PP vs PET Strapping: How to Choose for Cartons and Pallet Loads

PP vs PET strapping comes down to the load. PP (polypropylene) strapping is light, low-cost and easy to handle, and it suits cartons, bundles and light-to-medium pallet loads. PET (polyester) strapping is stronger at the same width and holds its tension longer, so it suits heavy, rigid or settling loads and long transit. Comparing width and break strength alone isn’t enough to choose between them.

We’re Tuosheng Packaging, a stretch film supplier in Suzhou, China. We supply PP strapping band alongside our stretch film. We don’t supply PET strapping, so this guide is meant to help you judge where PP is enough and where it isn’t.

Quick answer: PP or PET strapping?

• PP strapping: cartons, bundles, parcels and light-to-medium pallet loads, applied by hand tool or strapping machine.
• PET strapping: heavy or rigid loads such as bricks, timber, metal coils or heavy beverage pallets, loads that settle in transit, long storage, and jobs that used steel strap.
• Don’t compare width and break strength alone: check thickness, stretch, how the strap holds tension, the joint and your existing tools.
• Pallet loads: strapping ties the goods to the pallet, stretch film holds the whole load together. Many pallets need both.

What Is the Difference Between PP and PET Strapping?

The difference between PP and PET strapping is the material, and that changes strength, stretch and how long the strap stays tight. Signode, one of the largest strapping makers, says its PET strap “yields higher break strengths and maintains a higher level of retained strap tension than polypropylene strapping”, and sells it for medium-to-heavy pallet loads. It positions its PP strap for light and medium-duty work.

The 5 key differences between PP and PET strapping:

1. Strength: PET is stronger at the same width.
2. Tension hold: PET keeps more of its applied tension; PP gives more and absorbs shocks.
3. Joints and tools: the two are sealed and tensioned differently, so tools don’t always carry over.
4. Typical loads: PP for cartons and light-to-medium loads, PET for heavy, rigid or settling loads.
5. Cost: PP costs less per metre.

Property	PP strapping	PET strapping
Material	Polypropylene	Polyester
Strength at the same width	Lower	Higher
Stretch under load	More stretch, absorbs shocks	Stiffer, less stretch
Retained tension	Lower	Higher
Weight and handling	Light, easy to cut and handle	Light, stiffer to handle
Common joints	Heat seal or friction weld (machine or tool), metal seals, buckles	Friction weld (powered tool), metal seals
Typical use	Cartons, bundles, light-to-medium pallet loads	Heavy, rigid or settling loads; steel replacement
Relative cost	Lower	Higher

For reference, our PP strapping band comes in 15.5 mm and 19 mm widths, 0.6–0.8 mm thick. The 15.5 mm strap has a break strength of 1,500–2,000 N and the 19 mm strap 2,000–3,000 N, both from virgin T30S polypropylene.

Which Packages Is PP Strapping Right For?

PP strapping is right for packages that need to stay closed and together, not for loads that need to be held under heavy force for weeks. That covers most carton work in warehouses and distribution centres.

Load	Typical PP choice	What matters most
Single cartons, parcels, light bundles	15.5 mm, 1,500–2,000 N	Easy handling, low cost per package
Mixed cartons, everyday warehouse packing	15.5 or 19 mm, by package weight	Consistent strap from roll to roll
Heavy cartons and pallet loads	19 mm, 2,000–3,000 N, used with stretch film	Edge protection, testing before bulk orders

PP has one real advantage over stiffer strap: it gives a little. Signode describes the “elastic memory” of its PP strap as absorbing shock and keeping the strap tight during handling and shipping.

When Should You Consider PET Strapping Instead?

Consider PET strapping when the load is heavy, rigid or likely to settle, or when it has to stay tight for a long time. Signode designs its PET strap for medium-to-heavy palletizing and for loads that shrink and settle in transit, and names PET bottle pallets as a common use.

Typical PET jobs:

• Bricks, blocks, timber, metal coils and other heavy, rigid goods
• PET bottle and other beverage pallets that settle in transit
• Export loads that sit in containers or yards for weeks
• Jobs that used steel strap, where buyers want a lighter, rust-free option

If your loads sit in this list, PP isn’t the right strap, even if it’s cheaper per roll.

Why Can’t You Compare Strapping by Width and Break Strength Alone?

You can’t compare strapping by width and break strength alone because neither tells you how the strap behaves after it’s applied. Break strength is the force that snaps the strap in a single pull. In transit, what matters is whether the strap stays tight.

What a width-only quote leaves out	Why it matters
Thickness	Two 15.5 mm straps can differ in strength if one is thinner
Raw material	Ask whether the quote is for virgin or recycled-content PP; we use virgin T30S PP for consistent strength
Stretch and tension hold	Decides whether the load is still tight on arrival
Joint strength	The seal or weld is often the weakest point, not the strap
Applied tension	Too much crushes cartons; too little lets the load move
Roll and core size	Has to fit your dispenser or strapping machine

A stronger strap isn’t always the better choice either. Over-tensioned strap crushes carton edges. Match width, thickness, tension and the number of straps per package to the goods, and test them together.

