PE vs PP vs ABS vs PET vs PS: One wrong pick ruins your batch.
Film turning foggy, injection parts cracking after falling, customer complaints pouring in — most production failures are not caused by machine errors. They simply come from picking the wrong plastic resin grade.
Most factory buyers only compare unit prices when purchasing raw materials. Saving a little on material cost often ends up wasting an entire production batch, costing far more in rework and waste.
To avoid unnecessary losses, here is a clear, easy-to-follow comparison of the five most common plastic materials: PE, PP, ABS, PET, and PS. Each category includes its best-use scenarios, forbidden applications, and reliable mainstream grades for factory reference.
PE Polyethylene — Universal Base Material for Films & Containers
Applicable: Flexible packaging films, blow-molded barrels, water pipes, and geomembranes. With excellent toughness and waterproof performance, PE is the most versatile general-purpose resin.
Not suitable: High-temperature products. PE deforms easily above 80°C and cannot withstand heating or sterilization environments.
Recommended grades: Exxon 1002BU / 3518PA for stable high-end food packaging films; Daqing 2420D for agricultural mulch films; Shenhua 7042 / 2426H for cost-effective general film production. Its melt index (material fluidity, higher value means faster injection molding) fits most ordinary extrusion and blow molding processes.
PP Polypropylene — Heat-Resistant Material for Injection & Textile Products
Applicable: Woven bags, non-woven fabrics, disposable lunch boxes, and small home appliance shells. PP is harder and more heat-resistant than PE, making it ideal for daily heat-resistant plastic products.
Not suitable: Low-temperature environments. PP becomes brittle in freezing conditions and cracks easily under slight impact.
Recommended grades: Ningmei 1102K for wire drawing production; Ningmei 2500HY for non-woven fabric; Borouge food-grade transparent PP for thin-wall transparent products. Choose copolymer PP for better toughness and homopolymer PP for higher hardness according to production needs.
ABS — High-Strength Material for Structural & Appearance Parts
Applicable: Toys, automotive interior parts, and home appliance shells. ABS features strong impact resistance and excellent surface performance, supporting smooth spraying and electroplating.
Not suitable: Low-cost mass-produced ordinary parts. ABS has redundant performance and higher cost, leading to wasted budget for simple products.
Recommended grades: Jihua 0215A and Yanshan S2040, the most widely used universal ABS grades with stable molding quality and low defective rates.
PET — High-Clarity Material for Food Packaging
Applicable: Mineral water bottles, edible oil bottles, and food packaging films. PET provides outstanding transparency and barrier performance, fully compliant with food-contact safety standards.
Not suitable: Load-bearing structural parts. PET is rigid but brittle, unable to withstand pressure or heavy impact.
Recommended grades: China Resources 8816, the mainstream domestic PET grade with high purity, stable color and consistent batch performance.
PS Polystyrene — Low-Cost Transparent Ordinary Parts
Applicable: Transparent tableware, stationery, and small electrical panels. PS molds fast with low cost and ultra-high surface clarity.
Not suitable: Outdoor products or load-bearing parts. PS is fragile at low temperatures and has poor weather resistance.
Recommended grades: Dushanzi PS-500, the classic universal transparent PS grade for daily lightweight transparent products.
Final Quick Selection Rule
Use PE for soft and waterproof products, PP for heat-resistant daily products, ABS for structural appearance parts, PET for food packaging containers, and PS for low-cost transparent small parts. Always match resin performance with production scenarios instead of choosing materials purely by price, to avoid scrapped batches and hidden quality risks.
