Table of Contents
Reviewed and updated by ICD - Week 44/2026
Pallet stretch film ranges from 12 to 30 micron thick (1 micron = 0.001 mm); ICD Vietnam hand-wrap film is 17 micron thick and machine-roll film is 20-30 micron. ICD Vietnam’s starting recommendation: 17-20 micron for pallets of 200-800 kg and 20-23 micron for pallets of 800-2,000 kg, then trial on a real pallet. Thicker film holds more firmly but uses more plastic, so choosing the right micron matters more than choosing the thickest.
Micron, gauge and mil: unit conversion
Micron (µm) is the common unit in Vietnam and Asia; the US market uses gauge and mil. 1 mil equals 0.001 inch, which is 25.4 micron; 100 gauge equals 1 mil, so 1 micron is about 3.94 gauge. When reading import specifications, convert before comparing.
Thickness chart by load
No standard sets a micron figure for each load level: ASTM D4649 is only a guide to selecting and using stretch film, and the final decision must rest on a trial on a real pallet. The table below is ICD Vietnam’s starting recommendation, used to narrow the choices before a trial.
| Thickness | Pallet weight | Typical load |
|---|---|---|
| 15-17 micron | Under 200 kg | Paper boxes, foam bags, light household goods, smooth surfaces |
| 17-20 micron | 200-800 kg | Cartons, packaged consumer goods |
| 20-23 micron | 800-2,000 kg | Metal, sawn timber, aluminum profiles, long-haul goods |
| Over 25 micron | Special applications | Sharp-edged metal goods, long sea export voyages |
Film of 15-17 micron suits light goods with smooth surfaces; 17-20 micron is the common level for cartons and consumer goods; 20-23 micron is for heavy goods, sharp edges or long-haul transport. If the film still tears at the corners after increasing thickness, add paper corner protectors instead of raising the micron again.
The 15-23 micron range is also the range that a 2025 test in the journal Sensors chose to measure because it represents industrial practice: three LLDPE films 15, 17 and 23 micron thick, stretched 150%, 200% and 250%. The results showed that load holding force rises linearly with the number of wraps and the stretch level; the authors concluded that about 8 wraps at 200-250% stretch gave the best balance of safety, cost and environment under those test conditions.
How much thinner does pre-stretch make the film?
A 250% pre-stretch makes the film 3.5 times longer, so the theoretical thickness drops to about 1/3.5: a 23 micron film becomes about 6.6 micron once it clings to the load (by conservation of volume, ignoring width contraction). On a wrapping machine with pre-stretch, the film is stretched before it is wrapped on the load, so the real thickness on the pallet is much thinner than the thickness printed on the roll.
As a result, the same kilogram of film covers 3.5 times the area compared with unstretched film. Compared with hand wrapping at about 150% stretch (2.5 times), a machine stretching 250% covers about 1.4 times more, meaning about 29% less film for the same area. ICD Vietnam wrapping machines have pre-stretch up to 200% (ICD-S800E), 250% (ICD-X0PS, ICD-X100, ICD-2000BF) or up to 300% (Robopac Masterplat Plus TP3), depending on the model.
When calculating cost, compare pallets wrapped per kg of film, not just micron. According to Wikipedia, stretch film is usually stretched 100-300% in use and breaks at about 500%; the higher the stretch, the more you need the right machine-roll film and a machine that holds tension steadily.
Do not choose PE film by micron alone
At the same 17 micron, load holding performance can differ greatly because of the plastic type, cling, stretch level, number of wraps, overlap and tension. A Virginia Tech thesis observes that among the 5 parameters usually on a data sheet (thickness, roll weight, roll length, stretched length, percent stretch), thickness is the closest indicator of performance, but on its own it is not enough because production processes and additives differ from maker to maker.
A test published in Sensors in 2021 gives a concrete example, on carton pallets weighing 655 kg and 1.7 m tall, tested under EUMOS 40509 and 40511. Standard 23 micron film wrapped with 17 turns used 448 g per pallet and failed the stability criterion at 0.5 g acceleration; a different film wrapped with 24 turns used 225 g and passed. It is a pilot study, but enough to show that choosing film by micron alone can go the wrong way.
So the right question is not “how many micron of PE film is good?” but “for this pallet, how much holding force is needed and how many wraps keep the load from coming apart?” Film holding force is assessed by methods such as ASTM D5415 (vibration test), which usually only film manufacturers or test labs can run; in a warehouse, a trial on a real pallet is the most practical check.
