Canadian Dollar
Filament Strapping Tape
Many people don't think twice about the tape types they use for packing products. How different can they be? These products serve the same purpose, after all.
That's not quite true, however. Not all tapes are made equal. Some are more suitable for light and effortless packing, while others serve heavy-duty purposes. This guide will tell you more about the latter, the strong filament strapping tapes you may want to use to secure and reinforce your heavy packages.
What Is Filament Strapping Tape?
Filament tape, also known as "strapping tape," is typically a tape constructed with a polypropylene backing, a synthetic or natural rubber-based, pressure-sensitive adhesive reinforced with fiberglass or synthetic filaments. The rubber-based adhesive provides a high bond, and the polypropylene backing ensures easy use and low stretching. But what makes filament tape unique is, of course, the filament reinforcement. Filaments bonded to the backing give these tapes high tensile strength and low stretch.
What Are Filament Tapes Used For?
Filament strapping tapes have various applications, some of them including:
Carton Sealing
Filament tapes are most commonly used as heavy-duty packing tapes. In this application, they significantly outperform conventional carton sealing tapes in strength and holding power. It's not uncommon to find damaged cardboard parcels around the strapping tape that still holds strong. Filament tape is, therefore, often the most durable and reliable part of the carton package. For this reason, it's also suitable for repairing carton damage.
If you're looking for rugged packing tape, you may want to go for filament tape. Our Uni-directional Filament Packing Tape is a perfect example of ruggedness, and you get to choose just the right size for your application. This product comes in sizes from 0.5 to 12 inches in width and from standard 3.5 mils to a heavy-duty 7.5 mil in thicknesses.
Filament packing tape is best utilized by those who pack oversized or heavy packages, such as E-Bins. But it can be a good choice for particularly dense products that may exert higher than normal point-loads on cartons. Businesses that need tape to handle whatever comes across the packing tables and maintain economy for high volumes can also use filament packing tapes.
Carton Reinforcement
Because filament tape is so strong, it makes an excellent choice for reinforcing cardboard boxes. Users can apply it around high-stress areas, such as lifting handles or connection points in a packaging design, to ensure the package will hold. Filament tape's low stretch and high bond effectively distribute loads that might otherwise destroy cardboard alone. For more information about one such product, check out our High Tensile Strapping Tape.
Bundling
Filament tapes are also ideally suited for securing heavy bundles. Heavy-duty strapping tapes provide exceptional holding power and strength in a slim profile and have many potential uses. These high-strength tapes are well suited to securing cartons together on pallets, bundling heavy items, such as metal pipes, or securing them to be bundled in larger packages.
High tensile strapping tape can be an effective alternative to metal or plastic banding, which requires special tools and may damage the product. It can also be used in place of stretch wrap or fiberglass tapes, which are more difficult to apply, have high stretch, and require repeated wrappings to build strength.
Strapping tape can bridge the gap between these products for medium-duty bundling projects or serve as a portable alternative that is easy to use for packing jobs outside the warehouse.
Securing Loose Components
Specialty filament tapes are commonly used to hold together any loose product parts before packing for shipment. Examples include securing drawers, adjustment components, switches, or other moving or loose product parts.
These tapes also come in handy for securing packaging components, such as foam cushions, bumpers, or standoffs. Our Appliance Tape is particularly effective in this application as a high tack, high tensile strength filament tape you can later easily remove from non-porous surfaces without damaging them or leaving residue.
Specialty Applications
Above are some of the most common applications of filament tapes. However, as these products have a heavy-duty and low-stretch design with high tensile strength, you can use them in many other applications. Different industries have found strapping tape to be highly beneficial for repairs, bundling, shipping, transport, and much more.
Because filament tapes provide banding-level strength when applied in multiple layers and require no special equipment, you are sure to find them useful for all kinds of purposes. However, if you need help picking the right product for your application, Tape Jungle is always here for you.
Is Filament Tape Right for Your Application?
Filament tapes aren't the right choice for every job. Although they provide exceptional value, these tapes are not the cheapest in the spectrum. Additionally, extreme strength is often unnecessary for basic packing jobs.
For sealing typical carton packages of standard weight and quality that distribute loads evenly, you may want to consider a more cost-efficient economy package tape. Conventional packing tape is also available in different design options, including tamper-evident, colored, and custom-printed.
For strapping and bundling applications, steel or synthetic banding offers the highest strength at a low cost for high-volume applications. The stretch wrap is another cheap alternative that conforms to uneven shapes and makes unpacking easy. High tensile strength strapping tape is more suitable for applications where its adhesive application and strength are required.
Pick the Right Tape With Expert Help
Why is it so significant to use filament strapping tape or any other type depending on the needs? Can't you buy one product to use on all applications?
You may not think that choosing a packing tape is that important, but it can be highly beneficial for your business. Consider how much time, effort, and money your organization spends on the packing process daily. A suitable packing tape can help you significantly reduce product damage, packing time, and money spent on repairing the harm.
Fortunately, you don't have to go through the process of picking the perfect tape for your business alone. Tape Jungle supports you with a wide range of products and expert advice. Contact us today to learn how our tapes can make your business operations more efficient.