Why’s the TPU tape smelly?

TPU tape is widely used as garment accessory. It is generally used for knitwear shaping and socks. Because TPU tape is clear, invisible and elastic, which can not only shape the clothes but also help to decrease the cost of dyeing. Under normal conditions, TPU tape has no odor even be burned with high temperature. However, some customers found the TPU tape they bought is smelly. Why? Here we list two reasons.

1. Hardness of TPU raw material.

One component of TPU is softening oil. Softening oil is a low molecular substance. During processing or under high temperature conditions, small molecular substances can easily volatilize and release, which can easily cause the material to release a strong odor. The smell of low-hardness TPU (0~30A) is stronger than that of high-hardness TPU (70~100A), and the hardness of odorless TPU is usually higher.

Generally, manufacturers choose TPU material in hardness of 80A to produce TPU tape. So TPU tape is supposed to have no odor.

2. Type of TPU material

Which type of TPU material is smelly? Actually, the new TPU material that in hardness of 70-100A will have no odor. But if the TPU tape is made of reclaimed TPU material, odor is not easy to avoid. Because the reclaimed TPU material contains various types of TPU from various brands. Different types of TPU owns different physical property, and TPU from different brands owns unavoidable difference even they are announced having the same performance.

Therefore, when such various of raw materials are mixed to become a new reclaimed material, the physical property will must be affected. If you prefer to choose TPU tape made of reclaimed TPU material, you should better ask for GRS certificate from TPU tape suppliers.

TPU tape from Yunze is made of new TPU material, which pass Oeko-tex Standard 100 Annex 6. That means the TPU elastic tape from Yunze is safe enough to be used for baby clothes.