Table of Contents
- PE Film in English: Packaging Terms You Need to Know
- PE Stretch Film (used with pallet wrappers) - English Terms
- PE Shrink Film (heat-activated) - English Terms
- Food Wrap Film - English Terms
- Pallet Wrapping Machine Terms - English
- Film Technical Specification Terms - English
- Contact ICD Vietnam
- Frequently asked questions
- English glossary of stretch wrapping and packaging terms
- Four pairs of terms easily confused when buying PE film
- Frequently asked questions
Reviewed and updated by ICD - Week 38/2026
PE film packaging terms in English include: stretch film, shrink film, PE foam, blown film, cast film, pre-stretch, containment force, micron (gauge) and pallet wrap. Knowing them helps you specify the right material when ordering or trading internationally.
- PE stretch film (pallet wrapping) - English: stretch wrap, stretch film, pallet wrap
- PE shrink film (heat-activated) - English: shrink film, shrink wrap, heat shrink film
- Food wrap PE film - English: cling film, cling wrap, food wrap
- Pallet wrapping machine - English: stretch wrapper, pallet wrapper, pallet wrapping machine
PE Film in English: Packaging Terms You Need to Know
In the packaging and logistics industry, “PE film” is a general term covering several distinct product types. When dealing with overseas partners, reading import technical documents, or completing customs declarations, knowing the correct English terminology helps avoid costly misunderstandings. This article covers all key English terms for PE film used in industrial packaging.
PE Stretch Film (used with pallet wrappers) - English Terms
Stretch wrap - The most common term in North America. Used in commercial documents, purchase orders, and product catalogs. Examples: “machine stretch wrap”, “hand stretch wrap”, “pre-stretch wrap”.
Stretch film - The technical term, widely used in Europe and in manufacturer specification sheets. Example: “LLDPE stretch film 23 micron”.
Pallet wrap / Pallet film - Emphasizes the pallet-wrapping application. Common in logistics contexts. Example: “pallet wrap machine” = pallet wrapping machine.
Wrapping film - A general term, less precise but frequently used in informal communication.
PE Shrink Film (heat-activated) - English Terms
Shrink film - The standard technical term for heat shrink film. Examples: “PE shrink film”, “POF shrink film”, “PVC shrink film”.
Shrink wrap - The common term used for both the film and the heat-shrink packaging process. Example: “shrink wrap machine” = heat shrink machine.
Heat shrink film - Emphasizes the heat-activation mechanism, clearly distinguishing it from stretch film. Used in technical documentation and customs declarations.
Shrink sleeve - Specific to tubular shrink film (used for bottle labels and sleeve labels). Examples: “PET shrink sleeve”, “PVC shrink sleeve”.
Food Wrap Film - English Terms
Cling film - The common term in the UK and Australia. “Cling” refers to the self-adhesive property.
Cling wrap - Equivalent to cling film, used in the US.
Food wrap / Food film - General terms emphasizing the food application.
Plastic wrap - Common US term for food wrap film.
Pallet Wrapping Machine Terms - English
| Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
| May quan mang pallet | Pallet wrapper / Stretch wrapper / Pallet wrapping machine |
| May ban tu dong | Semi-automatic stretch wrapper |
| May tu dong hoan toan | Fully automatic stretch wrapper |
| Mam xoay | Turntable |
| Cot mang | Film carriage / Mast |
| Pre-stretch | Pre-stretch / Film pre-stretching |
| Robot quan mang | Mobile wrapper / Robotic wrapper / Self-propelled wrapper |
| May quan thung carton | Carton wrapper / Case wrapper |
| May quan nam ngang | Horizontal wrapper / Ring wrapper |
| May co mang nhiet | Heat shrink machine / Shrink tunnel |
Film Technical Specification Terms - English
Micron thickness = film thickness in microns. Elongation at break = maximum stretch before tearing (%). Tensile strength = force required to break the film (N/mm2 or MPa). Tack = natural self-cling property. Machine direction (MD) = direction parallel to film production run. Transverse direction (TD) = direction perpendicular to MD. Pre-stretch ratio = percentage the film is pre-elongated before application (e.g., 200% pre-stretch).
