Stretch Wrap Gauge and Micron Guide: Hand Film vs Machine Film

Ask two suppliers about stretch wrap gauge and you can easily end up with two different numbers for the same roll. One quotes gauge, the other quotes microns, and somewhere in the middle a warehouse manager is trying to work out whether the film that keeps splitting on the corner of a pallet is too thin, or just being applied badly.

Most of the time it is not the number that is wrong. It is the match between the film and the load. Below is a plain explanation of what gauge and micron actually measure, how to read the specs on a roll, and which thickness suits which job. Everything discussed here sits in our stretch wrap and dispensers range, so you can see the real specs alongside the theory.

Gauge, micron and mil: three names for one measurement

Gauge is the imperial measure inherited from the US market. Micron (µm) is the metric measure, and it is what almost every Australian supplier now prints on the box. Mil is a third unit you will occasionally see on imported film.

The rough conversions are worth committing to memory:

• 1 micron is approximately 3.9 gauge
• 20µm is approximately 80 gauge
• 23µm is approximately 90 gauge
• 25µm is approximately 100 gauge
• 1 mil is approximately 25 microns

So when a spec sheet says "80 gauge hand film", that is the same product an Australian supplier would call 20µm. If you are comparing quotes from an overseas supplier against a local one, convert first. Otherwise you are comparing a number that sounds twice as big against a number that is identical in practice.

One caution: thickness alone does not tell you how well a film will hold a pallet together. Load containment depends on the resin blend, the stretch ratio, the puncture resistance and how the film is applied. A well applied 20µm roll will often outperform a badly applied 25µm roll.

How to read a roll of stretch wrap

Four numbers matter on any roll, and they are usually printed together.

Width. 500mm is the standard pallet wrap width in Australia. It covers a pallet face efficiently and suits both hand use and most semi automatic machines. Narrower widths, typically 100mm, are bundle films for tying items together rather than securing a pallet.

Thickness in microns. Usually 20µm to 25µm for hand film. Machine film is often thinner because the machine does the stretching for you.

Length in metres. This is the number that quietly decides your cost per pallet. A thinner film gives you more metres per roll for the same core weight, which is why a 20µm roll runs 380m while a 25µm roll of the same width runs 300m.

Colour. Natural (clear) or black, and the choice is functional rather than cosmetic.

Put those together and you can compare rolls properly. A 500mm, 25µm, 300m roll and a 500mm, 20µm, 380m roll are not the same purchase. One gives you more puncture resistance per wrap, the other gives you more wraps per roll.

Choosing a thickness for your loads

Light and regular loads: 20µm

Cartons of uniform size, nothing sharp, stacked square, travelling short distances or staying in a controlled warehouse. 20µm stretch wrap is the workhorse here, and the extra metres per roll make it the cheapest option per pallet when the load does not fight back.

Mixed or moderately heavy loads: 23µm

If your pallets carry a mix of carton sizes, or the load is heavy enough to want firmer containment without being awkward, 23µm film is the middle ground. It is a common default for third party logistics work where nobody can predict what goes on the pallet next week.

Heavy, sharp or long haul loads: 25µm

Timber, metal fittings, machinery parts, anything with corners that will find a weak spot. 25µm film gives you the puncture resistance to survive a few forklift knocks and a long interstate run. You get fewer metres per roll, but a burst wrap at a freight depot costs far more than the difference.

If you are genuinely unsure, wrap a representative pallet with each and push it. Containment failures show up in the first few seconds of handling, not in the spec sheet.

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Hand film vs machine film: they are not interchangeable

This is where most buying mistakes happen. Hand film and machine film are engineered for completely different application methods.

Hand film is stretched by the operator, so it is formulated to give a usable amount of stretch at low tension. Rolls are sized to be carried and turned around a pallet, usually on a lightweight core, and they run in the hundreds of metres.

Machine film is fed through powered rollers that pre stretch it before it touches the load, often several hundred percent. It typically arrives on much longer rolls with a heavier core and is designed for tension levels a person cannot generate by hand.

