LD vs HM Covers: The Difference, Sizes and Price per Kg
HM covers are the crisp, rustling covers: light, strong for their weight and the cheapest printed cover per kg. LD covers are soft, smooth and glossier, and cost a little more. Both come with a punched D-cut handle and your shop name printed in one or two colours. Choose HM when you hand over a lot of covers a day and the price per cover matters most. Choose LD when you want the cover to feel better in your customer’s hand.
Need covers printed with your shop name? Send your design for a rate today.
What HM and LD mean
Both are polyethylene, the plastic most carry covers are made from. The difference is in how the plastic is made.
- HM is short for high molecular: high molecular weight, high density polyethylene (HM-HDPE). Its long, tightly packed molecules make a film that is stiff and strong even when it is light.
- LD is short for low density polyethylene (LDPE). Its molecules are packed more loosely, so the film is softer, more flexible and clearer.
LD vs HM at a glance
| HM cover | LD cover | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Crisp and papery, rustles in the hand | Soft, smooth and quiet |
| Look | Slightly milky, matte | Clearer and glossier |
| Strength | Strong for its weight, but a sharp corner can start a tear | Stretches before it gives way |
| Rate today | ₹185 – ₹205 per kg | ₹210 – ₹230 per kg |
| Minimum order | 10 kg in one colour, 30 kg in two | 30 kg |
| Sizes | 8 sizes, 9 × 11 to 16 × 20 inch | 10 × 14, 12 × 18, 14 × 20, 16 × 20 inch |
Most shops start with HM. Of the printed D-cut covers we made in the past year, about two in three were HM.
Which one suits your shop
Choose HM if:
- you bill many small purchases a day, as readymade, kids wear, footwear, mobile and fancy shops do;
- the lowest cost per cover matters most;
- you need a small size such as 9 × 11 or 12 × 16 inch.
Choose LD if:
- you run a showroom or boutique, and the cover is part of how your shop feels;
- your goods are boxed or have corners, because LD stretches where HM can split;
- you want a glossy finish that makes the print stand out.
LD covers can also be made with a soft loop handle instead of the punched D-cut. Ask for it on WhatsApp.
How to tell HM from LD by hand
- Crush it. Scrunch a cover in your fist. HM crackles loudly and stays creased. LD is quiet and springs back.
- Stretch it. Pull a strip gently. LD stretches a long way before it breaks. HM hardly stretches, then tears.
- Hold it up to the light. HM looks milky. LD is clearer and shinier.
Sizes we make
| Size (inch) | HM | LD |
|---|---|---|
| 9 × 11 | Yes | — |
| 10 × 14 | Yes | Yes |
| 12 × 16 | Yes | — |
| 12 × 18 | Yes | Yes |
| 14 × 16 | Yes | — |
| 14 × 18 | Yes | — |
| 14 × 20 | Yes | Yes |
| 16 × 20 | Yes | Yes |
12 × 18 inch is the cover size shops order from us most, then 14 × 20 and 10 × 14. Other sizes can be made to order. Each cover’s page has the full list: HM D-cut covers and LD D-cut covers.
Price per kg
Today’s rates for every printed cover we make:
| Cover (per kg) | Above ₹40,000 | ₹20,000 – ₹40,000 | Below ₹20,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| HM Plastic D-Cut Covers | ₹185 | ₹195 | ₹205 |
| LD Plastic D-Cut Covers | ₹210 | ₹220 | ₹230 |
| U-Cut Covers | ₹195 | ₹205 | ₹215 |
| Bio Degradable U-CUT Covers | ₹240 | ₹250 | ₹260 |
Rates are ex-factory, per kg, for a 50% advance, before GST and freight. The column is decided by the value of your whole order, so HM and LD covers in one order count together.
How many covers are in a kg? It depends on the size and the thickness you choose, so ask us for the count in your size. When you compare two suppliers, compare the price per cover, not the price per kg. Our price per kg guide shows how.
Cover or non woven bag?
A cover is the cheapest way to hand goods over the counter. A non woven carry bag costs more, but customers reuse it for weeks, so your shop name travels further. Many clothing shops order both: covers for small, quick bills and a non woven bag for bigger purchases. See what clothing shops order from us.
Common questions
What is the full form of HM? High molecular, short for high molecular weight high density polyethylene (HM-HDPE).
What is the full form of LD? Low density, as in low density polyethylene (LDPE).
Which is stronger, HM or LD? For the same weight of plastic, HM is stiffer and carries more before it gives. LD stretches instead, so it copes better with corners and sudden pulls.
Which is cheaper? HM. Today our printed HM D-cut covers are ₹185 – ₹205 per kg and LD D-cut covers ₹210 – ₹230 per kg.
Do you print on both? Yes. We print your shop name, address and phone number in one or two colours, in Telugu, English or both. Plain covers are also available.
Can I order HM and LD covers together? Yes. The rate is decided by the value of the whole order. The minimum is 10 kg for single colour HM covers, and 30 kg for two colour HM covers and for LD covers.
Get a quote
Send the cover type, size, print and quantity on WhatsApp, with a photo of the cover you use now if you have one, and we will send a rate the same day. Every cover and its rate is on the plastic covers page.