Sustainable Packaging Update 3 – Pallet Stretch Wrapping Film

by: Dennis Salazar

17 Feb

Late last year I was walking through a green product show and came to an abrupt stop when I saw a sign in a booth offering “biodegradable stretch film”. I eagerly inquired about the product but my excitement quickly turned in to disappointment when I realized the stretch film offered was not really a viable product we could add to our Globe Guard product line.

What Do People Want in Stretch Film?

I have been selling stretch film since it was first invented in the early to mid seventies. Oddly enough, what customers want has not changed all that much over the course of those thirty plus years. Users of stretch pallet wrap still require the following -

That it elongates as much as possible so it has a higher yield and there by requires less film be used to accomplish the task.
That it is tacky enough to stick to itself so that the film on the pallet does not unravel on its way from point A to point B.
That it does not tear too easily as it is being applied and in use
That it is low in cost

What Is Currently Available

The film I saw at the show had a much higher cost per pound than standard films, which might be acceptable if the film elongated exceptionally well. However, I was informed the biodegradable film would only stretch to approximately one-third of what the market today is expecting. This meant the film would not only have a high cost per wrapped pallet, it would provide poor load retention holding force. To make matters worse, the biodegradable film tore easily and lost most of its tackiness when elongated. If you are keeping score, that made this new revolutionary, “biodegradable” stretch film about 0 for 4 on the product scale.

Reduce Remains One of the Seven R’s in Sustainability

Sometimes the best you can do with a packaging product in terms of sustainability is to simply use less of it and that unfortunately is the case with typical pallet stretch wrapping film. There have been great advances in recent years in eco friendly plastic formulations. Unfortunately, these biodegradable, oxo-degradable or even compostable plastic film formulations are not available in stretch film, a staple on virtually every U.S. shipping dock.

Manufacturers of stretch film are fully aware of the rapidly changing market that grows more and more focused on sustainability. They are producing film with even greater tear resistance at lower gauge materials, able to be elongated to extremes and resulting in very low cost and excellent performance.

That may be what we have to settle for until the new more eco-friendly generation of pallet wrapping are designed and available. It probably won’t be long but when it does, it will be announced and available from Globe Guard.
______________________

Visit the Globe Guard Eco Friendly Packaging Store for -