LDPE gets overshadowed by HDPE in most material conversations, but it does a job HDPE cannot: stay genuinely flexible without cracking. Here is where the softer polyethylene earns its place in a packaging lineup.
LDPE has a branched molecular structure, unlike HDPE's linear chains, and that branching prevents the tight packing that gives HDPE its rigidity. The result is a lower-density resin (0.910 to 0.940 g/cm³) that stays soft and pliable across a wide temperature range.
LDPE's flexibility makes it the standard resin for squeeze tubes, either as a monolayer tube or as a layer within a laminate tube structure. It squeezes and returns to shape without stress-whitening or cracking the way a more rigid resin would under the same repeated flexing.
LDPE is a dominant resin in flexible film: shrink film, stretch wrap, and the sealant layer in many multi-layer barrier laminates. Its low melting point makes it easy to heat-seal, which is exactly what a laminate structure's inner layer needs to do.
LDPE resists a similar range of chemicals to HDPE, though its lower density means somewhat lower resistance to stress cracking under sustained chemical exposure. It is generally not the first choice for products with aggressive surfactants or solvents where HDPE's higher density offers better protection.
LDPE's flexibility comes at the cost of structural rigidity, so it is a poor choice for any container that needs to hold its shape under load or stack reliably on a pallet without support. It also has lower tensile strength than HDPE, limiting its use in load-bearing packaging.
Jadewell molds LDPE squeeze tubes and sources LDPE film structures for flexible packaging applications. Request a quote with the squeeze, flex, and barrier requirements.