Key Differences: BOPP vs. PET Film | PennPac Company

Jun. 16, 2025

Key Differences: BOPP vs. PET Film | PennPac Company

When it comes to packaging solutions, choosing the right film material is crucial for ensuring product quality, durability, and visual appeal. Among the various options available, two popular choices are Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) and Polyester (PET) films. Both materials offer excellent packaging properties, but understanding their differences can help you make an informed decision for your specific needs. This article will explore the key differences between BOPP and Polyester films, helping you choose the perfect flexible packaging solution for your products. Continue for more on BOPP vs. PET.

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Material Composition of BOPP vs. PET:

BOPP Film:

BOPP film is a thermoplastic polymer made from polypropylene resin. It is produced by stretching the film in both machine and transverse directions, resulting in improved strength, clarity, and resistance to moisture and chemicals. BOPP films are known for their excellent printability and compatibility with various coating and laminating processes.

Polyester Film:

On the other hand, polyester (PET) film is a strong and durable thermoplastic polymer made from polyethylene terephthalate resin. PET films offer exceptional mechanical properties, including high tensile strength, dimensional stability, and excellent barrier properties. PET films are widely used in applications that require heat resistance, chemical resistance, and excellent optical clarity.

Physical Properties of BOPP vs. PET:

BOPP Film:

BOPP films have a higher stiffness compared to Polyester films, making them an excellent choice for applications that require rigidity and structural integrity. They offer good dimensional stability, enabling them to retain their shape even in varying environmental conditions. BOPP films are available in a range of thicknesses, providing options for different packaging requirements.

Polyester Film:

Polyester films exhibit exceptional mechanical strength and toughness, making them suitable for demanding applications. They offer excellent resistance to tear, impact, and puncture, ensuring the integrity of the packaged product. Additionally, PET films have high thermal stability, allowing them to withstand high-temperature environments during processing or storage.

Optical Properties:

BOPP Film:

BOPP films provide good clarity and transparency, enhancing the visual appeal of the packaged product. Their glossy surface allows for vibrant and high-quality printing, making them ideal for applications that require superior graphics and branding. BOPP films can also be treated with coatings to achieve specific functionalities such as heat sealability or moisture resistance.

Polyester Film:

Polyester films offer exceptional optical properties, including excellent clarity, gloss, and light transmission. These features make PET films ideal for applications that require a high degree of transparency, such as window packaging or display purposes. PET films can also be metallized or coated to achieve various effects like a metallic appearance or enhanced barrier properties.

Applications:

BOPP Film:

BOPP films find wide applications in various industries such as food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, personal care, and more. They are commonly used for packaging snacks, confectioneries, tobacco products, labels, and adhesive tapes. The excellent printability and moisture resistance of BOPP films make them a preferred choice for flexible packaging solutions.

Polyester Film:

Polyester films are extensively used in the packaging of electronics, medical devices, automotive components, and other high-end products. Their exceptional mechanical properties and resistance to chemicals and solvents make them suitable for applications where product protection and durability are crucial. PET films are also commonly used for industrial applications like insulation, printing, and lamination.

Choosing the right film material for your packaging needs is essential for product integrity and appeal. BOPP and Polyester films offer distinct advantages depending on the specific requirements of your application. BOPP films provide excellent printability, moisture resistance, and structural integrity, while Polyester films offer exceptional mechanical strength, optical clarity, and barrier properties.

Contact Us

At PennPac, we offer a wide range of BOPP and Polyester films that cater to diverse flexible packaging needs. Whether you require high-quality graphics, excellent transparency, or superior product protection, our films are designed to meet your expectations.

Understanding BOPP Film: A Versatile Packaging Solution

Packaging Queen BOPP Film

BOPP is the “packaging queen” in the packaging film industry. It plays a pivotal role in the flexible packaging industry. Since the end of the s, the type of BOPP has also been continuously enriched, adding luster to the world of plastics.

