PETG vs. PVC: What's The Difference? - Petro Packaging

01 Sep.,2025

 

PETG vs. PVC: What's The Difference? - Petro Packaging

The market for plastic packaging is worth over $348.08 billion. It’s a massive industry that’s become a part of every other, keeping the products you use every day safe and protected.

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There’s a wide range of plastic packaging options to choose from, but PETG and PVC are 2 of the most common types. They’re both effective but have unique applications and advantages to consider.

Read on to learn how to compare PETG vs. PVC and decide which one is the best option for your needs.

What Are PETG and PVC?

Each type of plastic packaging has its own anagram, such as LDPE, PP, PET, PETE, CAB, CAP, and PLA. These abbreviations serve as an alternative to saying the full names of the complex elements and materials that make them up.

Having an idea of how plastic packaging materials are made and what they’re made of is the first step in deciding which one is the best choice for you.

PETG

PETG is also known as copolymer polyethylene terephthalate glycol. It’s a form of polyester that can be extruded or molded into almost any product.

The way that PETG is made distinguishes it from other plastic products with PET in their name. It requires a 2-step melt-phase polycondensation process that joins 2 monomers together and releases smaller molecules. It can be injection molded, sheet extruded, or used as a filament for 3D printing. it can also be colored during production.

Unlike other PET or polyethylene terephthalate plastics, it contains glycol. This prevents crystallization but creates a hazy appearance.

PVC

PVC is also known as polyvinyl chloride. It’s the third most-produced plastic polymer in the world behind polyethylene and polypropylene. You’ve likely encountered it in either the packaging of your favorite product or in the product itself.

The primary ingredient in PVC is chlorine. Creating it is a complex process of combining specific chemicals.

These combinations can be toxic. Making PVC releases a carcinogenic gas known as vinyl chloride that’s made by combining oxygen and hydrogen chloride over copper.

One way to identify PVC is to see how it reacts under pressure. It’s fragile enough to crack or bend if stressed and may make a crackling sound if you squeeze it.

What Are the Applications of PETG vs. PVC?

The primary reason that there are so many different types of plastic packaging is that they’re not all used for the same purposes. One may be able to handle storage in a hot, humid area while another can’t.

PETG and PVC share certain applications, but there are situations where you’d want to use one over the other.

Applications of PETG

PETG is often used in 3D printing, including creating the material in the printers themselves. It also has several applications in the medical industry, including:

  • Pharmaceutical and medical tubes
  • Implants and braces
  • Medical device and pharmaceutical packaging

PETG is used for creating and containing cosmetics and personal care products. It’s also an effective marketing tool when used in displays for retail stores or graphic displays and signage.

PETG is used in blister packs, a type of packaging that has a plastic cavity or pocket for tools and stationary. It also serves as a sealed package, protective coating, or guard for almost any product.

PETG also has single-use applications such as drinking bottles and food containers.

Applications of PVC

PVC is used in the construction industry in several ways, such as creating pipes, conduits, siding, and window and door frames. When combined with a plasticizer, it can also be used for floor tiles, garden hoses, imitation leather, and shower curtains.

PVC can create heavy-duty packaging or blister packs. It’s also found in medical shrinkwrap and used to package over-the-counter medications. It’s also found in clamshells and packaging for deli or meat products.

What Are The Pros and Cons of PETG vs. PVC?

Certain types of plastic packaging share materials or a similar manufacturing process. It may seem like they’re interchangeable, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

How you package a product can end up determining whether or not it arrives at your customer’s door or at the shop they purchase it from in one piece. Choosing the right materials is an important step that requires considering the pros and cons of all your available options.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Petg Shrink Film. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

Pros and Cons of PETG

Although it’s a newer type of plastic packaging, PETG is quickly growing in popularity. It hasn’t yet overtaken PVC, but there may come a day when it does.

