What are strapping bands used for?

What do you use a strapping band for?

Strapping is more than putting something round a load. A properly applied strap does three things at once: it holds loose units together, it compresses the load into one compact whole, and it anchors that whole to the pallet. The strapping materials range offers a different strap type for each of those three jobs, because each places different demands on the material.

Bundling: turning loose items into one unit

Bundling is not about force, it is about order. Think of stacks of printed matter, cardboard sheets, tubes, battens or boxes that need to leave as a set. The strap barely has to carry anything here; it mainly has to close neatly and not cut into the product. A light PP strap is almost always the right choice.

Compressing: pressing the load together

When compressing, you use the strap to remove volume: bales of paper, textiles, insulation or waste are pressed together and held in that position. The strap then has to withstand high, sustained tension without stretching. Bales coming out of a press are therefore closed with bale press strapping or steel strap.

Securing: keeping the load on the pallet

When securing, the strap is a transport restraint. It has to absorb the forces acting on the load during braking, acceleration and cornering, over hundreds of kilometres and sometimes days of storage. Tensile strength, elastic recovery and weather resistance all matter here — and this is where things most often go wrong in practice.

Why stretch film and strapping complement each other

The two are often seen as alternatives, but they do different jobs. Hand wrapping film and machine wrapping film hold the load together and protect it against dust and moisture, but film stretches: it does not prevent toppling. A strapping band works the other way round — it pulls the load against the pallet with almost no give. Heavy or tall pallets therefore often get both: wrap first, then strap. For smaller consignments, shrink film does comparable work where the film itself has to take the shape of the product.

What are you actually choosing on?

Almost every buyer looks at width and tensile strength. Those are the two visible numbers, but they only explain part of what happens in the trailer.

Tensile strength is not the same as tension retention

Tensile strength tells you at what load the strap breaks. In practice, straps rarely break on the road — they work loose. The cause is tension loss: the load settles slightly, the strap creeps, and the tension drops. A strap with high tensile strength but a lot of creep holds a pallet less well than a strap with lower tensile strength that keeps its tension.

Elongation and elastic recovery: why a strap works loose

Every plastic strap stretches as you tension it. The difference is in what happens next. PP strap stretches a lot and therefore loses tension relatively quickly, but it flexes along when the load moves. PET and polyester strap stretch less and spring back: if the load settles, the strap pulls itself tight again. Steel strap hardly stretches at all — strong, but unforgiving: once the load settles, the tension is gone and does not return.

Strap width and thickness

A wider strap spreads the force over a larger area and is therefore slower to cut in. A thicker strap of the same width delivers more tensile strength, but it is stiffer and takes more effort to tension. For cardboard and stacked boxes, go wider; for a smooth, hard load the strap may be narrower and thicker.

Indoors or outdoors?

UV radiation and moisture are fatal to the wrong material. Polypropylene weakens under prolonged sunlight, and steel strap rusts unless it is coated or stainless. For outdoor storage of building materials, choose polyester, composite or coated steel strap.

The strap types side by side

The table below compares the strap types in our strapping straps category. The tensile strengths listed are the values we stock; the exact figure may differ per item.

PP strap: the standard for light bundling

PP strap is the strap you see hanging on the dispenser in most warehouses. Polypropylene is light, inexpensive per metre and highly elastic: the strap gives way rather than breaking. We stock 12 mm × 0.55 mm on 3000-metre reels and 16 mm × 0.83 mm on 1500-metre reels, among others, with core diameters of 200, 280 and 406 mm — that core has to fit your dispenser or machine, so check it before ordering. Available in black, white, blue, red and brown, which helps if you want to distinguish consignments by customer or route.

PET strap: the plastic alternative to steel

PET strap is lightweight yet immensely strong, and fully recyclable. Where steel strap fixes a pallet rigidly, PET strap keeps its tension because it springs back as the load settles. That makes it ideal for timber packs, stone, tiles and beverages on pallets. Added benefit: no sharp edges and no rust, so no cutting hazard for your staff and no rust marks on the packaging.

Woven polyester strap: gentle on the load, firm in its grip

Polyester strap is woven from many fine fibres and feels like textile: soft, flexible, without sharp edges and without scratching painted or anodised surfaces. Even so, woven polyester strapping reaches tensile strengths well into the hundreds of kilos. The strap is unaffected by the weather and suitable for outdoor use. Versions such as 16 mm and 19 mm × 600 metres are common, in white, black, blue and red.

Composite strap: the strength of steel without the sharp edges

Composite strap consists of polyester fibres in a polymer coating. That construction combines the tensile strength of steel strap with the flexibility of plastic: the strap absorbs shocks rather than passing them on, resists chemicals and UV radiation, does not rust and is recyclable. For pallets of timber, building materials or machinery stored outdoors or under a canopy, this is often the safest choice.

Steel strap: for the heaviest and sharpest freight

Steel strap hardly stretches and withstands heat and sharp edges where every plastic strap fails. We stock 12, 16 and 19 mm, in black lacquered and stainless versions. Mind the winding: with single winding the strap lies in one flat layer on the reel, while with American winding it is wound crosswise. That determines which dispenser or tool the reel fits. You always need tools to process it — see the steel strap shears and AVT tensioner.

