PE - Polyethylene

PE film stands for Polyethylene film, it is a type of plastic film made from polyethylene, which is a versatile and widely used polymer.
It is one of the most widely used plastics for inner sealing layers in food packaging.

PE films are known for:

Soft and flexible feel
Excellent heat-sealability
Good impact resistance
Good low-temperature resistance (doesn’t crack in freezing)
Safe for direct food contact

Because of this, PE is almost always used as the inner layer in laminated bags:

PET / PE
NY / PE (vacuum bags)
BOPP / PE
Kraft Paper / PE

Types of PE used in packaging

LDPE — Low-Density Polyethylene

This is the most common PE used for inner layers.

Features:

Soft, flexible
Good heat sealing
Medium transparency
Affordable

MDPE — Medium-Density Polyethylene

Between LDPE and HDPE.

Features:

Good balance of strength and flexibility
Better puncture resistance
Better barrier than LDPE

LLDPE — Linear Low-Density Polyethylene

A stronger version of LDPE.

Features:

Better tensile strength
Better puncture resistance
Slightly less transparent
Good sealing

Metallocene PE (mPE)

A premium grade with high performance.

Features:

Very strong seals
High clarity
Very good puncture resistance

Often blended with other PE to improve seal quality.

HDPE — High-Density Polyethylene

A harder, more rigid type.

Features:

Higher stiffness
Opaque or milky white
Better moisture barrier
Not very flexible