Polypropylene films that are stretched in cross directions and machine are termed Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) films. BOPP has received tremendous admiration as a high-growth film as it is an excellent barrier for water vapour, acts as a barrier to greases and oil, can be recycled, and is not affected by environmental changes. The diverse types of BOPP films include heat sealable, pearlized, thermal lamination, glossy, matte, and printable film. BOPP film manufacturers prioritize films with the highest quality standards and designs for superior performance.

The biodegradability and non-toxic features of BOPP films make it one of the most eco-friendly films on the market. With the growing awareness about environmental and pollution issues, it is more important than ever to consider such concerns.

Key highlights

BOPP films are increasingly adopted in the fields of applications like packaging, labeling, and lamination. These films are the preferred substrate for food packaging globally, owing to their inherent moisture barrier properties and sealability. Over the last few years, the demand for BOPP film has increased to 3.5% per annum. The need for flexible packaging has boosted BOPP film. CloudFilm’s BOPP film series is an excellent, high-quality packaging solution for customers.

Let’s explore the different types of this rising market’s packaging solution

BOPP films are available in different types. Flexible packaging needs to be as customizable as the name suggests. Therefore, BOPP films play a significant role in various fields by offering a number of its types. These types include:

Metallized BOPP Films

Metallized BOPP films are coated with a thin layer of metal (usually aluminum) to impart a metallic appearance and enhance barrier properties.

Usage:

Frequently used for flexible packaging of snacks, candies, pharmaceuticals and toiletries, providing superior shelf life and protection against moisture and oxygen.

Metallized BOPP Films in pharmaceuticals

BOPP Holographic Film

BOPP holographic film is made up of thermoplastic. It is a visually attractive film, featuring holographic patterns. These films are available in both transparent and opaque both.

Usage:

This type of lamination is mostly used to enhance brand packaging. It is mostly used in food, cosmetic, tobacco and alcohol packaging. It finds its applications in gift wrapping, security labels and decorative materials.

BOPP Holographic Film

Printable BOPP Film

Printable BOPP film has excellent gloss and high transparency. BOPP films are known for their excellent printability. Therefore this film is an ideal solution when it comes to advertising or decorating a product.

Usage:

You can use both sides of treated glossy or matte BOPP films for this purpose. The printed side remains at the outer side while the inner side is joined (to the other film) with an adhesive.

Printable BOPP Film for snacks packaging

BOPP Matte Film

BOPP matte film has excellent machinability and is ideal for lamination. With its eco-friendly film property, it is also significantly water and pollution-resistant. CloudFilm which is a manufacturer of soft touch matte laminating BOPP film provides both standard and customized soft touch film products and is committed to providing quality services and samples free of cost to a team of experts who are capable of providing customized solutions according to your requirements.

Usage:

This BOPP matte film is mainly used for flower packaging, reverse printing, lamination, textbook covering, and foodstuff packaging for flexible packaging.

BOPP Matt transparent film

Heat Sealable BOPP Film

Heat sealable BOPP film is stretchable, printable, and ideal for thermal lamination. It is a multi-layered film in which the first layer is a protective coating for the core. Then the core layer is BOPP film, and the innermost layer is heat-sensitive.

Usage:

Heat sealable BOPP film comes with a high-intensity seal to provide a secure and tight bond for flexible packaging that includes bakery items, confectionaries, and biscuit wraps.

BOPP Heat Sealable Film for mask packaging

Anti-Fog BOPP Films

Anti-fog BOPP films contains additives that prevent fog formation on the film surface, maintaining clarity even under refrigerated conditions.

Usage:

Essential for packaging fresh produce, salads, and refrigerated foods to ensure visual appeal and product visibility.

Anti-Fog- Heat sealable BOPP films

BOPP Pearlized Film

This film is a pearl-like white film that is opaque. It is the most in-demand film because the white surface provides excellent print adhesion.

Usage:

BOPP pearlized film laminates ice creams, candies, labels, drugs, and cosmetics. This film protects the products from sunlight, moisture, bacteria, and odour. It has low density, good machinability, and is antistatic.

