Woven Vs. Composite Strap
The Differences Between the Two
Posted on July 24, 2019 by Erik Burden
Two of the most popular types of strap used in the cargo securement industry are polywoven and composite. Both are great products to use when securing your cargo, but there are differences between the two that make each one more suitable for certain load applications.
Polywoven strap is made up of polyester fibers that are woven 
together. Its strength comes from the way the fibers are woven in a multi-directional pattern, weaving both horizontally and vertically. The composition of polywoven strap allows it to have flexibility while providing good tension on rigid loads. The woven material provides slight elongation of the strap, helping it absorb some of the shock and impact during transit while still maintaining its position.
Composite strap is made up of strands of polyester fibers, all traveling vertically and coated together by clear polypropylene. The polypropylene coating increases its resistance to abrasion, yet still allows for slight elongation during transit. Due to its polypropylene coating, composite strap is much stiffer than polywoven strap. The 
stiffness of composite strap makes it easy to feed underneath pallets.
Both woven and composite strap have different wire buckles that are intended to be used with each type of strap. The difference is the finish on the buckles. For woven strap, you should use phosphate coated wire buckles. The phosphate coating on the buckle allows for more friction against the woven material. If composite strap were used with the phosphate coated wire buckles, the strap would become worn from the friction between the buckle and strap. Instead, for composite strap you should use galvanized wire buckles. The smooth finish of the galvanized buckle allows the composite strap to thread effortlessly on the buckle and stays in place because of the stiffness of the strap. If woven strap were used with the galvanized buckles, the strap could slip off the buckle as there would be no friction between the buckle and strap to hold the strap in place.
In order to get the maximum effectiveness from your cargo securement products, it is important the correct products are used together. To find out more about the products you should be using in your load plan contact us toll free at 866-858-8800.