How Do Tension, Joints and Your Tools Affect the Choice?

Tension, joints and tools often decide the choice before the strap does. Check what your current tools and strapping machine take before you switch strap type or width.

• Tension. Set enough to hold the load without crushing it. Carton loads need less than rigid goods.
• Joints. PP is usually joined by heat seal on a strapping machine, or with metal seals or buckles by hand. PET is usually friction-welded with a powered tool, or joined with metal seals. A weak joint fails before a good strap does.
• Tools. A hand tensioner, semi-automatic machine or arch strapping machine is set up for a strap width and thickness range. Switching from PP to PET, or between widths, can mean new tools or a machine adjustment.
• Core size. Common strapping roll cores include 8 × 8 in, 9 × 8 in and 16 × 6 in in the US, and 200 mm, 280 mm and 406 mm in Europe. Check your machine’s manual or dispenser before ordering.

Before a bulk order, run sample rolls on your own tools and machine. That’s the only reliable compatibility check.

What Goes Wrong After You Switch PP Strapping?

The problems buyers run into after switching PP strapping are rarely a strap snapping. In warehouse discussions about plastic strapping, three other problems come up: machines that misfeed or jam on the new strap, strap that doesn’t match the tools and seals on hand, and straps that go slack right after they’re sealed.

Problem	What’s usually behind it	What to check
The strapping machine misfeeds or jams after a supplier change	Strap width, thickness or flatness the machine isn’t set for; or worn guides, rollers and feed parts on the machine	Run sample rolls on the machine before a bulk order; keep the old roll label to compare
Strap, seals and tools don’t match	Ordering by width alone, without the thickness, seal type and tool model	Confirm width, thickness, seal or buckle type and the tool in one order
Strap goes slack right after sealing	Wrong threading or cutting order, a seal that didn’t lock, or cartons crushed by over-tension that then leave a gap	Re-check the tool’s threading steps, inspect a few joints, lower the tension on cartons

Strap shape matters on machines, not only strength. Signode says its PP strap has low camber and curl, so it performs reliably in power strapping machines with fewer misfeeds. A strap that bends or curls can feed badly even when its width and break strength are on spec.

When a machine starts jamming after a switch, the strap and the machine can both be at fault, and the supplier and the service technician may blame each other. A sample trial on your own machine, before you change suppliers, settles that early.

When Do You Need Strapping and Stretch Film Together?

You need strapping and stretch film together when the pallet is heavy, tall or travelling far. They do different jobs. Strapping ties the goods to the pallet and holds them in one direction. Stretch film wraps the whole load into one unit, so cartons can’t shift and dust stays out. Our guide on how to stretch wrap a pallet correctly covers the wrap pattern.

Use both for:

• Heavy carton pallets and export shipments
• Tall or unstable stacks
• Loads that will be handled several times on the way

Put edge protectors under the strap at sharp corners, so the strap doesn’t cut the cartons or the film. Our guides on containment force and pallet stability and heavy-duty stretch wrap cover how much film a load needs. For the film itself, see our machine stretch film and hand stretch film.

What Should Distributors Confirm Before Ordering PP Strapping?

Distributors should confirm the full strap specification, not just the width, and check whether the strap can travel with their other packaging orders.

Check	What to confirm
Width and thickness	e.g. 15.5 or 19 mm, 0.6–0.8 mm
Break strength	Per width and thickness
Material	Virgin or recycled-content PP
Color	e.g. white or green, to match what your customers use
Roll weight and core size	Matched to your customers’ dispensers and machines
Strapping method	Hand tool, semi-automatic or automatic machine; test samples on each
Seals and tools	Seal or buckle type and tool model that match the strap width and thickness
Packing	How rolls are packed and palletized
Shipping	Whether strap can share a container with your other orders

What we see at Tuosheng: We added PP strapping band to our range for one reason: many of our customers can’t use a full container of stretch film. Rather than ship a part load, they fill the rest of the container with PP strap and get both products in one shipment.

That’s often the deciding factor for smaller distributors. If you already buy stretch film from China, putting strap in the same container can save a separate shipment. Our guide to importing stretch film from China covers the rest of the landed cost, and our guide for pallet wrap suppliers and distributors covers stocking and private-label orders. For other ways to lower freight per roll, see pallet wrap cost reduction.

PP vs PET Strapping FAQ

Need PP Strapping with Your Stretch Film Order?

Send us your package size, load weight, strapping method and the label from your current strap roll. We’ll recommend a PP strapping band width and thickness, send samples to test on your own tools, and quote it together with your stretch film so both can ship in one container.