Therefore you can easily use this film in printing and laminating machines. Also, due to its glossy and beautifully printing appearance, retailers prefer to have this film.

BOPP Pearlized Film

BOPP Gloss Film

This gloss film is available with different thicknesses, widths, and properties to laminate. BOPP glossy film is amazingly eco-friendly because, upon sun exposure, it doesn’t emit toxic materials. Thus, this film is the best to laminate food products. You can get BOPP gloss film in different types like matte, printable, tape-grade, and pearlized.

There are more than variants of BOPP gloss films. This film is in high demand because of its durability, strength, recyclability, and versatility.

Usage:

This film is ideal for cold lamination as it shows high adhesion strength with water-based, solvent-based, UV, or hot-melt adhesives. These laminates are ideal for hygiene and personal care products.

BOPP Glossy Lamination Film

BOPP Thermal Lamination Film

BOPP thermal lamination film is a heat-activated film, commonly used for lamination purposes with paper or other plastic films, offering excellent durability and clarity for printed material.

Usage:

BOPP thermal lamination Film finds its usage in the printing industry, document protection, advertising and exhibitions, decoration and artwork protection.

BOPP Thermal Lamination Film

Innovations in BOPP Films

Recycled Packaging

Packaging must achieve several criteria to be recycled, including separability, labelling, colouring, and cleanliness. BOPP filmmakers are trying to meet these standards with innovative package designs and by providing recyclable products.

The Bioplastics Revolution

Another priority is using superior biopolymers as a replacement for fossil-fuel-based materials. They aid in decreasing production’s carbon footprint, which has substantial implications for sustainability.

The Influence of the Customer

Regarding boosting the durability of packaging materials, communicating with customers about the best ways to use and reuse packaging is equally critical. Your efforts to create sustainable packaging will pay off when customers are informed about using, managing, and recycling packaging.

Conclusion: A versatile packaging film in a nutshell

BOPP films continue to evolve to meet the dynamic demands of the packaging industry, offering an extensive array of types, applications, and innovative solutions. From plain films to high-barrier and bio-based alternatives, BOPP films play a pivotal role in enhancing product visibility, shelf life, and sustainability across various sectors. As technology advances and sustainability concerns grow, the future of BOPP films lies in continuous innovation, driving towards eco-friendly, functional, and high-performance packaging solutions.

BOPP films are ubiquitous daily, although their presence often goes unnoticed. Due to their exceptional properties and versatility, BOPP films have revolutionized the packaging industry and become indispensable in various sectors. From food packaging to industrial applications, BOPP films play a crucial role. This blog post explores the sorts of BOPP films. We hope this blog will help you find a great flexible packaging solution in different sectors.

Used as a carrier film to achieve a matte effect on backing materials.

Applications

BOPP matte transfer film is used as a carrier film to transfer the matte surface to backing materials to achieve a matte effect, such as used in cloth substrate materials to achieve a matte leather imitation effect.

Main Characteristics

* Matte surface coated evenly and smoothly

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10 Tips for Understanding Carpet Labels | HowStuffWorks

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* Suitable for different transferring process

* Various matte levels available to meet different customers' requests

* Suitable for large scale transfer or partial fixed-point transfer

Typical Values

PROPERTY

TEST METHOD

UNIT

TYPICAL VALUE

Thickness

GB/T

micron

Tensile Strength (MD/TD)

GB/T .3

MPa

150 / 283

Elongation at break (MD/TD)

GB/T .3

162 / 58

Heat Shrinkage (MD/TD)

GB/T (120℃, 2min)

3.0 / 0.2

Heat-sealing Strength

GB/T

3.3

Haze

GB/T

38-80

Gloss

GB/T

30-12

(All data are representative value, not the specified value.)

Introduction of BOPP Matte Transfer Film

A premium quality heat transfer film that offers a multitude of applications in the textile industry. With its unique matte finish and outstanding performance, this film is designed to elevate your artwork, enhance visual appeal, and create a lasting impression on the cloth surface.

