Polythene film packaging guide
Selecting polythene film
| Economy duty film thickness | Exceptionally lightweight and for use on lightweight items. 80 gauge (20 micron). Predominantly used for keeping goods clean, dry and visible. |
| Light duty film thickness | Light duty film has superb clarity. 100 gauge (25 micron) 120 gauge (30 micron). Predominantly used for keeping items clean and dust free. |
| Medium duty film thickness | Medium duty film is ideal for packing smooth items. 150 gauge (38 micron). |
| Heavy duty film thickness | Heavy duty film is suitable for items with sharpe edges. 200 gauge (50 micron). |
| Strong film thickness | Strong film does not tear easily. Suitable for carrying heavy items. 250 gauge (62 micron) 400 gauge (100 micron) 500 gauge (125 micron) |
Polythene film thickness conversion
Plastic sheeting, tubing and bags are measured by their thickness and is expressed in gauge (imperial) or microns (metric).
Gauge relates to thickness. Each 100 gauge is 1 thousandth of an inch.
Microns are thousandths of a millimeter.
Gauge can also be related to microns by dividing the gauge by 4.
| Gauge | Micron | Millimeter | Inch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 7.6 | 0.0076 | 0.0003 |
| 40 | 10 | 0.0101 | 0.0004 |
| 50 | 12.5 | 0.0127 | 0.0005 |
| 60 | 15 | 0.0152 | 0.0006 |
| 75 | 19 | 0.0190 | 0.0007 |
| 80 | 20 | 0.0203 | 0.0008 |
| 90 | 23 | 0.0228 | 0.0009 |
| 100 | 25 | 0.0254 | 0.0010 |
| 120 | 30 | 0.0304 | 0.0012 |
| 150 | 38 | 0.0380 | 0.0015 |
| 160 | 40 | 0.0406 | 0.0016 |
| 180 | 45 | 0.0457 | 0.0018 |
| 200 | 50 | 0.0508 | 0.0020 |
Polythene film thickness conversion last updated: May-2023