For more on the difference between shrink film and stretch film to use the correct English terms with partners. See what PE shrink film is to understand the product. HS codes and import procedures for PE film at PE film HS code.
Contact ICD Vietnam
- ICD stretch wrappers: View all models
- North Vietnam: 0983 797 186 | 090 345 9186
- South Vietnam: 098 6784 186
- Email: sales@icdvietnam.com.vn
- Get a quote: Request a quote
Frequently asked questions
What is PE film in English?
Polyethylene film - thin plastic film for wrapping and protecting goods, including stretch and shrink types.
What does “micron / gauge” mean?
Film thickness; higher micron means a thicker, stronger film.
What is “containment force”?
The total holding force the wrap applies to keep a pallet load stable.
English glossary of stretch wrapping and packaging terms
The quick reference table below collects the English terms you often run into when reading catalogues, requesting quotes or dealing with overseas stretch film and packaging machine suppliers. Each term comes with a plain-English meaning and a short explanation so you can use it in the right context.
| English term | Meaning | Short explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Stretch film / Stretch wrap | Pallet stretch wrapping film | Stretchable PE film that binds loads onto a pallet, applied by hand or machine. |
| Shrink film | Heat-shrink film | Film that is wrapped then heated so it shrinks tight around the product - very different from stretch film. |
| Cast film | Cast (extrusion) film | Made by cast extrusion: clear, quiet to unwind and with high cling. |
| Blown film | Blown film | Made by blown extrusion: better puncture resistance than cast at the same thickness, but hazier. |
| LLDPE | Linear low-density polyethylene | The main resin used for stretch film, giving high stretch and holding force. |
| Gauge | Thickness unit (US system) | 1 micron is roughly 4 gauge; 80 gauge equals about 20 micron. |
| Micron (micrometre) | Film thickness (metric system) | The unit commonly used in Vietnam, for example 17, 20 or 23 micron film. |
| Pre-stretch | Pre-stretching | The machine stretches the film before wrapping, saving up to 150-250% of film. |
| Containment force | Load containment force | The force the film applies to hold the load - it determines stability more than thickness alone. |
| Hand roll | Hand wrapping roll | A light roll with a handle core, typically 17-23 micron thick. |
| Machine roll | Machine wrapping roll | A long, heavy roll for automatic wrapping machines, usually thinner film. |
| Cling / Tack | Surface stickiness | The film’s ability to self-adhere so wrapped edges stick to each other. |
Four pairs of terms easily confused when buying PE film
When looking up PE film terms in English, buyers often confuse near-identical pairs, which leads to ordering the wrong product. The four notes below help you avoid the wrong choice when reading a quote or datasheet:
- Stretch film vs cling film: stretch film (industrial wrap) is thick, stretches 250-300% and is used to wrap pallets; cling film (food wrap) is thin, soft and used only in the kitchen. Using cling film to wrap a load tears it instantly.
- Stretch vs shrink: “PE wrap” usually means PE stretch film applied cold, while shrink film must be heated to shrink. The two are not interchangeable.
- Hand roll vs machine roll: hand-wrap film and machine film differ in thickness, roll length and stretch level; fitting a hand roll into a machine causes constant breakage.
- Gauge vs micron: overseas quotes often list gauge (US system) while Vietnam uses micron. Quick conversion: divide the gauge figure by 4 to get the micron thickness for a fair comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is pallet PE wrapping film called in English?
Pallet PE wrapping film is called stretch film or stretch wrap in English, and sometimes pallet wrap. It is a stretchable PE film used to bind loads onto a pallet, different from cling film (food wrap) and shrink film (heat-shrink film).
How do you convert between gauge and micron?
1 micron equals roughly 4 gauge, so dividing the gauge figure by 4 gives the thickness in microns. For example, 80 gauge film is about 20 micron and 70 gauge is about 17.5 micron. Vietnam commonly uses microns, while US catalogues usually quote gauge.
How do cast film and blown film differ?
Cast film is made by cast extrusion, so it is clear, quiet to unwind and has high cling. Blown film is made by blown extrusion, giving better puncture resistance and strength at the same thickness, but it is hazier and noisier. Most general-purpose pallet wrapping film in Vietnam is cast film. For advice on the right type, contact ICD Vietnam at +84 983 797 186.
