Black and opaque stretch wrap

Black is the colour people ask for when they search for opaque film, and it hides a load completely. It also shows dust and scuffs less in a dirty yard. White hides the load just as well and reflects sunlight instead of soaking it up, which is kinder to what is inside on a pallet staged outdoors. Either way, the pallet is no longer an advertisement for its contents.

A black pallet also stands out in a lane of clear ones, so some docks use it to mark loads that need special handling.

You can't scan or read through opaque film, so the shipping label and any count sheet go on the outside, after wrapping. Damage under the film is harder to spot at receiving, which is worth agreeing with the customer. The gauge doesn't change: choose it from the load weight on the gauge chart,² and cast or blown from the load's shape.³

An opaque wrap won't stop a determined thief, but it removes the advertisement: a pallet of phones, spirits or branded trainers looks like any other black pallet in a trailer or a yard. It also makes tampering easier to see, because a cut or a re-wrap in black film shows at a glance, especially if the outer layer carries a printed tape or a label across the tail. For loads where proof of tampering matters more than hiding them, ask about combining clear film with a tamper-evident label.

Opaque blue, red or green film hides a load and codes it at the same time, useful when a site needs both. Availability varies, so ask in the request.

Keep black and white film out of clear-film bales unless your recycler accepts mixed colours.

Does black film hold heat in the sun?

It absorbs more sunlight than clear or white film, so a black-wrapped pallet left in the sun can get warm. For pallets staged outdoors, white opaque film hides the load and stays cooler.

Can I wrap with clear film, then black?

You can put an outer layer of opaque film over clear; many docks just use opaque throughout. The holding power comes from the gauge and the turns either way.

Is opaque film recyclable?

Where coloured film is accepted. Many film recyclers want clear film kept apart, so keep black film out of a clear-film bale.

Is black film harder to see in a yard at night?

Yes. Pallets in black film blend into a dark yard, so good lighting and reflective markers on lanes matter more.

• Tinted film

  See-through colours

  Colour without hiding the load.

• UV-inhibited film

  Stored outside

  For pallets that sit in the sun.

• All specialty film

  One job each

  Back to the specialty range.