Stretch film is a highly stretchable plastic film that is wrapped around an item. The elasticity recovers to hold the item tightly together. In contrast, shrink film is wrapped loosely around the item and shrinks tightly when heated.
Pallet Stretch Film is typically used for uniform pallet stretch pallet loading, but can also be used to bundle smaller items.
Types of stretch film include Pallet Stretch Film, hand stretch film, stretch core stretch film, mechanical stretch film and static dissipative film.
There are two methods of producing stretch wrap.
1) Blow molding: The resin is melted and extruded through a ring die and then air cooled. This is a pallet stretch slower process, but offers pallet stretch higher quality in all the areas listed below. Production costs are also higher due to the quantity that can be produced per hour.
2) Casting: The film is extruded through a slot die and then passed through a cooling roller.
This makes the cooling process fast. The quality is not as good as pallet stretch blow molding, but more can be produced in one hour at a lower cost.
Other properties, such as breaking strength, adhesion, transparency, tear resistance, and static discharge are also important.