Polyester film supplier and converter
Polyester (PET) film, supplied and converted in the UK.
PSG has worked with polyester film since 1969, when it introduced colour-coded polyester film to the market. We stock and source clear, matt, white, metallised and treated PET grades, and slit, sheet and cut them to the exact size your process needs, from a trial quantity to full production.
- Working with polyester film since
- 1969
- The UK's largest polyester film converting plant at the time
- 1983
- 3 and 6 inch cores
- 76 / 152 mm
What is polyester film?
Polyester film: the technical film engineers reach for first.
Polyester film is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) stretched in both directions while it is made, which is why you will also see it called BOPET or biaxially oriented polyester film. That orientation gives a thin, glass-clear film with high tensile strength, excellent dimensional stability and a working temperature range that few other plastic films can match.
The same base material becomes a crystal-clear carton window, a matt drafting sheet, an opaque white label, a metallised barrier layer or an insulating slot liner in an electric motor. What changes is the polyester film grade: the thickness, the surface finish and any treatment or coating applied by the film manufacturer or by us.
It is also a film people know by brand names. Mylar® and Melinex® (trademarks of DuPont Teijin Films) are both trade names for PET film, and Polymex® is PSG's own. Whatever name your specification uses, our team can tell you which grade meets it.
Polyester film grades and finishesProperties
Why polyester film outperforms other plastic films.
PET is chosen when a film has to stay flat, strong and stable through printing, laminating, cutting and years of service.
High strength in thin gauges
Excellent tensile and tear strength means a thinner PET film can often replace a heavier gauge of another material.
Dimensional stability
Minimal stretch and low moisture uptake keep print in register and cut parts to size, even after heat and humidity.
Wide temperature range
Polymex® polyester is published for service from minus 70°C to 130°C, with a melting point of 265°C.
Electrical insulation
High dielectric strength and surface resistivity make PET a standard insulation film for motors, transformers and cables, and for electronics.
Chemical and moisture resistance
Resists oils, greases and most solvents, with low water absorption.
Clarity and printability
Available glass-clear for display and packaging, and with corona or chemical treatments that bond inks, coatings and adhesives.
Recyclable (PCR)
PET is one of the most widely recycled plastics, and grades with post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, from 30% up to 90%, are available for PET packaging film.
Grades
Polyester film grades: clear, matt, white, metallised and treated.
Choose the finish first, then the surface treatment and thickness. Our team will match your current grade or recommend one for a new application.
- Clear grades
Clarity
Clear and crystal-clear PET
Low-haze films for windows, overlays, displays and laminates where the product or print must be seen clearly.
- Matt grades
Diffusion
Matt and translucent PET
Matt surfaces for drafting, diffusion, backlit graphics and anti-glare overlays.
- White grades
Opacity
White and opaque PET
Opaque and milky white films for labels, cards, tags and printed graphics with strong contrast.
- Barrier grades
Barrier
Metallised and coated PET
Metallised and PVDC-coated films for barrier packaging, decorative and reflective uses.
- Treated grades
Surface
Treated and print-receptive PET
Corona-treated and chemically treated surfaces for printing, coating, adhesive and lamination.
- Speciality grades
Speciality
Heat-sealable, antistatic and more
Heat-sealable, peelable, anti-fog, antistatic, heat-stabilised, UV-resistant and flame-retardant grades.
At a glance
Polyester film supply and conversion at a glance.
Tell us the grade, the thickness and the format you need, and we will quote for the film alone or for a fully converted, packed and labelled product.
You can send us your own film to convert, or we can supply it from stock and the world's leading film manufacturers for a fully outsourced service.