How to choose micron and a quick test
Start from the weight and shape of the load: light goods with rounded edges take thin film; heavy goods with sharp edges that can puncture take thicker film or added corner protection. If you use a pre-stretch wrapping machine, try dropping one micron step while still holding firm. Before ordering large quantities, run the five-step test on a sample pallet:
- Test-wrap on the exact machine, with the person who will use it every day.
- Lift the pallet, move it and brake gently to check for layer slippage.
- Check the pallet feet: this is the zone that needs the most holding force.
- Watch the sharp edges; if the film tears at the corners, raising the micron may not be enough, add paper corners or edge boards.
- Weigh the film roll before and after wrapping 10 to 20 pallets to find the grams of film per pallet, then calculate cost per pallet, not just per kg.
What thicknesses does ICD Vietnam supply?
ICD Vietnam supplies PE film in hand-wrap rolls 17 micron thick (whole rolls of 2.1-5.0 kg including the core, 500 mm width; blue film 12-20 micron on request) and machine-roll film 20-30 micron thick (7-18 kg rolls), along with wrapping machines with pre-stretch. Send us your type of goods, pallet weight and wrapping method, and ICD Vietnam will advise the right micron and roll size.
Frequently asked questions
What is PE film thickness measured in?
In micron (µm), 1 micron = 0.001 mm; measuring instruments follow ASTM D6988 guidance. You can check with a scale: a 10 x 10 cm sample of 17 micron film weighs about 0.156 g. In the US, gauge or mil is used.
How many micron thick should pallet PE film be?
ICD Vietnam’s starting recommendation: 15-17 micron for goods under 200 kg; 17-20 micron for 200-800 kg; 20-23 micron for 800-2,000 kg or sharp-edged goods. Settle the final level with a trial on a real pallet.
How do I convert micron to gauge?
1 micron is about 3.94 gauge (100 gauge = 1 mil = 25.4 micron). For example, 17 micron is about 67 gauge and 23 micron is about 91 gauge.
Why can wrapping machines use thinner film?
Because pre-stretch stretches the film before wrapping: a 250% stretch makes the film 3.5 times longer and correspondingly thinner, so one kg of film covers more pallets. The film must be a machine-roll type that can withstand that stretch ratio.
Is thicker film always better?
No. Thicker film holds more firmly but uses more plastic; the number of wraps and the stretch level also affect holding force. Choose just enough micron for the load and run a trial.
What PE film thicknesses does ICD Vietnam offer?
17 micron hand-wrap film (blue film 12-20 micron on request) and 20-30 micron machine-roll film, 500 mm width.
Contact ICD Vietnam
ICD Vietnam Industrial Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - advice on pallets, plastic crates, PE film, forklifts and packaging solutions. Price: contact for a quote.
- Northern Vietnam (Hanoi warehouse): 3rd Floor, Thang Long A1 Building, Thon Bau, Thien Loc Commune, Hanoi - 0983 797 186 / 090 345 9186.
- Southern Vietnam workshop: 551/212 Le Van Khuong Street, Tan Thoi Hiep Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City - 098 6784 186.
- Email: sales@icdvietnam.com.vn. Zalo: Chat Zalo.
References
- Tkaczyk S. et al. (2025), Pilot Study of Stretch Film for Securing Palletized Loads, Sensors 25(22), 6883: LLDPE film 15, 17, 23 micron at 150%, 200%, 250% stretch.
- Tkaczyk S. et al. (2021), Study of the Stability of Palletized Cargo by Dynamic Test Method Performed on Laboratory Test Bench, Sensors 21(15), 5129, doi:10.3390/s21155129: EUMOS 40509 and 40511 tests on a 655 kg pallet.
- Bisha, Correlation of the Elastic Properties of Stretch Film on Unit Load Containment, Virginia Tech: parameters on a stretch film data sheet.
- Stretch wrap, Wikipedia: stretch range in use and elongation at break.
- ASTM D5415 (evaluating the load holding force of stretch film by vibration testing); ASTM D4649 (guide to selecting and using stretch film); ASTM D6988 (guide to measuring plastic film thickness).
- Film and wrapping machine thickness, roll weight and pre-stretch ratio - ICD Vietnam product pages, retrieved October 2026.
