Choosing the Right Strapping Kit: Pros and Cons of MPS Packaging’s Range

At MPSPack, we know every business has different strapping needs—whether you’re securing light pallets, heavy timber, or finished goods that demand a clean presentation. To make choosing easier, here’s a breakdown of our four most popular pallet strapping kits, along with the pros and cons of each.

PET Strapping Kit

Our PET strapping kit comes complete with a manual tensioner, sealer, heavy-duty PET dispenser, and a roll of PET strapping with an impressive breaking strain of around 550kg. PET strapping is one of the strongest manual options available, designed for medium to heavy-duty loads.

Pros:

• High strength with approx. 550kg breaking strain
• Simple to use with a manual tensioner and sealer
• Heavy-duty dispenser built for long-term use
• Easy to upgrade later to a battery-powered strapping tool
• PET strapping is one of the most cost effective strappings

Cons:

• Slightly higher cost compared to lighter-duty strapping kits due to heavy duty dispenser
  

Plastic Strapping Kit

The plastic (PP) strapping kit is one of the most economical solutions, perfect for light-to-medium strapping tasks. Instead of a dispenser, the strapping is supplied in a self-dispensing centre core, reducing equipment needs. With a breaking strain of around 380kg and buckle-based seals, it’s a simple and affordable way to get started.

Pros:

• Very cost-effective setup
• Easy to use with buckle fastening (no sealer required)
• Great for pallets, cartons, and light timber packs
• Compact, as the strapping comes in a self-dispensing core
• Strong buckle system

Cons:

• Lower breaking strain (approx. 380kg) makes it unsuitable for heavier loads
• Buckle system is slower and header to sue than seal

19mm Composite Strapping Kit

For businesses handling heavier loads, the 19mm composite strapping kit offers serious strength and versatility. With its smooth finish, it’s not only tough enough for demanding applications like timber, trusses, pallets, and engineering steel, but also gentle enough to use on finished products without causing surface damage.

Pros:

• High strength and durability for heavy loads
• Smooth finish protects goods during strapping
• Excellent for industries like timber and engineering
• Resistant to weather and chemicals compared to PP strapping

Cons:

• Slower to use as uses a buckle
• Not as economical for light or general-purpose strapping needs

Woven Strapping Kit

The 19mm woven strapping kit is one of our strongest options, featuring robust woven strapping and heavy-duty phosphate buckles. Known for its reliability, woven strapping is a great choice for securing heavy industrial loads where strength and safety are the top priorities.

Pros:

• Exceptional strength for heavy-duty applications
• Heavy-duty phosphate buckles add extra holding power
• Highly reliable in demanding environments
• resistant to cuts and shock due to woven nature. Woven stays intact is partly cut. 
• Re-tensionable if loads settle after strapping

Cons:

• Higher cost compared to PP or composite strapping

• Over-spec for lighter loads where more affordable options suffice

Seal vs Buckle

If you're not sure if you would like a seal or a buckle better hes a video where we should the use of both. This video shows a buckle and seal been used on polypropylene strapping, but the process is the same on any plastic strapping with a manual tensioner.

Final Thoughts

Every strapping kit has its strengths, and the right choice depends on your loads, budget, and workflow. If you need a cost-effective starter kit, go with the plastic strapping kit. For heavy-duty reliability, the PET, composite, and woven options deliver the strength you need—with PET also offering an easy upgrade path to battery tools.

At MPS Packaging, we stock all four kits to ensure you can find the perfect match for your packaging requirements.