I usually buy Saran Wrap. When I switch to cheaper rolls—store PB or 100-yen no-name—I regret it: they do not stick, bowls lift, onigiri unwrap themselves. Price tracks performance, but the material also changes use cases.

Cheap wrap often does not stick

Miss on a bad product and you feel annoyed until you finish the roll. That is how I ended up with the rule: pay a bit more, buy Saran.

Materials change performance and use

Rough grouping:

I remember them as vinyl strong / medium / weak:

Vinyl strong: PVDC (polyvinylidene chloride) — high barrier, strong cling

Chlorine-rich, hence tight barrier and good cling, but pricier and needs proper incineration.

• Examples: Saran Wrap, Kure Wrap
• Good for: Freezing rice, strong-smelling food (kimchi, fish)

サランラップ 【まとめ買い】 22cm×50m 3本パック おまけ付き 【Amazon.co.jp限定】

旭化成ホームプロダクツ

【まとめ買い】NEWクレラップ 22cm×50m 2本+30cm×50m 2本

クレハ(KUREHA)

Vinyl medium: PVC (polyvinyl chloride) — common in commercial use

Good cling, slightly breathable, often used in restaurants and for supermarket meat/fish trays. Also chlorine-based; avoid burning in low-temp fires.

Substances that leach from food wrap film (JP PDF)

• Good for: Food service/bulk use; budget home use

三菱アルミニウム ダイヤ ラップ BOX 業務用 透明 幅30cm×長さ100m 耐熱温度 -60度~130度 よく伸び ピタッとくっつく

エムエーパッケージング

ダイアラップ i-GSW 300×750 377400

三菱ケミカル(Mitsubishi Chemical)

Vinyl weak: PE (polyethylene) — non-chlorine

Same material as Ziploc bags, rice bags, the thin produce bags at the supermarket. Soft, easy to process, passes oxygen so produce can “breathe.” Does not trap ethylene gas, so do not wrap apples together with veggies or they will overripen.

Food-safe, low additive, so some use it for baby food storage. Cling is weak; some products add tech to improve it.

• Good for: Onigiri (less sticky to hands), produce storage (breathable)

宇部フィルム ポリラップ キッチンラップ 食品用ラップ 30cm×100m 5本セット 無添加 添加物ゼロ 赤ちゃんにも安心 離乳食の保存に 防災 日本製

宇部フィルム

プレスンシール glad ラップ 【真空パックのような密着感】(蜜蝋ラップ や 野菜保存袋 代わりにも！)[ GLAD (グラッド)] プレスアンドシール 140(30cm×43.4m)×1本

GLAD

The Costco-style roll above is PE yet somehow sticks well—overseas markets push chlorine-free films, so tech evolved there.

Why does cling differ?

Chlorine tightens molecular spacing, boosting barrier performance and cling (polar groups). Roughly: “chlorine acts like a magnet,” so chlorine-free PE feels loose.

Is Saran Wrap the ultimate?

Almost—but it blocks air. Wrap veggies too tightly and they suffocate. Use weak PE for produce/onigiri; use strong PVDC for oxidation-prone meats/fish or smelly foods. When in doubt, PVDC is the safe all-rounder.

Quick reference: which wrap for what