Parafilm® Family of Products - Explanation
Includes laboratory sealing film, stem wrap, grafting ( budding) tape and Flora Tape stem wrap
Introduction:
SPI Supplies offers the original Parafilm family of products, originally
offered by what was once called the American Can Company, and which later
became a part of Pechinney Plastic Packaging. The product family consists
of products offered under the Parafilm name and as well as products offered
under the Flora Tape name. More than a few of our present or would-be
customers have expressed frustration in their difficulties in understanding
the differences between the different products in this family of products
and we now attempt to bring light to the confusion.
We first have to start with the first if not also the best know of these
products: Parafilm® M laboratory sealing film.
This original Parafilm product was originally developed for histology and other "medical"
applications and therefore the designation of "M" for this particular family
member. The product essentially was a roughly equal blend of a hydrocarbon
wax and a polyolefin. It exhibits unusual elongation properties and can
stretch roughly ten times before breaking. Because of the wax component, a
white separation paper is used to keep one layer from sticking to another.
Florist Parafilm®, which can be used as a stem wrap as well, has a higher
concentration of polyolefin in its composition and therefore less of the wax
component. Hence, Florist Parafilm has a far lesser tendency to stick to
itself, which means that it does not require a separation paper.
Florist Parafilm comes in three colors: green, white, and brown. But it does exhibit essentially
all of the attractive characteristics of Parafilm M, including its ability
to stretch many times and also, adhere to itself when stretched.
Parafilm® Grafting Tape,
sometimes called "budding" tape, is essentially the same formulation as Florist Parafilm®, but it is clear.
Flora Tape®
is not sold under the Parafilm name because it does not have the
"Parafilm composition". This product is crepe paper based and has been
impregnated with a special wax and then offered in many different colors.
Its primary use is as a stem wrap.
How does it compare with Florist Parafilm? Well we have described the
compositional differences between the two products but the Florist Parafilm
product will stretch much farther and adhere to itself much better than
Flora Tape. Some customers express a preference for one and others, for the
other product.
Summary of the available products:
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