500G Lay Flat Tubing (LFT)
Lay Flat Tubing (LFT) — Flexible Polythene Tube on a Roll
Lay flat tubing (often shortened to LFT) is a continuous length of polythene tubing supplied flattened on a roll. It’s designed to let you create custom-length bags and sleeves on demand: simply cut to the length you need and seal the open end(s) using a suitable heat sealer. This product page covers Sapphire’s lay flat tubing in this range, supplied as a convenient roll format for fast packing, protection and storage.
Because lay flat tubing is a continuous tube rather than pre-made bags, it’s ideal when you pack items of varying lengths, when you want to reduce the number of bag sizes you keep in stock, or when you need a neat, close-fitting sleeve around long or awkward products.
Key Features
- Cut-to-length flexibility: make sleeves and bags to suit your product length, reducing wasted material compared with using oversized pre-made bags.
- Roll format for efficient packing: easy to dispense at a bench, packing station or production line.
- Heat-sealable polythene film: create a secure seal with an appropriate heat sealer (impulse or constant heat, depending on your process).
- Protective barrier: helps protect goods from dust, handling marks and general warehouse contamination during storage and transit.
- Versatile for many product shapes: suitable for long, narrow, bundled or irregular items where standard bag sizes are inconvenient.
Typical Uses
- Creating custom-length protective sleeves for components, profiles and extrusions
- Packaging printed materials, posters, trims and long parts
- Bundling and protecting cables, hoses and tubing
- General parts protection in workshops, warehouses and dispatch areas
- Making quick, simple polythene bags when product lengths vary
Lay Flat Tubing — Full Product Guide
Lay flat tubing is one of the most practical packaging formats for businesses that need speed, flexibility and consistent protection. Below is a detailed guide to help you choose, use and get the best results from your lay flat tubing.
How It Works
Lay flat tubing is supplied as a flattened tube on a roll. To create a bag or sleeve:
- Seal one end (if you need a closed-end bag) using a heat sealer.
- Cut the tubing to the required length.
- Insert the product.
- Seal the open end to close the pack, or leave open if you only need a sleeve.
This approach lets you produce packaging at the point of use, matching the pack length to the product rather than forcing the product to fit a fixed bag size.
Materials and Construction
This lay flat tubing is a polythene film product designed for sealing and general protection. Polythene is widely used in packaging because it is lightweight, flexible and provides a practical barrier against dust and moisture in typical storage and distribution environments.
Thickness (microns / mu) is a key selection factor. Thicker films generally offer increased puncture resistance and durability, while thinner films can be easier to handle and may reduce material use for lighter-duty applications. If your products have sharp edges, corners or abrasive surfaces, consider selecting a heavier-duty thickness within the available options.
Choosing the Right Width and Fit
Lay flat tubing is measured by its layflat width (the width of the tubing when flattened). To estimate what will fit:
- Think in terms of the product’s circumference around its widest point.
- As a simple guide, the layflat width needs to be at least half of that circumference, plus a little allowance for easy insertion.
- If you are packing bundles, allow extra width for the bundle shape and any variation in the contents.
If you are unsure, it’s often best to trial a couple of widths to find the most efficient fit that still allows smooth packing.
Sealing Guidance (Getting a Strong Seal)
For consistent results, use a heat sealer suitable for polythene film. Seal quality depends on film thickness, sealer type and settings. Helpful tips:
- Keep the seal area clean: dust, product debris or creases can weaken seals.
- Use the right dwell time: too little heat can cause weak seals; too much can distort or burn through the film.
- Allow seals to cool before putting the pack under tension.
- Test and record settings for repeatable production, especially if multiple operators use the same station.
Floor Type Compatibility
Lay flat tubing is typically used at packing benches, on dispensers, or at production lines rather than directly on floors. In warehouse environments, it works well alongside standard packing setups on concrete, resin or industrial flooring. If you dispense rolls from a stand, ensure the stand is stable and positioned to avoid trip hazards and to keep the film clean.
Health and Safety
- Heat sealing equipment can cause burns—follow your sealer manufacturer’s operating and safety guidance.
- Keep film away from heat sources and open flames.
- Plastic film can be slippery if dropped on the floor—maintain good housekeeping and dispose of offcuts promptly.
- As with all packaging, keep plastic materials away from children and ensure appropriate workplace risk assessments are in place.
Ideal Applications and Use Cases
Lay flat tubing is especially useful when:
- You pack variable-length items and want to reduce the number of bag sizes you stock.
- You need quick protection for parts moving between workstations.
- You want to create long sleeves for profiles, trims, rails, mouldings or similar products.
- You need a simple way to bundle multiple items together before boxing or palletising.
Maintenance, Cleaning and Care
- Store rolls clean and dry to prevent contamination of the film surface.
- Avoid crushing rolls during storage to keep dispensing smooth.
- If using a dispenser, periodically check the spindle and cutting area (if fitted) for debris that could snag the film.
- For sealing stations, keep the sealing bar and PTFE cover (if applicable) in good condition for consistent seals.
Case Study (Typical Workflow Example)
A small assembly and dispatch team packs mixed-length components daily. Instead of holding multiple pre-made bag sizes, they keep lay flat tubing at the bench. Operators cut and seal packs to the exact length needed, reducing time spent searching for the right bag size and minimising excess film at the ends of each pack. The result is a tidy, consistent presentation and a streamlined packing process.
Who Is It For?
- Warehouses and fulfilment teams needing fast, flexible packing
- Manufacturers and fabricators protecting parts between processes
- Print and signage operations packing long or delicate items
- Maintenance and engineering teams bundling and protecting components
Colours / Features Available
This range is supplied as standard polythene lay flat tubing. If multiple options are available on this page (for example, different widths or thicknesses), select the variant that best matches your product fit and protection needs.
Sizes Available
This product page may represent multiple width and thickness options within the same lay flat tubing range. Choose from the available variants shown on the page. If you require guidance on selecting the most suitable option for your application, contact the Sapphire team with your product dimensions and packing method.