Polyurethane (PU / TPU) and Expanded Polyethylene (EPE Foam) are the two most quoted options for plastic foam products and cushioning in textile and garment projects. Both are widely available, but they behave very differently once they are in service.
Use it as a working checklist when you write your next enquiry.
This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines plastic foam products and cushioning by three things: the base resin, the format or dimension, and the performance or certification level it has to meet. Typical options in this category include anti-static and flame retardant grades; sheet and roll form; moulded shapes. Materials most often specified are Expanded Polystyrene, Expanded Polyethylene, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, Polyurethane, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.
In the textile and garment sector the decision is usually driven by flexibility and abrasion resistance, with colour fastness as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include zipper components, hangers, elastic tapes.
These figures are typical for commercial grades and should be confirmed against the supplier's certificate for your specific lot.
| Material | Density | Tensile strength | Service temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyurethane | 1.05-1.25 g/cm³ | 25-60 MPa | -30°C to 90°C |
| Ethylene Vinyl Acetate | 0.93-0.95 g/cm³ | 10-30 MPa | -40°C to 70°C |
| Expanded Polystyrene | 0.01-0.05 g/cm³ | 0.2-0.8 MPa | -40°C to 75°C |
Polyurethane is frequently the default selection here: TPU bridges the gap between rubber and plastic: elastic, yet weldable and recyclable.
Polyurethane grades offer outstanding abrasion and tear resistance, while Expanded Polyethylene brings closed cell and waterproof. For textile and garment service the difference shows up in UV stability and in the long term behaviour under load.
In short: choose the first option when stiffness, heat and dimensional stability dominate; choose the second when impact, cost and processing speed matter more.
Beyond the base resin, most suppliers offer UV stabilised, food contact, flame retardant, anti-static and recycled content versions of the same product. Ask which additive package is included, because it is often the difference between a part that lasts three years and one that lasts ten.
Each step below has its own control points, and skipping one of them is where most defects start.
Secondary operations such as printing, welding, machining and assembly are often cheaper to do in the same factory, and they reduce the risk of mismatch between components.
Use this checklist when comparing two or three supplier quotations.
Send this list to your supplier with the drawing and you will receive comparable quotations from every factory you contact.
Standard packing is export cartons on fumigation-free pallets, with custom labelling, barcode and retail packing available. We also handle consolidated containers and door to door delivery.
We can provide ISO 9001 quality system documentation, material certificates, RoHS and REACH statements, and where applicable food contact, flame retardancy or drinking water approvals. Tell us your target market and we will match the document set.
For standard sizes and colours the minimum is usually one pallet or one production run; for custom tooling the economic minimum depends on the tooling cost amortised over the expected volume. Send us your annual volume and we will calculate the break even point.
Yes. Standard samples are normally free of charge and shipped within three working days; custom samples are charged at cost and credited against the first production order.
Yes. {mat1} is one of our regular materials for this item, and we can supply virgin, modified and certified grades with full traceability. Material certificates and test reports are issued per batch.
Share your specification and quantity with us and we will recommend the most cost effective material, tooling route and packing method for your market.
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