Put machine film on a hand dispenser and you will fight it the whole way around the pallet. Put hand film through a wrapping machine and you risk snapping it or getting inconsistent containment. If you have a wrapping machine, check the manual for the film specification it expects before ordering.

Most Australian small and medium operations wrap by hand, which is why the standard 500mm hand rolls cover the majority of use. If you are wrapping more than roughly 15 to 20 pallets a day by hand, it is worth pricing a machine against the labour and film savings.

Cast film and blown film

Two manufacturing methods, two different feels.

Cast film is extruded onto a chilled roller. It is clear, quiet to unwind and has good cling on one side. Most hand pallet wrap sold in Australia is cast.

Blown film is extruded as a bubble and cooled with air. It is tougher and more puncture resistant, but it is hazier, noisier to unwind and usually costs more per metre.

For general warehouse and freight work, cast film in the right thickness does the job. Blown film earns its place when loads are genuinely brutal.

Why black stretch wrap exists

Black film is not a styling choice. It hides the contents of a pallet, which matters for high value freight, and it stops a curious eye at a depot from cataloguing what is inside. It also helps shield light sensitive goods during storage.

The trade off is that nobody can see the load either, including your own team and the receiving warehouse. Labelling becomes essential. If you want the security without losing the count, 25µm black pallet wrap on the outer wraps over a clear inner wrap is a workable compromise.

Bundle film is a different product

Bundle film, sometimes called bundle wrap, is a narrow stretch film (around 100mm) used to tie items together: lengths of pipe, stacked chairs, boxes travelling as a set, handles on a trolley. It is not pallet wrap and it will not contain a pallet.

If you bundle regularly, bundle film plus a bundle wrap dispenser is far quicker and cheaper than strapping, and it leaves no sharp edges. Plenty of warehouses run both: 500mm pallet wrap on the pallets, 100mm bundle film on everything else.

Getting more out of every roll

Film cost per pallet is driven as much by technique as by thickness.

• Start at the base. Anchor the first two wraps around the pallet itself, not just the bottom carton, or the load will shift off the timber in transit.
• Overlap by about half the film width. Less than that and you leave weak bands; much more and you are paying for film you do not need.
• Use a dispenser. A proper handle lets you apply real tension instead of walking backwards pulling on a roll, and it is considerably safer.
• Wrap corners deliberately. Corners take the load in transit and they are where thin film fails first.
• Do not over order thickness to fix a technique problem. Going from 20µm to 25µm costs roughly 25 percent more film per pallet. Fixing the wrap pattern is free.

We have a step by step walkthrough in our guide on how to wrap a pallet with stretch wrap if you want to run your team through the method.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between stretch wrap gauge and micron?

They measure the same thing, film thickness, in different units. Gauge is imperial and micron is metric. Divide gauge by roughly 3.9 to get microns, so 80 gauge is about 20µm and 100 gauge is about 25µm. Australian suppliers generally quote microns.

What micron stretch wrap should I use for pallets?

For uniform carton loads in a warehouse, 20µm is usually enough. For mixed loads or heavier pallets, 23µm is a safe middle ground. For sharp, heavy or long haul freight, go to 25µm. The right answer depends on the load, not the pallet.

Can I use hand stretch wrap in a wrapping machine?

Generally no. Machine film is engineered for the high pre stretch levels a powered wrapper applies, and hand film can snap or give inconsistent containment under that tension. Check what your machine specifies before ordering.

Is thicker stretch wrap always better?

No. Thicker film costs more per pallet and gives you fewer metres per roll, and it will not rescue a poor wrapping pattern. If your pallets are failing, check the base anchor, the overlap and the corner coverage before you increase thickness.

How many pallets will one roll of stretch wrap cover?

It depends on pallet height, overlap and how many wraps you apply, so treat any figure as an estimate. A useful rule is to wrap one representative pallet, measure the film used, then divide the roll length by that figure. Once you know your own number, comparing a 380m roll against a 300m roll becomes straightforward.

Does stretch wrap expire?

The film itself is stable, but rolls stored in direct sun, near heat or in a dusty area can lose cling and become brittle. Keep rolls indoors, off the floor and out of UV, and rotate stock so the oldest rolls go first.