Request a quotePolyester film from PSG
Supply and conversion
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Material | Biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET, BOPET) |
| Polymex® polyester thickness | 12 to 350 microns (0.012 to 0.350 mm) |
| Finishes | Clear, crystal clear, hazy, matt, opaque white, milky white, black, metallised |
| Surface options | Untreated, corona treated, chemically treated, slip, antistatic, heat sealable, coated |
| Slit reel widths | 6 mm to 1,600 mm |
| Cores | 76 mm (3 inch) and 152 mm (6 inch) |
| Formats | Master rolls, slit reels, sheets, guillotined blanks, die-cut parts |
| Quality | Quality management system approved to BS EN ISO 9001 |
- Material
- Biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET, BOPET)
- Polymex® polyester thickness
- 12 to 350 microns (0.012 to 0.350 mm)
- Finishes
- Clear, crystal clear, hazy, matt, opaque white, milky white, black, metallised
- Surface options
- Untreated, corona treated, chemically treated, slip, antistatic, heat sealable, coated
- Slit reel widths
- 6 mm to 1,600 mm
- Cores
- 76 mm (3 inch) and 152 mm (6 inch)
- Formats
- Master rolls, slit reels, sheets, guillotined blanks, die-cut parts
- Quality
- Quality management system approved to BS EN ISO 9001
Reel widths depend on the grade and thickness. Ask for the data sheet for your grade.
Converting
Polyester film converting: slit, sheeted and cut to size.
PSG has offered trade conversion since 1987. Whether you need narrow reels on a particular core, precision sheets interleaved with tissue or die-cut components, we convert film to your specification.
- Slitting
Reels
Slitting and rewinding
Master rolls slit to narrow reels at your width, length and winding direction.
- Sheeting
Sheets
Sheeting and guillotining
Sheets cut to exact sizes, interleaved with tissue to protect the surface.
- Core cutting
Cores
Core cutting
Precision cores cut to 3 inch (76 mm) and 6 inch (152 mm).
- Die cutting
Components
Die-cut parts
Gaskets, shims, washers, insulators and window patches cut to drawing.
- Corona treatment
Surface
Corona treatment
Single or double-sided treatment, from treat-and-return to in-line with slitting.
- Trade Conversion Services
Supply
Stock and call-off
Bespoke manufacturing cells and stock management to fit your production.
Film calculator
Work out weight, area and reel length.
Polyester is bought by weight and used by area. Enter the thickness and size to see the weight, area and yield, how much film is on a reel, or how many sheets make a kilogram.
Enter the figures above to see the answer.
Applications
Polyester film applications by market.
PET film is specified across packaging, conservation, electrical, print and industrial markets. Each guide covers the grades, formats and questions that matter in that market.
- Packaging films
Packaging
Packaging and carton window film
Crystal-clear windows, lidding, heat-sealable and recycled-content films for food and retail packaging.
- Archival film
Conservation
Archival and encapsulation film
Chemically inert polyester for encapsulation, sleeves, microfilm and document storage.
- Insulation film
Electrical
Electrical insulation film
Slot liners, phase and coil insulation, cable wrap, battery and electronics insulation.
- Print films
Print
Graphics, labels and print
Print-receptive, white, matt and display films for labels, signage and technical drawing.
- Industrial films
Industrial
Industrial and medical film
Release liners, visors and face shields, shims, spacers and medical device components.
- Polymex® shimstock
Own brand
Polymex® shimstock
Colour-coded polyester shimstock, where every colour identifies a thickness.
Polymex®
Polymex®: PSG's own polyester film brand.
PSG introduced colour-coded polyester film to the market in 1969, and the Polymex® name is now recognised worldwide. Polymex® polyester is published from 12 to 350 microns, with a full technical data sheet, and it is the basis of our colour-coded Polymex® shimstock, custom shims and gaskets.
The Polymex® family also includes carton window films and archival films used by museums, galleries and libraries, alongside our Valumex® and Enviromex® packaging film ranges.
Each Polymex® colour identifies a specific thickness, so the right shim can be picked by sight.Polymex® polyester data sheet
Quality
Quality systems you can audit.
