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.

Micrometer used to measure film thickness

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.

Low density polythene film property chart
ThicknessStrengthClarityUsage
80g
20mu
LowExcellentGeneral purpose polythene film where load carrying capacity is not required.
100g
25mu
LowExcellentGeneral purpose polythene film where load carrying capacity is not required.
120g
30mu
MediumExcellentSlightly thicker polythene film that makes packing items easier.
150g
38mu
180g
45mu
MediumGoodThicker polythene film that protects items with smooth edges.
200g
50mu
GoodOKThick polythene film suitable for heavy awkward items.
250g
63mu
Very goodOKThick polythene film suitable for protecting heavy and abrasive items. Has OK clarity, therefore suitable for packing items.
400g
100mu
ExcellentSlightly cloudyVery thick polythene film suitable for protecting abrasive items such as bolts and screws. Slightly cloudy but packed goods are visible.
500g
127mu
ExcellentSlighly cloudyVery 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.

High density polythene film property chart
ThicknessStrengthClarityUsage
72g
18mu
OKCloudyA 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.

Polypropylene film property chart
ThicknessStrengthClarityUsage
150g
38mu
GoodSuperbExtremely hard wearing film.
200g
50mu
GoodSuperbExtremely 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 (0.001mm).

A 20 microns or 80 gauge bag is able to hold items up to about 1.5kg. 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 20kg.

The following gauge to micron conversion chart converts between gauge, micron, mill, millimeter and inch.

Thickness conversion chart
GaugeMillMicronMillimeterInch
300.37.60.00760.0003
400.4100.01010.0004
500.512.50.01270.0005
600.6150.01520.0006
750.75190.01900.0007
800.80200.02030.0008
900.9230.02280.0009
1001250.02540.0010
1201.2300.03040.0012
1501.5380.03800.0015
1601.6400.04060.0016
1801.8450.04570.0018
2002500.05080.002
3003750.0750.003
40041000.10.0039
4304.3107.50.10750.0042
4504.5112.50.11250.0044
50051250.1250.0049
60061500.150.0059
70071750.1750.0069
80082000.20.0079
90092250.2250.0089
1000102500.250.0098

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