Type a thickness in any unit and the others update instantly. Europe quotes film in micron (µm), the US film industry in gauge or mil, and UK bag suppliers often use their own gauge.
US: 100 gauge = 1 mil = 25.4 µm · UK: 1 µm = 4 gauge
| Micron (µm) | US gauge | UK gauge | Mil |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 59 | 60 | 0.59 |
| 20 | 79 | 80 | 0.79 |
| 25 | 98 | 100 | 0.98 |
| 30 | 118 | 120 | 1.18 |
| 40 | 157 | 160 | 1.57 |
| 50 | 197 | 200 | 1.97 |
| 60 | 236 | 240 | 2.36 |
| 70 | 276 | 280 | 2.76 |
| 80 | 315 | 320 | 3.15 |
| 100 | 394 | 400 | 3.94 |
Two suppliers can describe the same film with very different numbers. A 60 µm mailing bag is about 236 gauge in US terms and 240 gauge in UK terms. Always check which gauge a quotation uses before comparing prices, because pricing follows the weight of film.
Yes. In both the US and the UK system, a higher gauge number means a thicker film. Only the conversion factor differs: in the US 100 gauge equals 25.4 micron, in the UK 100 gauge equals 25 micron.
US gauge is defined from the mil: 100 gauge = 1 mil = 25.4 µm. UK polythene suppliers usually use 1 micron = 4 gauge. The two are close but not identical, so a UK "250 gauge" bag is 62.5 µm, while a US "250 gauge" film is 63.5 µm.
Our co-extruded mailing bags are produced up to 70 µm. The exact thickness is agreed for each order, depending on bag size and what you ship.
Yes. Thickness alone does not decide strength. The resin blend, the co-extrusion layers and the recycled content all affect puncture and tear resistance.
We manufacture them in Istanbul since 1996 and deliver to your door from one pallet. Free sample kit.