The many benefits of PETG packaging include:

  • High impact and chemical resistance
  • Transparent and glossy appearance
  • Durability
  • Affordability
  • Full recyclability
  • No BPA
  • RF sealability
  • Easy to mold and thermoform
  • FDA compliance
  • No waste materials, byproducts, or toxic fumes or odors
  • Low smoke density and toxicity
  • Low forming temperatures
  • Easy cleaning

There are several reasons to use PETG packaging for your products. It protects them from damage while helping them stand out on store shelves.

The primary disadvantages to PETG are that it can suffer from heat degradation and that it doesn’t offer UV resistance for long-term outdoor applications.

Pros and Cons of PVC

PVC is resistant to oil, chemicals, and other forms of damage. It’s strong but maintains clarity, giving it a range of uses and keeping it durable.

The problem with PVC is that its manufacturing byproducts can be toxic to humans. It’s the least environmentally friendly of all your plastic packaging options, though it can be recycled and turned into building materials.

Where to Find the Best Packaging for Products

Plastic packaging is a large industry with a wide range of options. Two of the best are PETG and PVC. They contain and protect products well but have their own pros and cons to consider.

Deciding between PETG vs. PVC depends on what you’ll be using them for. Consider how your product needs to be packaged and how before choosing one over the other.

Selecting the Right Shrink Sleeving Film - Blog

In shrink labeling, there are several types of film substrates to choose from and various grades of film within each type. Knowing which to leverage and when will help save time and money.

Labels printed on incorrect film will not perform well, and they are likely to cause substantial downtime on the production line, and have less than desirable shrink appearance.  This can result in major additional costs, rework, and frustration. 

It’s important to select the film that is most cost effective yet has all the required characteristics to make your package exceptional. Below, we take a look at the four major types of film substrates and the kinds of applications that each are best suited to.

Types Of Shrink Labeling Films

PVC (Polyvinylchloride)

As the original marketable film, PVC is the dominant film in the packaging industry (estimated to be used around 70% of the time). PVC works well for both tamper evident banding and shrink labeling applications. Its performance characteristics are well understood, and it is generally less expensive than other films. 

However, PVC is not accepted by all consumer products companies due to environmental and sustainability standards. Therefore, it should not be considered recyclable.

(PET/PETG) Polyethylene terephthalate (glycol)

PET/PETG film is increasing in popularity. That trend is due to several factors including its high level of clarity and the potential for down gauging film, thus reducing cost and the ability to increase the number of sleeves on a roll.

Applications for which PET/PETG is well suited include large diameter bottles with small diameter necks because PETG has enough shrink memory to provide the required coverage.

Furthermore, PET/PETG is perceived as environmentally friendly in comparison to other films as it is more compatible with PET recycling systems.

OPS (Oriented Polystyrene)

OPS film is better for softer, squeezable containers. In addition to softer applications, OPS is useful for full sleeve applications on bottles with little or no radius at the bottom for the label to wrap under, since the label has minimal vertical shrink and does not pull up.

It is important to note that this film requires lower storage temperature and has a low shrink force. It requires a higher temperature (more energy) to shrink.

Environmentally, OPS film has greater acceptance in Japan and Europe as it is perceived as a more eco-friendly option.

PLA (Polylactic acid)

PLA is not as widely used as other films. It is a corn-based film, not petroleum based, due to its composition.  It is ASTM Certified Compostable (but only in industrial composting facilities) and is considered the most environmentally friendly film. It has not been adapted as widely as first expected.

How to Ensure You’re Using the Best Film

The four types of film used for shrink sleeve packaging each have unique performance characteristics as well as advantages and disadvantages. Knowing these allow you to make the right choice for your product and budget, with no worries or surprises.  Selecting the correct film type and grade are critical for a successful project.  Only then can sleeve dimensions and sizing (layflat width and height) be correctly established. The PDC Shrink Lab is available to test your products, make prototypes and determine correct label specifications.

At PDC, we have mastered both the science and the art of creating an exceptional package. Our “empirical” test processes are designed to avoid any oversights and help clients to select the correct film from the start. Contact PDC today to help you develop new packages and build your brand through shrink sleeve labeling technology.

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