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Which format fits the job

3D Bag vs Pallet Cover vs Container Liner

Same manufacturing family, different jobs. This page compares industrial 3D bags, pallet covers, shrink and stretch hoods, box liners, VCI and barrier formats, and dry bulk container liners so you can pick the right product and send a clean enquiry.

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Object firstThen processThen film

The same job is often described with different product names

A plant engineer may say 3D bag when they need a pallet hood. A logistics buyer may say container liner when they mean a crate liner. Shrink and stretch get used as if they were slip-on covers. Use the table below, then open the single product page that owns the job.

Side-by-side format map

FormatObject / jobProcess noteOpen
Custom 3D bagForm-fit free volume for item or shapePolyethylene geometryCustom 3D bags
Pallet coverSlip-on cover for palletized loadNot heat or stretch unitizingPallet covers
Shrink hoodPallet unit loadHeat shrinkShrink hoods
Stretch hoodPallet unit loadElastic, no heatStretch hoods
Machinery coverEquipment envelopeFlexible cover, not full crateMachinery covers
Box / crate linerInside carton, crate, binInner linerBox and crate liners
VCI 3D bagCorrosion-sensitive metal equipmentVCI film conversionVCI 3D bags
Barrier 3D bagMoisture-sensitive sealed packBarrier film conversionBarrier 3D bags
Container linerDry bulk in shipping container20ft / 40ft bulk installContainer liners

Object, then process, then film

Start with what you are packing. A palletized stack is not a shipping container of pellets. A CNC machine free volume is not a carton liner. After the object is clear, ask whether you need slip-on protection, heat unitizing, stretch unitizing or bulk install. Only then pick polyethylene, VCI or barrier film.

Common mix-ups

People sayThey often meanCorrect page
3D bag for my palletsPallet cover or hood processPallet covers / shrink / stretch
Container liner for my crateCrate linerBox and crate liners
Shrink cover without heatStretch hood or slip-on coverStretch hoods or pallet covers
VCI bag but only dust riskPE 3D bag or coverCustom 3D bags / covers

Shared inputs across formats

Regardless of name, useful quotes need dimensions, object type, protection requirement, quantity and lane. Photographs or drawings help more than descriptive adjectives alone. If structure is required for export machines, flexible formats still link out to export packing and heavy equipment crating. This comparison page will not re-teach those systems; it helps you open the correct product page before requesting a quote.

Film thickness across this range is typically specified from 25 to 300 microns depending on format and risk; process-specific grades are confirmed on enquiry. Thickness selection always follows the packed product, geometry, handling and exposure conditions rather than a single default micron for every job.

Common questions

What is the fastest way to pick a format?

Name the object first. Palletized load: pallet cover, or shrink/stretch hood if you unitize. Single machine or irregular free volume: custom 3D bag, VCI or barrier as film needs. Box interior: box liner. Dry bulk in a shipping container: container liner.

Is a 3D bag the same as a pallet cover?

Not always. A 3D bag is form-fit free volume for an item or shape. A pallet cover is a slip-on hood for a stacked pallet. Overlap exists in language, but enquiries differ.

Is a container liner a giant bag?

In casual speech yes; in procurement no. A container liner is engineered for ISO container install and bulk filling method and discharge method, not for a single machine envelope.

Where do shrink and stretch fit?

Both are pallet unitizing processes. Shrink uses heat. Stretch uses elastic film without heat. Neither is a box liner or dry bulk container liner.

Where do VCI and barrier fit?

They are film families applied to free-volume formats. VCI for enclosed corrosion protection. Barrier for enhanced moisture-barrier protection in a sealed pack. Geometry pages still need L x W x H.

What if I am still unsure?

Send object type, maximum packed L x W x H, protection requirement, quantity and lane. We will route you to the correct product page and quote path.

Still between two names?

Send the object, dimensions and risk. We will route you to one product page and quote that construction.

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