Stretch Film & Pallet Wrap
Hand and machine film matched to your loadsHand and machine stretch film matched to your loads, your wrapper and your budget. With local supply and sales support in every major U.S. market, we’ll help you find the film that holds the load with the least plastic per pallet.
Stretch film we supply
Hand stretch wrap
For shippers wrapping by hand. Common widths are 12" to 18" on extended or standard cores, in cast and blown films and a range of gauges.
Machine stretch film
For turntable, rotary arm and ring wrappers. 20" and 30" rolls built for power pre-stretch, from general-purpose films to high-performance films that stretch 250–300% or more.
Pre-stretched film
Film that is stretched at the plant, so it wraps tight with less effort. Lighter rolls, less operator fatigue and fewer pounds of film on every load.
Specialty films
Colored and tinted film for color-coding and security, vented film for produce and products that need to breathe, UV-resistant film for outdoor storage, and bundling film for small loads.
We carry film from leading manufacturers, including Intertape (IPG) film lines such as Genesys, StretchFlex and ProLite.
Cast vs. blown stretch film
| Cast film | Blown film | |
|---|---|---|
| Clarity | Very clear, so labels and barcodes scan through it | Hazier |
| Unwind | Quiet, smooth unwind | Louder unwind |
| Cling | Cling on one or both sides | Strong cling |
| Toughness | Good tear resistance | Better puncture resistance and load holding on sharp or irregular loads |
| Cost | Usually lower cost per pound | Usually higher cost per pound |
| Best for | Uniform boxed loads and high-volume machine wrapping | Loads with corners, edges or uneven shapes, such as lumber, metal and mixed pallets |
How to choose the right stretch film
1. Start with the load, not the gauge
A uniform pallet of cases needs very different film from a pallet of pails, bags or parts with sharp edges. Tell us what you ship, the pallet weight and how it travels (local truck, LTL or full truckload), and we'll start there.
2. Understand gauge and "equivalent" gauge
Gauge is the film's thickness: 80 gauge is about 20 microns, or 0.8 mil. High-performance and pre-stretched films often hold a load like a thicker film while weighing less. That's why many shippers can go down in gauge and still keep loads secure.
3. Match the film to your wrapper
Machine film has to fit the wrapper's pre-stretch carriage. A powered pre-stretch wrapper set at 250% can get several times more wrap out of each roll than a brake-style wrapper. If your wrapper is getting old, our August Automation team can help with stretch wrapping equipment, including Robopac.
4. Measure cost per load, not cost per roll
The cheapest roll is rarely the cheapest pallet. Film weight per load, film breaks, rewraps and damaged freight all count. We'll help you compare films on what they actually cost you per pallet.
Pallet wrapping tips that prevent damage
- Lock the load to the pallet: wrap the bottom 2–3 times and let the film catch the pallet deck.
- Overlap each pass by about 50% so there are no weak bands.
- Keep the film tension consistent. Loose wrap shifts in transit, and over-stretched film snaps or crushes corners.
- Cap or top-wrap loads that will be stacked or stored outside.
- Add corner boards or edge protectors on tall or heavy loads.
Local supply in every major U.S. market
Headquartered in St. Louis since 1987, August Packaging has 3PL partner facilities supporting every major market in the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Louisville, St. Louis and Northern and Southern California. You get local supply and a sales team that supports you wherever you ship from. See our locations.
Why buy stretch film from August Packaging
- Local supply in every major U.S. market through our 3PL partner facilities, backed by a packaging team that has been doing this since 1987.
- People who know packaging, not a catalog.
- Stocking programs and vendor-managed inventory, so you don't run out of film mid-shift.
- Everything for the pallet from one supplier: film, carton sealing tape, corrugated boxes, corner boards and strapping.
- Equipment support through August Automation for stretch wrappers and case sealers.
Stretch film FAQs
What's the difference between hand and machine stretch film?
Hand film comes on lighter rolls, usually 12"–18" wide, with a core you hold or put in a hand dispenser. Machine film comes on larger rolls, usually 20" or 30" wide and several thousand feet long, and is made to be stretched by a wrapper's pre-stretch carriage.
What gauge stretch film do I need?
It depends on the load weight, how uniform the load is and how it ships. Light uniform loads often run well on 50–70 gauge or a pre-stretched film. Heavy or irregular loads may need 80–120 gauge or a tougher blown film. We'll recommend a film after looking at your loads.
Is cast or blown stretch film better?
Neither one wins everywhere. Cast film is clearer, quieter and usually lower in cost. Blown film is tougher and resists punctures from sharp edges. Most uniform boxed loads do well with cast film.
Can I use less stretch film without losing load security?
Often, yes. Switching to a high-performance or pre-stretched film, fixing the wrapper's pre-stretch settings, or changing the wrap pattern can cut film use while keeping or improving containment.
Do you supply stretch film outside St. Louis?
Yes. Through our 3PL partner facilities we have local supply and sales support in every major U.S. market, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Louisville, St. Louis and Northern and Southern California. We also run multi-location programs for companies that ship from several sites.
Get a stretch film recommendation
Tell us what you ship and how you wrap it today. We'll suggest a film and send pricing.