What is cross filament tape and how does the reinforcement work?
Filament tape is a self-adhesive tape specially designed for applications requiring a high breaking strength. It has a film backing and a rubber adhesive, and woven glass fibres reinforce that backing. The glass fibre carries the tensile load, while the film carries the adhesive and holds the fibres in position.
In a cross weave construction the fibres run in two directions rather than one, so the tape resists pulling along its length and tearing across its width. That is the difference between a tape that holds a bundle and one that splits at the first sharp carton edge.
That reinforcement is what makes it a specialty rather than a general-purpose tape; the rest of the LKJ® specialty tapes range is organised the same way, by the job each construction is built for.
The result is a tape strong enough that in heavy packaging it can replace metal and polypropylene strapping to great advantage: no strapping machine, no sharp steel edges, and no banding tool at the point of use. If you are weighing the tape against a tensioner and a steel band, our guide on cross filament tape versus steel and PP strapping sets out honestly where each one still wins.
What jobs is filament tape used for?
The core applications are packing of heavy weight cartons, palletising, strapping, and sealing of metal coils and pipe bundling. Beyond that, LKJ® Cross Filament Tape is used for packing EV battery modules and large industrial parts, for appliance shipping and for white-goods strapping, anywhere a load has to be held together through handling rather than merely closed.
It is also widely used for cricket bat protection, where the cross weave reinforcement holds the face of the blade together under repeated impact.
On a pallet, filament tape and stretch film do two different jobs and are usually used together: the tape holds individual cartons or a stack in compression, and the film wraps the whole load into a single unit and shields it from dust and moisture. For the wrapping half of that job see LKJ® Stretch Film, and for the group range of packaging and industrial tapes see Lalit Jain Industries Pvt. Ltd.
What widths and lengths does LKJ® Cross Filament Tape come in?
The standard roll length is 50m. Widths are slit from 6mm to 1000mm, with custom widths on request, which covers narrow strapping strips through to wide reinforcing bands and converter-width rolls.
Narrow widths are the usual choice for strapping and bundling, because the strength comes from the glass fibre rather than from the area of adhesive, a narrow band of filament tape holds far more than a wide band of plain film tape. Wider widths are used where the tape also has to seal, for example across the seam of a heavy carton or around a coil.
The adhesive is rubber-based and high tack, so it grabs on contact on cardboard, metal and plastic film alike. For plain carton sealing where the extra strength is not required, LKJ® BOPP Packaging Tape is the more straightforward choice.