Premium Skin Packaging Film in stock and ready to Ship

For retail displays, industrial products, kits. and more.

What is Skin Packaging Film?

Skin packaging film is a clear, formable plastic film used for retail and industrial packaging to securely hold products on a backing board. When heated and vacuum formed, the film molds tightly around the product, creating a durable, tamper-evident package with excellent product visibility… a second “skin”

This type of skin film is designed for non-food packaging and is not intended for food contact applications. It’s typically used for tools, hardware, motorcycle and automotive aftermarket parts, parts kits, and other retail or industrial products where protection and presentation matter.

How to choose your film

Choosing the right film is important both practically and economically. The wrong film can affect the look and structural integrity of your package. Too thin can mean your package seems weak or you might even lose product. Too thick means you are wasting money on unneeded film.

The correct way to choose film is often trial and error. Any film reseller should be able to offer sample footage of different thicknesses to let you pick the correct film for your needs.

It’s important to remember that the distance that your film needs to stretch is more important than how much your product weighs.

Why Buy Skin Packaging Film from Us?

Selecting the perfect skin packaging film may involve some trial and error — but that’s not a risk we think you should have to take.

We don’t pretend that our film is something it’s not, and we’ll work with you to determine what size and thickness will suit your needs. And if the film you ordered is not the right one, we’ll take back unused film so you’re not stuck with product you can’t use.

To make getting it right simple the first time, we also provide a sample piece and sample roll to any potential customer allowing you to test the film with your equipment and product before placing an order.

Let’s not complicate things: we’re here to help you get the film that best fits your application — not just sell something.

Skin Packaging Film Dimensions

all films available with or without adhesive

With adhesive or without?

Skin packaging film can be used with or without adhesive, and both options work well when matched to the right materials. In our experience, the strongest bond is achieved when adhesive is applied to the backing board rather than the film.

That said, adhesive-backed film performs very well with corrugated pads and can be a practical option when sourcing board locally helps reduce freight costs. While the bond may not always be as strong as board-applied adhesive, it often provides more than enough holding power for many retail and industrial applications.

CPI Tip – Many customers find it helpful to keep a few different thicknesses of film on hand when packing different items. It’s all about how much the film needs to stretch, not just the weight of the product. Change up the rolls and save some film!

Which film thickness is right for you?

It seems logical that the heavier the product is, the thicker your skin packaging film needs to be. However, product thickness is a much more important factor than weight when choosing skin film thickness. The reason for this is that during the process, the film stretches an amount that corresponds to the height and surface area of your product. If you have a lightweight product that is a cube 4″ X 4″ X 4″, you might need .010″ film because it needs to stretch a lot, and while the film stretches, it gets thinner. Conversely, a heavy product that is only 1/2″ thick may be able to use the thinner .005″ film. This would cut your plastic cost in half.

Do I want film with or without adhesive?

The use of a skin packaging film can be used with or without the addition of adhesive on the frame, each type producing satisfactory packages if properly applied. Which is best will be determined by your backing, sourcing limitations and overall cost.

In our experience, it is strongest to apply the adhesive to the (backing) board as opposed to the film. This approach tends to provide a more uniform and dependable seal, particularly where solid paperboard or chipboard is utilized.

That said, skin packaging film with adhesive can work very well — especially when paired with corrugated pads. We use a lot of corrugated because it is easier to find punched locally. Shipping corrugated pads can be costly, and the use of local corrugated (as long as it is perforated for airflow) in combination with adhesive-backed film may be a feasible and economical alternative.

And despite sometimes not bonding as well as adhesive applied board, it can still deliver sufficient hold power for a wide range of retail and industrial uses — which can make the tradeoff to board-applied vs. material availability or freight cost imbalance totally worth it.

If you are not sure which option will work best with your application, let us know and we can assist in reviewing your materials- including sending samples of both so that you can run tests on the both types before buying.

How I do I choose the right width of film?

The correct film width should match the outside dimensions of your film frame.

For side-loading machines, the film width is based on the distance from the operator side to the back side of the film frame.
For example, a 20-inch-wide film frame used with an 18-inch board requires 20-inch wide film.

For back-loading machines, the same rule applies, but the measurement is taken from side to side of the film frame.
For example, a 26-inch-wide film frame used with a 24-inch-wide board requires 26-inch wide film.

If you’re unsure of your film frame size or want help confirming the correct width, we’re happy to assist before you order.

How do I pick the right thickness?

When choosing film thickness, how far the film must stretch is usually more important than how heavy the product is.

A heavier product with very little depth often requires less film thickness than a lightweight product that sits far off the backing board. For example, a five-pound product that is only ¼ inch thick may perform well with thin film (around 0.005″) because the film does not need to stretch very far.

On the other hand, a very light product that stands four inches tall may require a much thicker film (such as 0.010″). When film stretches a long distance to reach the backing board, it becomes extremely thin by the time it seals. This can lead to poor appearance, reduced holding strength, and weak edge definition.

For best results, choose film thickness based primarily on product depth and stretch distance, not just product weight. If you’re unsure, we’re happy to review your application and provide samples so you can test the right thickness before placing a full order