The advancements made in poly strapping alternatives over the past 20 years have been
phenomenal. Not only are the plastic options 80% lighter than steel banding, but they are also reaching strengths akin
to steel for many applications. However, too many varieties of a similar product can leave the potential users confused.
So let's break down the alternatives under the poly strapping / plastic banding heading, and if you need some help, take
a look at the strap comparison chart at the bottom of this page; or just give us a call, and we'll walk you through
it. Due to market volatility, we are unable to post pricing at this time.
First, we consider woven polypropylene strapping (PPRO). This option is a light duty hand-grade or machine-grade banding
typically used in applications where break strength is not an issue, such as small palletized loads of cardboard boxes, or
even moving larger bundles around within your plant (temporary). PPRO has high tension recovery and low cost. It is
textured, providing superior gripping in the friction weld process or with buckles and non-serrated seals. It is
available in many widths, thicknesses, core sizes, break strengths, grades, colors, and footage options. See the
chart below for available specifications and pricing, and notice the "best seller" with a gray background.
WIDTH / THICKNESS
STYLE / GRADE
BREAK STRENGTH
FEET / ROLL
CORE SIZE
COLOR
ROLL PRICE LESS THAN SKID
ROLL PRICE SKID (24+ ROLLS)
5-6-7-9-12 MM
PPRO MACHINE
130-300
9900-24,000
8 x 8
white
CALL
CALL
1/4"
PPRO MACHINE
145-200
13,120-22,000
8 x 8
white/yellow/ clear/black
CALL
CALL
3/8"
PPRO MACHINE
300-400
8700-12,900
SPECIFY
white/yellow/ clear/black
CALL
CALL
7/16"
PPRO MACHINE
400-600
5600-12,000
SPECIFY
clear / black
CALL
CALL
1/2"
PPRO MACHINE
350-750
5575-9900
SPECIFY
white/yellow/ clear/black
CALL
CALL
1/2"
PPRO HAND
600
7200
16 x 6
black
CALL
CALL
1/2"
PPRO HAND
600
3600
16 x 3
black
CALL
CALL
1/2"
PPRO HAND
600
7200
8 x 8
black
CALL
CALL
5/8"
PPRO HAND
700
5400
SPECIFY
black
CALL
CALL
3/4"
PPRO HAND
1000
4500
SPECIFY
black
CALL
CALL
Second, we consider extruded polyester strapping (PET). This most-popular choice is a great money-saver compared
to steel or woven polyester, where break strength allows. PET banding offers more strength and split resistance compared
to PPRO, regardless of whether you are using it in the hand-grade or machine-grade format. PET is often smooth in texture
and translucent, though it can be embossed and opaque. If not friction welded, we strongly recommend using serrated seals
for better gripping. It is also available in an ever-increasing range of widths, strengths, core sizes, and colors. See
the chart below for options, and again, notice the "best seller" with a gray background.
WIDTH / THICKNESS
STYLE / GRADE
BREAK STRENGTH
FEET / ROLL
CORE SIZE
COLOR
ROLL PRICE LESS THAN SKID
ROLL PRICE SKID (24+ ROLLS)
3/8" x .021
PET
470
9600
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
7/16" x .024
PET TENEX
N/A
9000
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
1/2" x .015
PET
500
9000
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
1/2" x .020
PET
600
7200
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
1/2" x .026
PET
770
5800
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
1/2" x .028
PET
820
6500
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
1/2" x .015
PET
500
4500
16 x 3
black / green
CALL
CALL
1/2" x .020
PET
600
3600
16 x 3
black / green
CALL
CALL
1/2" x .026
PET
770
2900
16 x 3
black / green
CALL
CALL
1/2" x .028
PET
820
3250
16 x 3
black / green
CALL
CALL
5/8" x .030
PET
1200
3600
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
5/8" x .030
PET
1200
1800
16 x 3
black / green
CALL
CALL
5/8" x .035
PET
1400
4000
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
5/8" x .035
PET - AAR
1400
4000
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
5/8" x .040
PET
1600
4000
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
5/8" x .040
PET - AAR
1600
4000
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
3/4" x .040
PET
1900
3000
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
3/4" x .050
PET - AAR
2300
2650
16 x 6
green
CALL
CALL
1" x .050
PET
3000
1800
16 x 6
black / green
CALL
CALL
1" x .050
PET - AAR
3000
1800
16 x 6
green
CALL
CALL
Third, consider woven polyester banding (WPET). This strapping has the texture of a car seatbelt, a duffle bag handle,
or a heavy duty truck strap. And it's strong - stronger than steel in many cases! It's very safe; you won't be worrying
about workplace injuries when using this option. But it is expensive, and many users have overlooked that
truth, and find themselves spending more than they need to for their packaging methods. You'll need heavy duty buckles,
which can also get expensive, when using this alternative. We'll include "composite" strapping in this category as well,
and you'll find all of the available specifications in the chart below, where our "best seller" has a gray background.
