Ward & Kennedy supplies businesses nationwide with traditionally die-cut and high-precision digitally cut LDPE. From protective sheets and liners to everything in between, you can trust Ward & Kennedy’s nearly 100-year history for fast turnaround times and dedicated service and support.
LDPE (low-density polyethylene) is a flexible, lightweight plastic known for its softness, moisture resistance, and low cost. It's widely used across packaging, agriculture, and industrial applications, particularly for products that need to be pliable rather than rigid.
Common products made from LDPE include:
LDPE's thinness, flexibility, and heat sensitivity directly affect how it performs during cutting, from tool selection to edge sealing.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Film thickness | Thinner LDPE tears easily and requires sharp blades or heat-based cutting for clean edges |
| Flexibility | Highly pliable material that can shift or stretch during cutting without proper tensioning |
| Low melting point | Melts easily, which is often used intentionally to heat-seal edges as the material is cut |
| Static cling | Can stick to itself and cutting surfaces, complicating handling and stacking |
| Foam form | LDPE foam sheeting cuts more like a compressible foam than the thin film version |
| Surface | Smooth and slippery, which can cause shifting if the material isn't held stable during cutting |
slices completely through the material, and both digital cutters and traditional dies can perform it depending on thickness and volume.
Perforation creates a line of small cuts for easy hand separation, achievable by both die cutting and digital cutting.
Creasing forms a fold line without cutting through the material, handled well by digital cutters through adjustable pressure and by dies fitted with the right rule type.
Digital cutting works well for prototyping LDPE products and testing custom shapes, such as new packaging film designs or foam sheet inserts, since patterns can be adjusted without building a die.
For production runs, die cutting, often combined with heat sealing, is the standard approach for repeated shapes like bag panels, liners, and foam packaging pieces. The upfront tooling cost is offset by faster cutting speeds and lower per-unit costs once the design is finalized and moving into high-volume production.
At our facility in Milwaukee, WI, our team of designers and fabricators can help bring your vision to life. Whether you have existing design files or assistance with their creation, we’re here every step of the way.
Along with fabrics, we die cut materials like:
Ward & Kennedy has been designing, fabricating, and supplying industries all over the world since we were founded in 1928. Whether you’re in our Wisconsin backyard or located across the world in Asia, we can supply your die cut materials.
Along with fabricating parts for businesses across America, we supply them with the necessary tools, supplies, and gear to keep them running at full capacity. We stock abrasives, adhesives, PPE, and more from major brands like 3M, Dynablade, Superior Glove, Wendt and Mirka.
