Polypropylene or Polyethylene? Here's What a Wholesale Packaging Supplier has to Share!

From a Taiwanese wholesale packaging supplier and manufacturer of PP and PE Woven Fabric, we often see clients deliberating over which of these materials best suit their needs. We thought we could share some ideas to help with your consideration with this article!

The PP and PE Face-Off! 

These two polymers are so similar that they are both suitable in most packaging material. No wonder its so hard to choose! Here's a cheat sheet to their similarities and differences and more descriptions below to help you decide!.

Similarities of PP and PE

• Appearance: Virgin granules can both be slightly translucent off-whitish in color*. Both can have colors added in the manufacturing process.
• Made of olefin fibers.
• Long shelf-life and resistant to mildew and insect damage.
• Versatile in different material applications. Both can have other substances and minerals added to improve pliability, print/stamping and sewing quality.

Differences of PP and PE

• While appearances commonly look similar, PE can be presented in clear granules.
• PE has a lower melting point, making it better suited for heat-seal packaging than PP.
• PE is naturally more elastic or pliable than PP.
• PE is also inert, creates a lower static charge and slow in regaining moisture as compared to PP. Thus making it more mildew and dust proof.
• PP is more resistant to chemicals and organic solvents corrosion than PE.
• PP tends to be slightly cheaper and easily available than PE based on price records over the past decade. (Note: The trend has turned a little in Mar 21 though... PP granules costs more as we speak.)
  

So... looking at these basic differences:
🏭 If you are packaging powder form petrochemical, a laminated PE woven fabric bag may be suitable given its inert properties and lesser moisture regain rate.
🏭 For general animal feed storage, you could opt for PP woven fabric bags instead considering price savings when it can meet all basic protection needs for your goods.

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We hope this article helps you in your consideration and understanding of the two woven fabric types from a manufacturer and wholesale packaging supplier point of view!

Feel free to contact us about your packaging needs, we will be glad to assist! Our catalogue is also available for browsing here!