WIDTH / THICKNESS
STYLE / GRADE
BREAK STRENGTH
FEET / ROLL
CORE SIZE
COLOR
ROLL PRICE LESS THAN SKID
ROLL PRICE SKID (24+ ROLLS)
1/2"
WPET
660
4000
N/A
orange
CALL
CALL
5/8"
WPET
1150
3000
N/A
orange
CALL
CALL
5/8"
WPET
1350
2000
N/A
orange
CALL
CALL
3/4"
WPET
2200
1650
N/A
orange
CALL
CALL
3/4"
WPET
2600
1650
N/A
orange
CALL
CALL
3/4"
WPET
2900
1650
N/A
orange
CALL
CALL
1-1/4"
WPET
4200
600
N/A
orange
CALL
CALL
1-1/2"
WPET
5200
600
N/A
orange
CALL
CALL
5/8"
COMPOSITE
950
2790
N/A
white
CALL
CALL
3/4"
COMPOSITE
1400
1640
N/A
white
CALL
CALL
1"
COMPOSITE
1800
1640
N/A
white
CALL
CALL
1-1/4"
COMPOSITE
3300
985
N/A
white
CALL
CALL
Fourth, consider extruded nylon (NYLON), which has all the benefit properties of both extruded polyester (PET) and woven
polypropylene (PPRO). This option competes well with all the others, as you can see from the chart and videos at the
bottom of the screen. When pallet loads are stacked or vibrate in transit, the strapping / banding often becomes loose.
This can cause product damage or personal injury. Nylon banding is perfectly suited for loads that shift or shrink in
transit or storage, because it is elongated or stretched when under pressure, and it recovers when the load shifts. This
property is unique to nylon, and you can see the options in the chart below, noting our "best seller" with a gray
background.
WIDTH / THICKNESS
STYLE / GRADE
BREAK STRENGTH
FEET / ROLL
CORE SIZE
COLOR
ROLL PRICE LESS THAN SKID
ROLL PRICE SKID (24+ ROLLS)
5/8" x .028
NYLON
1000
5300
16 x 6
black
N/A
CALL
5/8" x .035
NYLON
1200
4000
16 x 6
black
CALL
CALL
5/8" x .040
NYLON
1300
3800
16 x 6
black
CALL
CALL
3/4" x .040
NYLON
1700
3000
16 x 6
black
N/A
CALL
3/4" x .050
NYLON
2100
2500
16 x 6
black
N/A
CALL
Finally, there are additional choices out there, as strapping manufacturers tweak the above and patent new products
with regularity under their own unique brand name. We don't want to overwhelm you with choices. We are experts in this
field, and these are the options we have deemed best for our customers. We offer great shipping rates throughout the
country, and we may be able to deliver with our company trucks, saving you even more! Don't forget to check out the
tools and seals we offer for use with the strapping you choose. If you're not sure whether
poly or steel is the right banding for you, see our strap comparison chart below, or call us
with your application, and we'll help you determine the most cost-effective option.
Performance
Polypropylene
Extruded Polyester
Woven Polyester
Nylon
Steel
Break Strength
Fair
Good
Excellent
Good
Excellent
Elongation
8-10%
1-2%
7-9%
5-6%
< 1%
Ability to Retain Tension
Poor
Good
Good
Excellent
Excellent
Elongation Recovery
Excellent
Fair
Good
Very Good
Poor
Split Resistance
Poor
Excellent
Good
Good
Excellent
Recyclability
Excellent
Excellent
Re-Usable!
Excellent
Good
Shock Resistance
Good
Good
Excellent
Excellent
Poor
Cost per Foot
Low
Moderate
Very High
High
Very High
Safety Rating
A
B+
A+
B+
D
Image
Most Common Specification
1/2" x .025 7200' x 600# Black
5/8" x .035 4000' x 1400# Green
3/4" x .050 1650' x 2400# Orange
5/8" x .040 3800' x 1300# Black
3/4" x .023 2000' x 2000# Reg. A Grade
Average Price at Skid Quantity
$ 75 / coil
$ 75 / coil
$ 95 / coil
$ 140 / coil
$ 120 / coil
Price per Foot
$ 0.010
$ 0.019
$ 0.057
$ 0.036
$ 0.059
Here are a couple of strap comparison videos for your viewing pleasure. Which product
do you think holds up best in the elements for a year? Watch and find out if you are correct!