Crafted from the finest polypropylene material, our BOPP Matt Transfer Film offers superior durability, flexibility, and resistance to tearing, making it a reliable choice for various transfer applications. Whether you're working on printing designs on paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, or textile surfaces, this film ensures seamless adhesion and exceptional image transfer, guaranteeing a professional and vibrant outcome every time.

One of the standout features of our BOPP Matt Transfer Film is its exquisite matte finish. Unlike traditional glossy films, this matte finish delivers a contemporary and sophisticated touch to your prints, enhancing the visual appeal and making your artwork truly stand out. The non-reflective nature of the film eliminates any unwanted glare, ensuring that your design remains the center of attention.

Furthermore, our BOPP Matt Transfer Film is incredibly versatile, capable of adapting to diverse printing techniques such as offset, flexography, gravure, and screen printing. The film's matte finish adds an elegant and premium touch to packaging, reflecting a sense of sophistication and quality, which resonates with consumers.

Furthermore, the BOPP Matt Transfer Film is renowned for its easy application process, making it ideal for both experienced professionals and newcomers in the industry. It adheres effortlessly to various surfaces, providing a smooth and uniform finish without any bubbles or creases. This easy-to-use quality saves time and effort, allowing for efficient production and delivery of high-quality prints.

In conclusion, our BOPP Matt Transfer Film is an exceptional choice for anyone seeking a high-quality heat transfer film with a unique matte finish. Its outstanding durability, flexibility, and resistance to tearing ensure seamless adhesion and exceptional image transfer. The non-reflective matte finish adds a touch of sophistication, enhancing the visual appeal and making your prints truly stand out. With its excellent color retention properties, versatile printing capabilities, and easy application process, this film is guaranteed to elevate your artwork, packaging, and overall product presentation. Don't miss out on the opportunity to experience the unparalleled quality and versatility of our BOPP Matt Transfer Film.

Unveiling the World of BOET and BOPP Films

BOPET and BOPP films are the most common flexible packaging films. However, they have different properties. Therefore, choosing the precise film is vital to the product’s safety, preservation, and appearance. This blog dives clients into the distinctions between BOPP and BOPET films, guiding them through their properties’ uses and assisting them in choosing the best one according to their requirements.

Why is a suitable film important?

Choosing packaging film is not just a matter of cost; this directly affects the sustainability and shelf life of the product. Packaging films have diverse degrees of chemical, cold, heat resistance, barrier properties, and mechanical strength, making the right choice important for manufacturers and consumers.

Wholesome Characteristics of BOPET and BOPP Films

BOPP Films: Exploring the Versatility and Cost-Effectiveness

Compared with the non-stretch film, biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film undergoes transverse and longitudinal stretching deformation in molding. Thus, the arrangement of its molecular chains or chain segments will change, significantly improving the film’s performance.

BOPP film has excellent mechanical strength, chemical, cold, and heat resistance, a good barrier, and a low price. It has become the most widely used packaging material, known as the “packaging queen.”

Key features of BOPP Films

High Transparency and Glossiness
Lightweight yet durable
Good mechanical properties
Eco-friendly
Optimized for printing and processing
Low cost

Enhancement in better functioning of BOPP Films

Although BOPP film has many excellent properties, its chemical structure does not contain active groups. Meanwhile, it becomes difficult to wet and bind for many reasons, such as high crystallinity, low surface energy, chemical inertness, surface pollution, and a weak boundary layer.

The poor wettability greatly limits the application of the BOPP film in ink, adhesives, composite materials, heat sealing, and coating areas. Therefore, the secondary treatment of the BOPP film is necessary to improve its wettability and adhesion.

As a major manufacturer in China, CLOUD FILM offers an extensive range of BOPP films, encompassing gloss, thermal lamination, adhesive-free lamination, metalized, anti-fog, anti-scratch, coated, cigarette, and heat sealable films. These diverse BOPP films provide customers with high-quality products and the best packaging solutions.

