PET, PP, PE and PVC cover most film label work, and none of them is best at everything. The trade-offs are structural: the film that resists solvents best is also the stiffest, and the film that wraps a small curved bottle is the one that softens first in heat. This guide sets the four films against the five properties buyers actually specify, and gives a table for choosing by requirement.
1. The five properties that decide it
Most film specifications come down to five axes, and they pull against each other. Ranking them is the whole job.
- Stiffness. How the label feeds on the line and how flat it stays on the shelf.
- Heat resistance. Both the continuous service temperature and the short excursion during application or a downstream process.
- Chemical resistance. Solvents, oils and cleaning agents — including how the film behaves when the adhesive is attacked from the edge.
- Conformability. Whether the film follows a tight radius, a squeeze panel or a cap shoulder without lifting.
- Cost. Per square metre of finished label, which includes the yield you actually get after waste.
Ask which two of the five the application cannot compromise on. The other three are where you negotiate.
2. The trade-offs are not negotiable
Each film has a character that no additive removes.
- PET is the stiff, stable one. Good heat and chemical resistance, excellent dimensional stability, and it prints and die-cuts cleanly. It does not like tight curves, and it costs more than the polyolefins.
- PP sits in the middle. Softer than PET, better conformability, good moisture resistance, moderate heat resistance. The usual general-purpose film.
- PE is the conformable one. It wraps squeeze bottles and small radii well and takes cold well. Low surface energy makes it harder to print and harder to bond to, and it softens early.
- PVC conforms and takes ink easily. Excellent for curved and shrink work, but it raises regulatory questions in some markets and is being phased out of packaging in several of them.
3. Choosing by requirement
Read down the requirement, not across the material. The same film can be the right answer on one line and the wrong one on the next, which is why the table ranks rather than recommends.
| What you need | PET | PP | PE | PVC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scuff and abrasion resistance | best | good | poor | good |
| Solvent and oil resistance | best | good | poor | moderate |
| Wrapping a small curved bottle | poor | good | best | best |
| Applied cold or after freezing | good, with the right adhesive | good | best | poor |
| Lowest cost per finished label | highest | moderate | low | moderate |
A film is only one of three parts of a construction: facestock, adhesive and print each have to hold. Start from the film labels family, then narrow to PET film labels where stiffness and chemical resistance lead, or PP film labels where the surface is curved and the budget is tighter.
4. Common misapplications
- Specifying PET for a squeeze bottle. The film is stiff by design; on a panel that flexes it lifts at the edges within a few cycles.
- Assuming "film" means waterproof. The facestock may be, but a standard adhesive on a wet or oily surface fails anyway.
- Choosing on price per square metre alone. A cheaper film that tears on the applicator or forces a slower line speed often costs more per finished label.
- Ignoring the destination market on PVC. Restrictions differ by country and by application, and a construction accepted in one market may be unwelcome in another. Check before specifying.
FAQ
Which film is best outdoors?
PET, usually, for dimensional stability and UV performance, with a UV-stable print and an adhesive matched to the substrate. PE and PVC both degrade faster in sunlight.
Can PE and PP be printed as easily as PET?
Not quite. Their low surface energy means inks and adhesives need more help to anchor. Print quality is achievable, but the ink system and any surface treatment have to be specified along with the film.
Is PVC still available for labels?
It is, and it remains a good conformable option, but it attracts regulatory attention in packaging. Confirm the current position in your destination market.
What thickness should I specify?
Common film facestocks run around 50–80 micron, with the choice driven more by stiffness and handling than by durability. Confirm against your applicator.
Browse the range
The four film facestocks sit alongside each other: PE film labels for conformable and cold-applied work, PVC film labels for tight curves and shrink applications. Send the surface, the temperature range and the chemicals the label will meet, and a film and adhesive combination can be matched before samples are issued.