Stretch wrap for e-commerce fulfilment

• Outbound cartons to a carrier

  Hand film, 18 in x 1,500 ft

  Mixed cartons wrapped by hand at the dock, case after case.

• Inbound stock for put-away

  Cast machine film

  Square pallets from suppliers, often rewrapped after a check.

• Returns

  Black or opaque film

  Hides mixed returned goods on the way back.

• Light, bulky goods

  Pre-stretched hand film

  Less effort per pallet when the loads are light.

• California236,923 jobs
• Texas175,579 jobs
• Pennsylvania123,481 jobs
• Florida105,401 jobs
• Ohio98,354 jobs

US total in warehousing and storage: 1,901,976 private jobs across 23,345 establishments, 2025 annual average.¹

Fulfilment docks wrap outbound pallets fast, by hand, often on several shifts. That makes the case of hand film the unit to plan in, and the film per pallet sum worth doing. The states above are ranked by warehousing and storage jobs,² which is where most fulfilment work is counted. The Inland Empire, where warehousing is 5.9 times its national share of jobs, is the clearest case; see the Inland Empire.

Fulfilment sites wrap at three points. Inbound pallets from manufacturers are usually already wrapped and are cut open for put-away. Outbound pallets of parcels go to carrier hubs, built from sorted cartons of every size, and are wrapped tightly so the parcels arrive together; a blown hand roll or a turntable handles their uneven shape. Returns are gathered into pallets of mixed goods for liquidation or reprocessing, often wrapped in opaque film. Peak season multiplies the volume, so a monthly quantity that suits spring will run out in December.

Many fulfilment sites ship loose parcels to carriers in large corrugated bulk boxes, often called gaylords, on pallets. Film round the top of the box and down onto the pallet keeps the lid on and stops the box splitting under its load. Taller parcel stacks without a box need more turns and a careful top wrap so small items don't escape.

Seasonal staff need a quick lesson in base turns and tucking.

How many cases of hand film a month?

Count pallets a day, work out pallets per roll, and divide. The film per pallet guide does the sum.

Black film for returns, or clear?

Opaque film hides mixed returned goods; clear film is fine if nobody minds what is visible.

Do parcel carriers have pallet rules?

Most publish preparation guides covering pallet size, height, labels and wrapping. Check yours before setting your pattern.