You may have noticed a big change in packaging on the shelves of Home Depot, and Sam’s club. Everything is now strapping with plastic strapping! I have wondered, looking up at a heavy product on a shelf above me, how strong is that plastic strap?
Today’s plastic strapping is made from three sources: polypropylene strapping, polyester strapping, and nylon strapping. The heavy strapping plastic is polyester (PET). PET is the same stuff a mountain dew bottle is made from. During the plastic strapping manufacturing process the plastic molecule chains are oriented to give great tension properties. Today there is 1 inch and 1.25 inch wide plastic strapping! The first company into the really HD plastic strapping is Allstrap (they have 1.25″), there a few others making 1″. The strength ranges up to 4,000 pounds! We think 1.5 and 2 inch plastic strapping is on the horizon With the strength of steel, and the safety of plastic, it will not be long till all of the steel strapping is converted to plastic strapping!