What do you need adhesive tape for?
Adhesive tape is a classic packaging material. Its diverse applications include securely sealing shipping boxes, bundling goods, and attaching protective covers and cushioning materials. As with all packaging materials, many types of adhesive tape are available to suit these diverse uses, differing in terms of materials, adhesives, qualities, colors, and printability.
What is the structure of an adhesive tape?
First, the adhesive tape consists of a backing material, usually made of PP (polypropylene), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), or paper, which may also contain an embedded thread/fiber (filament) to increase tear resistance. On the top side is a release coating, which, along with the type of adhesive, ensures easy unwinding.
Between the backing material and the adhesive, an adhesion promoter is needed to ensure optimal bonding of the adhesive. Then comes the adhesive itself, which is either an acrylic, hot-melt, or natural rubber adhesive.
Differences in the materials of common adhesive tapes
Polypropylene (PP) adhesive tape
Polypropylene (PP) tape is suitable for sealing light to medium-weight cardboard boxes. It has high tear resistance, is cost-effective, and offers good transparency. PP tape is available with three different adhesives. Its disadvantages include lower durability, sealing performance, and poorer temperature resistance (greater susceptibility to deterioration at low temperatures) compared to PVC. Additionally, the unwinding noise can be bothersome when using certain adhesives (holtmelt).
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) adhesive tape
PVC is significantly more durable and has better temperature resistance, offering advantages for the long-term storage of cardboard boxes. It can also be written on with felt-tip pens. The disadvantages are its higher price and lower environmental friendliness.
Paper adhesive tape
Paper tape offers a very environmentally friendly alternative to PP tape, as it is 100% recyclable. You can therefore dispose of the cardboard box along with the tape directly for paper recycling! Paper tape is easy to apply by hand without a dispenser and operates quietly. Its tear strength is comparable to PP tape, but it is more expensive.