Manual stretch film is the film that secures the pallet from a handheld dispenser without the need for an automatic wrapping machine. The choice between clear and black format goes beyond color: it defines whether the operation needs visibility of labels and codes, or whether content confidentiality and added light protection beyond conventional palletizing take priority. This comparison of the two Fortemo manual films helps you decide which one fits your logistics flow.
🎯 Choose in 10 seconds
- If you palletize general goods, group boxes and need to see labels and barcodes beneath the film: go to Clear film
- If you ship sensitive goods, export valuable product or store pallets in the sun that need opacity: go to Black film
What to consider before choosing
Before buying, assess these four criteria. They define whether the film provides only mechanical securing or also content discretion and added light protection.
- Need for content visibility: clear film keeps labels, barcodes and package markings legible without the need to cut the packaging at each logistics center. Black film fully blocks visibility, which provides content discretion at the cost of requiring labeling outside the film.
- Exposure to sun and UV radiation: both films are 80-gauge (20 µm) LLDPE and withstand standard handling. Fortemo black film adds a UV additive with pigment that extends the wrap's service life in storage under the sun or prolonged outdoor transit, a useful condition in covered yards or open-air export in the Caribbean.
- Protection of light-sensitive products: certain chemicals, electronic products and packaged dry foods degrade with prolonged exposure to direct light. Black film blocks visible and UV radiation, extending the product's service life during transit or storage that may last days.
- Visual differentiation of batches: in warehouses with multiple references and high turnover, wrapping specific batches in black film allows them to be recognized from a distance in visual management. Clear film remains the standard for inventory identified by labels applied directly to the pallet.
Clear manual stretch film: visible general palletizing
- Full visibility of labels and barcodes
- Virgin LLDPE with controlled cling between layers
- Uniform 80-gauge (20 µm) across the entire 305 m roll
- Compatible with standard handheld dispenser
- Tear resistance over sharp cardboard edges
- Does not hide the pallet content
- No added UV protection for prolonged sun
Clear manual stretch film roll in virgin LLDPE, 45 cm (18 in) wide and 305 m (1000 ft) long, 80-gauge (20 µm) — 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) net weight roll, in a box of 6 rolls. Designed for palletizing general goods in warehouses, distribution centers and e-commerce operations; grouping boxes for consolidated shipments and inter-island transport; packaging furniture, appliances and fragile product in removals; and securing pipes, profiles and bundles of material in hardware, construction and agro-industry.
Black manual stretch film: opaque palletizing with UV protection
- Full opacity that blocks visibility of the content
- UV additive with pigment that extends service life in the sun
- Same virgin LLDPE and 80-gauge (20 µm) as the clear film
- Compatible with standard handheld dispenser
- Useful for visual batch management in warehouses with many references
- Higher unit cost than clear film
- Requires labeling outside the film for inventory
- Not suitable when you need to see barcodes underneath
Black manual stretch film roll in virgin LLDPE with UV-stable pigment, 45 cm (18 in) wide and 305 m (1000 ft) long, 80-gauge (20 µm) — 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) net weight roll, in a box of 6 rolls. Designed for export shipments, inter-island transit and consolidation of loads with sensitive value; outdoor storage of pallets in a covered yard where sun and indirect light degrade sensitive products; batch differentiation by color in warehouses with multiple references in visual management; packaging for removals and furniture relocations where opacity prevents scratches from dragging and conceals the product's commercial markings.
Comparison table
| Feature | Clear film | Black film |
|---|---|---|
| Color / opacity | Crystal clear | Opaque black |
| Material | Virgin LLDPE | Virgin LLDPE + UV pigment |
| Gauge / thickness | 80 (20 µm) | 80 (20 µm) |
| Roll width | 45 cm (18 in) | 45 cm (18 in) |
| Length per roll | 305 m (1000 ft) | 305 m (1000 ft) |
| Net weight per roll | 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) | 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) |
| Visibility of labels underneath | Yes | — |
| Added UV protection | — | Yes |
| Application type | Manual with dispenser | Manual with dispenser |
Use case → recommended product matrix
| If your case is… | Recommended product |
|---|---|
| Palletize general goods in a warehouse or distribution center | → Clear film |
| E-commerce shipment with labels and codes visible under the film | → Clear film |
| Packaging furniture and appliances in a removal with identification | → Clear film |
| Group boxes for consolidated shipment where the content is visible | → Clear film |
| Secure pipes, profiles or bundles in hardware and construction | → Clear film |
| Export of sensitive product that travels for days in the Caribbean sun | → Black film |
| Shipment of valuable goods where confidentiality matters | → Black film |
| Outdoor storage in a covered yard with indirect sun | → Black film |
| Differentiate specific batches in a warehouse with many references | → Black film |
| Furniture removal where opacity conceals markings and prevents scratches | → Black film |
Before buying, define three data points: whether you need to see the content (labels, codes), the pallet's sun exposure time and the product's sensitivity to light. The practical rule: general palletizing with labeling underneath → clear; sensitive shipment, prolonged sun exposure or content discretion → black. Both Fortemo films share the same technical specification (LLDPE, 80-gauge, 305 m), so the decision is based on the operational scenario.
Do not expect UV protection from clear film for pallets that will spend days in the Caribbean sun. Although both gauges are identical, only the black film carries the UV-pigment formulation that extends the wrap's service life under direct solar radiation. Using clear film in prolonged sun produces brittle wrap and failures within a few weeks.
All compared products
Frequently asked questions
Is there a technical difference between the clear film and the black one beyond color?
Both share virgin LLDPE, 80-gauge (20 µm), 45 cm width and 305 m length. The black film adds UV-stable black pigment, which provides full opacity and greater resistance to prolonged solar degradation. The basic mechanical capacity (stretch, cling, tear resistance) is equivalent.
Can I use black film for shipments where the customer needs to read barcodes?
Not directly. The opacity completely blocks reading beneath the film. If you need to combine opacity (security, UV protection) with identification, label on top of the black film with adhesive labels or compatible markers.
Is the box of 6 rolls sold individually or only as a full box?
Fortemo rolls are distributed in a box of 6 units as the standard logistics presentation. For smaller volumes, consult your Dodom sales representative directly about the splitting options available.