BOPET Films: A Deep Dive into Durability and Lucidity

Biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET) thin films are among the most exciting products for packaging applications. Their increased utilization is due to their outstanding properties, such as oxygen and water vapor barrier, high tensile strength, and complete recyclability.

Key features of BOPET

Excellent transparency
Excellent Mechanical strength
Thermal stability
Chemical resistance
Good barrier properties

Enhancement in better functioning of BOPET

Typical treatments carried out on BOPET films involve the utilization of atmospheric, low-pressure, and vacuum electric discharge or the application of chemicals like alkali solution, which improves adhesion performance by increasing roughness, or polymeric lacquering, such as epoxy, vinyl acetate, or acrylic resins, that acts as a primer for further lamination processes.

BOPET films from CLOUD FILM are available in thicknesses ranging from 6 to 80 microns and various types, including Plain, Surface-Treated, Chemically Coated, Matte, Heat-Sealed, Metallizable, and extra-clear. These wide ranges of BOPET films ensure the highest standard to meet customer expectations.

Head-to-Head: Comparing BOPET and BOPP films

Property BOPET BOPP Full name Biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate Biaxially oriented polypropylene Resin PET PP Tensile strength High High Elongation at break High High Modulus of elasticity High High Yield strength High High Tear strength High High Impact strength High High Puncture resistance High High Stiffness High High Hardness High High Melting point 260 oC 170 oC Glass transition temperature 70 oC −10oC Density 1.4 g/cm3 0.9 g/cm3 Water absorption Low Low Oxygen barrier Good Poor Moisture barrier Good Poor Chemical resistance Good Good Heat resistance Excellent Good Cold resistance Excellent Good Optical properties Excellent Excellent Printability Good Excellent Cost High Low Applications Food packaging, beverage packaging,

electronic packaging, industrial applications, medical applications

d packaging, beverage packaging, tobacco

packaging, stationery, textile packaging, gift wrapping, etc.

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Between BOPET and BOPP Films

Aspects to Consider

BOPET and BOPP films are widely used in the packaging industry; each has advantages and application scenarios. When choosing, consider the following aspects:

Heat resistance

BOPET film has better heat resistance than BOPP film. If the packaging material needs to withstand high-temperature treatment (such as baking, microwave heating, etc.), BOPET film is more suitable.

Transparency and glossiness

BOPP film generally has superior transparency and glossiness, which is suitable for packaging that needs to display the appearance of the goods, such as food, candy, gift packaging, etc.

Tear resistance

BOPET film has better tear resistance than BOPP film, making it suitable for packaging that requires higher strength and durability, such as electronic products and industrial parts.

Barrier necessities

Barrier properties reflect the level of protection needed against air and moisture. BOPET film has good barrier properties compared to BOPP film.

Cost

The cost of BOPP film is usually lower than that of BOPET film. If cost is the main consideration, BOPP film may be preferred.

Environmental factors

The environmental performance of both materials is also a factor to consider when choosing. Generally speaking, BOPP film has better recyclability and is suitable for applications with higher ecological sustainability.

Expert recommendations

If you need to package frozen food that needs to be heated in a microwave, considering the need for heat resistance, BOPET film should be chosen. If you need to package candy, mainly considering displaying the appearance of the product and reducing costs, BOPP film can be chosen. In summary, when selecting between BOPP film and BOPET film, it is necessary to consider specific packaging requirements and product characteristics comprehensively.

Finally, from a packaging expert’s perspective, quality and sustainable environmental goals are critical for a customer considering the development of flexible packaging films from manufacture to disposal.

Conclusion: Making an informed decision

After evaluating the differences in characteristics between BOPET and BOPP films, your packaging requirements, and cost-effectiveness, you must decide which film to use. Each film offers specific properties and serves different purposes, making the selection highly dependent on the product’s specific needs and the manufacturer’s goals.

Selecting the appropriate film can improve your product’s shelf life and sustainability, eventually contributing to greater customer contentment and an eco-friendly environment.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit BOPP Thermal Film.

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