stretch carriage, the film is stretched between rollers before it reaches the load, typically by 150–300% depending on the film and machine. That makes each metre of roll cover far more of the pallet, and the film on the load is much thinner than the roll’s nominal micron.

Downgauging means moving to a thinner but higher-performance film, often combined with more pre-stretch. Done carefully, it can lower the film weight per pallet. Done carelessly, it causes film breaks and loads that shift. A safe approach:

1. Measure your current film use per pallet by weight.
2. Trial a thinner, better-resin film at the recommended pre-stretch.
3. Check load stability after 24 hours and after a real transport run.
4. Compare cost per pallet, as shown in our price per kg guide.

Pre-stretched hand film

Pre-stretched film is stretched at the factory and rewound, so it is thin (often roughly 6–12 µm on the roll) and much easier to apply by hand. It reduces operator effort and film use for hand wrapping, but it has less stretch left, so it suits light to medium loads.

How to check the thickness you receive

• Micrometer: measure single layers at several points across the width.
• Weight method: weigh the net film and use the formula: thickness (µm) ≈ net weight (kg) × 1,000 ÷ (length (m) × width (m) × 0.92).
• Ask for the tolerance the supplier works to, and how they measure it.
• Watch out for “equivalent gauge” claims. Ask for the true thickness as well.

Writing thickness into your RFQ

Specify the micron figure (for example “23 µm”), the tolerance you expect, the process and the application. If you are open to alternatives, say so: “23 µm or a thinner high-performance equivalent; please state true thickness”. For the full list of fields, see stretch film specifications and RFQ checklist.

How Zradona helps

Zradona asks for thickness in microns alongside width, core, roll size, quantity, destination and Incoterms, so vetted Indian manufacturers and converters quote against the same spec. If you are unsure, say so in the message and the Zradona team will follow up personally.