Film that is converted badly causes problems in your process. Our quality system covers every reel and sheet from goods in to dispatch.
BS EN ISO 9001
Our quality management system is approved to BS EN ISO 9001.
BRCGS Packaging Materials certified
We are BRCGS Packaging Materials certified.
Packed and labelled to your requirements
Reels and sheets are wrapped, protected and labelled as your goods-in team needs them.
High-hygiene manufacturing
Medical products are manufactured in a high-hygiene environment and packed in our BRCGS Packaging Materials certified facility.
How to order
How to specify and order polyester film.
A complete specification gets you an accurate quotation first time. If you are not sure of any detail, our technical team will help you work it out.
- 01
Describe the application
Tell us what the film does and what it meets in your process: printing, laminating, sealing, heat, adhesives or electrical stress.
- 02
Choose the grade
Finish, surface treatment and thickness in microns. If you use a branded grade today, give us its name and we will supply or match it.
- 03
Define the format
For reels: width, length or diameter, core size and winding direction. For sheets: size, tolerance, interleaving and pack quantity.
- 04
Quotation and sample
We quote for the film and the conversion together, and can supply samples for trials before you commit to volume.
- 05
Production and delivery
Your order is converted, inspected, packed and labelled to your requirements, with stock and call-off options for repeat orders.
Polyester film FAQs
Polyester film questions, answered.
Can't find what you need? Our technical team is happy to help.
What is polyester film?
Polyester film is a thin sheet of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) that has been stretched in two directions during manufacture. This biaxial orientation gives it high strength, clarity, dimensional stability and a wide working temperature range, which is why it is used for packaging, labels, electrical insulation, graphics and archival storage.
Is PET film the same as polyester film?
Yes. PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is the polyester used to make polyester film, and BOPET means biaxially oriented PET. The three names describe the same family of films.
Is Mylar the same as polyester film?
Mylar® is a trade name for polyester film made by DuPont Teijin Films, as is Melinex®. They are PET films, and many grades from other manufacturers, including our own Polymex®, perform the same jobs. Give us the grade you use and we will supply it or recommend an equivalent.
What thickness does polyester film come in?
Polyester film is made from a few microns thick for capacitors and ribbons up to several hundred microns for rigid applications. Our Polymex® polyester is published from 12 to 350 microns. Tell us your application and we will advise on the right thickness.
How do I convert gauge or mil to microns?
One mil (a thousandth of an inch) is 25.4 microns, and 100 gauge is 25.4 microns, so a 92 gauge film is about 23 microns and a 2 mil film is about 50 microns. We quote thickness in microns and millimetres.
Can polyester film be recycled?
PET is one of the most widely recycled plastics where collection exists. For packaging, our carton window films can contain 30%, 60% or up to 90% post-consumer recycled content.
What temperature can polyester film withstand?
Polymex® polyester is published for a service temperature of minus 70°C to 130°C and a melting point of 265°C. Heat-stabilised grades are available where low shrinkage at high temperature matters.
Can you convert film that we supply?
Yes. You can send us your own film, paper, card or other material to convert to your specification, or we can supply the material from stock for a completely outsourced service. Our polyester film slitting and sheeting service explains the options.
Do you supply small quantities?
Yes. We supply trial and short-run quantities as well as production volumes, and can hold stock for call-off on repeat orders. Tell us your quantities when you ask for a quote.
Guides and news
Polyester film guides and news.
Request a quote
Get a quotation for polyester film.
- 01
Send your drawing
Upload a DXF, DWG, PDF or STEP file, or describe the part. Everything you send is handled in confidence.
- 02
Material advice
Our technical team helps you select the right material and thickness for the application.
- 03
Precision cut in-house
Die cutting, precision laser or water jet, chosen to hold your specified tolerances.
- 04
Delivered to your deadline
Manufactured in the UK and shipped worldwide.
Request a quote
Tell us what you need and a member of our technical team will be in touch.
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