Rope and bale press strapping: bundling and pressing

Not every job calls for a strap. For simple bundling and for horticultural and agricultural use, sisal and Polypack rope is often more practical: no tools needed, just tie a knot. For balers in the paper, textile and recycling industries, use bale press strapping, which has to cope with the sustained pressure of a compressed bale.

Which strap for which load?

The table below translates the strap types into applications as they occur in practice.

Closing and tensioning: what goes with it

A strap is never a complete system on its own. The closure determines how much of the tensile strength you actually use — the wrong buckle is the weakest link, and that is where it fails.

Buckles, seals and clips

With buckles and seals, the rule is simple: the buckle has to match both the strap type and the strap width. We stock metal buckles for 13, 16 and 19 mm PP and polyester strap, separate buckles for woven polyester strap, self-locking versions and plastic buckles for PP strap. Materials range from plain steel and phosphate steel to stainless steel; choose the latter for damp conditions or outdoor storage. Looking for other closures for your packing line? Have a look at closure materials as well.

Do you need tools to close a strap?

Not for rope, but for every other strap type you do. The simplest solution is a hand tensioner with buckles; it requires no investment and works perfectly well at low volumes. Under strapping devices you will find hand tensioners, sealers, sealless tools, steel strap shears and electric tools for high volumes, from brands such as Cyklop, Josef Kihlberg and Strapeasy. Sealless tools weld two layers of strap together by friction — saving you the purchase and the logistics of seals. If you are not yet sure which combination you need, the complete strapping sets are a safe start: strap, buckles and tensioner are matched to each other.

Reels and dispensers

A 3000-metre reel of strapping is heavy and rolls away the moment you pull on it. A dispenser from the reels category keeps the coil in place, keeps dirt off the strap and saves your staff time every day. For mobile workstations, combine it with equipment from internal transportation.

Corner protectors prevent strapping damage

Under tension, a strap acts like a knife on the corners of your load. Plastic corner protectors absorb that cutting action and spread the force across the corner. There are versions with a profiled inner face for extra rigidity and with pins that grip into the cardboard so the protector does not slide away while you tension. For full pallet height, use longer plastic corner profiles for strapping; the complete range is under protective and filling materials.

The mistakes we see most often

Why does my strap snap while tensioning?

Usually for one of three reasons. The strap runs over a sharp corner without a corner protector, the buckle does not match the strap type so the strap tears at the closure, or the strap is too narrow for the load. Check those three before you order a heavier strap — in two out of three cases you can solve it without changing material.

Over-tensioned on a fragile load

More tension is not safer. Cardboard, plastic jerrycans and hollow profiles deform under an over-tightened strap, after which the tension disappears anyway. Choose a wider strap, use corner protectors and tension until the load is firm — not until it creaks.

One strap where two are needed

A single strap around the middle of a pallet will not hold the top layer. From roughly one metre of pallet height, the rule of thumb is two horizontal straps, and for tall or unstable stacks you also strap vertically over the pallet. Two narrower straps are almost always better than one wide one.

Can a strapping band work loose?

Yes, and that causes damage more often than a broken strap does. Two mechanisms combine: the load settles (think of bagged goods or fresh produce) and the strap creeps. For settling loads, choose a strap that springs back — PET, polyester or composite. If a pallet stands for days before dispatch, it is wise to check the tension again before it leaves.

Can strapping be left outdoors?

Only if you choose the material accordingly. UV radiation breaks down polypropylene, which is why PP strap turns brittle after a season outside. Polyester, woven polyester and composite strap are weather resistant, and steel strap only in lacquered or stainless versions. Store unused reels indoors, dry and out of direct sunlight — even a weather-resistant strap lasts longer if it is not left in the sun for no reason.

Is strapping recyclable?

PP, PET and steel strap separate and recycle well; PET strap is also often made partly from recycled material already. Composite and woven polyester strap are harder to separate because several materials are combined. If you want to make your packing process more sustainable across the board, have a look at sustainable packaging materials.

Can I reuse a strapping band?

No. A tensioned strap has already used up its elongation, and a cut or broken strap is always weakened at the closure. Reuse gives a false sense of security; use a new strap for every consignment and dispose of the old one separately.

Choosing in three steps

• What does the strap have to do? Bundling calls for a light strap, compressing for a strap without creep, securing for tensile strength with elastic recovery.
• What is the load? Fragile or painted: woven polyester strap. Heavy and compact: PET strap. Sharp, hot or rigid: steel strap. Light cardboard: PP strap.
• Where does the load stand? Indoors, PP is fine; outdoors, choose polyester, composite or coated steel.
• And then the rest of the system: a buckle that matches both strap and width, a tensioner or tool that handles the reel, and corner protectors on every corner that counts.

Ordering strapping materials from Kortpack

All strap types, buckles, corner protectors, dispensers and tools are in our own warehouse. Ordered on working days before 3:30 PM? Then your order will be shipped the same day. Topping up your packaging stock in one go? Have a look at tape, cardboard boxes and shipping materials as well.

Do you have questions about which size of strapping materials is best suited to your situation? Please don't hesitate to contact us — by phone on +31 184 – 614256, via info@kortpack.nl or via WhatsApp.