Blown vs cast: the 30-second answer
Blown stretch film is extruded with air cooling, which makes it tougher: higher puncture resistance, better tear strength, and a tacky two-sided cling. Choose it for heavy, sharp-edged or irregular loads. It unwinds louder and is slightly hazier.
Cast stretch film is extruded on chilled rollers: crystal clear, quiet unwind, very consistent stretch and thickness. It's the everyday choice for uniform carton loads and the standard for machine wrapping. Most warehouses use cast for routine pallets and keep blown on hand for the ugly ones.
What gauge do you need?
| Gauge | Approx. load | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 37–47 (micron-class) | < 800 lbs | Light cartons, pre-stretched & eco films |
| 51–63 | 800 – 1,800 lbs | Standard mixed pallets — the most common range |
| 70–80 | 1,800 – 2,400 lbs | Heavy uniform loads, long-haul freight |
| 90–120 | 2,400 lbs + | Sharp, irregular or very heavy industrial loads |
Thicker is not automatically better: modern high-performance films at 47–63 gauge can outperform old 80-gauge film while using less plastic. If you're wrapping by hand all day, dropping a gauge with a premium film also reduces wrapper fatigue.
Hand grade vs machine grade
The rule we use in our own catalog: rolls of 1,500 ft or less are hand grade, made to be walked around the pallet with a dispenser; rolls above 1,500 ft are machine grade for turntable and rotary-arm wrappers, up to 10,000 ft so changeovers are rare. If you wrap more than about 15 pallets a day, a semi-automatic wrapper plus machine film usually pays for itself within a year — ask us to run your numbers.
When you want vented film instead
Produce, firewood, hot-filled product and anything that needs to breathe or cool should ship in vented stretch film — the die-cut holes release moisture and heat while still locking the load. Solid film traps condensation that turns cartons soft.
Browse what we stock
All 232+ films with item numbers, widths, lengths and gauges are on our stretch film page — searchable by size. Colored, UVI, pre-stretch and one-sided-cling films are available on request, and everything is 100% recyclable. See also the full product catalog.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between blown and cast stretch film?
Blown film is air-cooled, making it tougher with higher puncture resistance and aggressive cling — best for heavy or irregular loads. Cast film is roller-cooled: clearer, quieter and more consistent — best for everyday uniform pallets and machine wrapping.
What gauge stretch film should I use?
For loads under 800 lbs, 37–47 gauge works. Standard pallets of 800–1,800 lbs use 51–63 gauge. Heavy loads of 1,800–2,400 lbs need 70–80 gauge, and sharp or very heavy industrial loads call for 90–120 gauge.
How do I know if I need hand grade or machine grade film?
Rolls up to 1,500 ft are hand grade for manual wrapping with a dispenser. Rolls over 1,500 ft are machine grade for automated wrappers. Wrapping more than ~15 pallets a day usually justifies a machine.
Tell us your load weight and pallets per day — we'll spec the right film and quote bulk pricing.
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