Our film thickness guide
Our polythene thickness guide aims to help new cutomers choose the correct polythene and plastic bags. Polythene is produced in different sizes and strengths to suit different applications. The following polythene film thickness guide aims to provide advice on film material and thickness so that you can make an informed purchase.
The following tables list common film material and gauge and the properties of each in terms of strength and clarity.
Low-density polythene film
Low-density polythene film is referred to as LDPE. It is resistant to punctures and tears, non-porous and stretchable. LDPE is a relatively strong transparent film with good tensile strength. LDPE resin has good clarity but weak film strength. Low-density polythene film is primarily used for plastic food bags and poly sheeting.
| Thickness | Strength | Clarity | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 gauge 20 micron | Low | Excellent | General purpose polythene film where load carrying capacity is not required. |
| 100 gauge 25 micron | Low | Excellent | General purpose polythene film where load carrying capacity is not required. |
| 120 gauge 30 micron | Medium | Excellent | Slightly thicker polythene film that makes packing items easier. |
150 gauge 38 micron 180 gauge 45 micron | Medium | Good | Thicker polythene film that protects items with smooth edges. |
| 200 gauge 50 micron | Good | OK | Thick polythene film suitable for heavy awkward items. |
| 250 gauge 63 micron | Very good | OK | Thick polythene film suitable for protecting heavy and abrasive items. Has OK clarity, therefore suitable for packing items. |
| 400 gauge 100 micron | Excellent | Slightly cloudy | Very thick polythene film suitable for protecting abrasive items such as bolts and screws. Slightly cloudy but packed goods are visible. |
| 500 gauge 127 micron | Excellent | Slighly cloudy | Very thick polythene film suitable for protecting abrasive items such as bolts and screws. Poly bags made from this gauge have excellent load carrying capcity. |
High-density polythene film
High-density polythene is referred to as HDPE. This film that has much higher stiffness, higher temperature resistance and much better water vapour barrier properties than LDPE film. However, the main drawback of HDPE film is it is hazier that LDPE. HDPE film is typically used for grocery bags and trash bags.
| Thickness | Strength | Clarity | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72 gauge 18 micron | OK | Cloudy | A strong thin material with a crinkly feel. |
Polypropylene film
Polypropylene film is stiffer than LDPE and HDPE. It acts a moisture barriers and preserves the freshness of items stored within. It is non-porous and offers excellent clarity. Polypropylene film can withstand high temperatures.
| Thickness | Strength | Clarity | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 gauge 38 micron | Good | Superb | Extremely hard wearing film. |
| 200 gauge 50 micron | Good | Superb | Extremely flat film. Suitable for flat packing shirts. |
Gauge and micron
The thickness of material used in our products are listed as gauge and micron.
One micron is about 4 gauge. One micron is equal to one thousandth of a millimeter (0.001 mm).
A 20 microns or 80 gauge bag is able to hold items up to about 1.5 kg. This makes it good for light duty protection from dust and moisture.
Heavy-duty polythene bags are 125 microns or 500 gauge. 125 microns is extremely tough and highly resistant to tears and punctures. In terms of load, 125 micron bags are able to hold up to about 20 kg.
The following gauge to micron conversion chart converts between gauge, micron, mill, millimeter and inch.
| Gauge | Mill | Micron | Millimeter | Inch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 0.3 | 7.6 | 0.0076 | 0.0003 |
| 40 | 0.4 | 10 | 0.0101 | 0.0004 |
| 50 | 0.5 | 12.5 | 0.0127 | 0.0005 |
| 60 | 0.6 | 15 | 0.0152 | 0.0006 |
| 75 | 0.75 | 19 | 0.0190 | 0.0007 |
| 80 | 0.80 | 20 | 0.0203 | 0.0008 |
| 90 | 0.9 | 23 | 0.0228 | 0.0009 |
| 100 | 1 | 25 | 0.0254 | 0.0010 |
| 120 | 1.2 | 30 | 0.0304 | 0.0012 |
| 150 | 1.5 | 38 | 0.0380 | 0.0015 |
| 160 | 1.6 | 40 | 0.0406 | 0.0016 |
| 180 | 1.8 | 45 | 0.0457 | 0.0018 |
| 200 | 2 | 50 | 0.0508 | 0.002 |
| 300 | 3 | 75 | 0.075 | 0.003 |
| 400 | 4 | 100 | 0.1 | 0.0039 |
| 430 | 4.3 | 107.5 | 0.1075 | 0.0042 |
| 450 | 4.5 | 112.5 | 0.1125 | 0.0044 |
| 500 | 5 | 125 | 0.125 | 0.0049 |
| 600 | 6 | 150 | 0.15 | 0.0059 |
| 700 | 7 | 175 | 0.175 | 0.0069 |
| 800 | 8 | 200 | 0.2 | 0.0079 |
| 900 | 9 | 225 | 0.225 | 0.0089 |
| 1000 | 10 | 250 | 0.25 | 0.0098 |
