Polyethylene is a closed cell foam material with a wide range of applications in industry. Ethafoam® is a registered trademark for a line of polyethylene foam manufactured by Sealed Air Corporation. Polyethylene is used in the construction, packaging and sports and leisure industries. It is the principal material used for floatation in Coast Guard approved floatation vests and in floating booms used to contain oil spills and debris. It is used to make protective padding for martial arts equipment and gym mats. It is an incredibly tough and resilient material.
It is used by the military for all types of cushion and padding applications.
Ethafoam® polyethylene is available in densities from 1.5 lbs. per cubic foot to 9 lbs. per cubic foot. The most commonly used for packaging is the 1.5 lb. density which goes by the name Ethafoam® 150. The 2.2 lb. density is Ethafoam® 220, etc.
Polyethylene is available in rolls from 1/32” to ½” thick. It can be cut into sheets, blocks and shapes. The material is die-cut and fabricated for an infinite number of packaging applications. Both standard polyethylene and Ethafoam® are available in any thickness.
