As a cling film supplier who’s spent the last 12 years sourcing, testing, and shipping this everyday product to cafes, grocery stores, and home goods brands across North America, I get asked one question more than any other: Is cling film vegan-friendly? It’s not a silly question, either. Veganism isn’t just a diet—it’s a way of living that extends to every product we bring into our homes, from food to cleaning supplies to the packaging that keeps our meals fresh. I’ve seen this question pop up in comment sections of my own social media, at trade shows, and even from regular customers who just want to align every part of their routine with their values. So let’s break this down, no jargon, no greenwashing, just the real story from someone who’s in the factory floor talking to our suppliers every single week. Cling Film
First, let’s get one thing straight: The term “cling film” is a catch-all for a lot of different plastic products, and that matters a lot when it comes to vegan eligibility. Back in the day, most cling film (what some people call “plastic wrap”) was made from polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. PVC had its benefits—it was cheap, stretchy, and super clingy to smooth surfaces like glass and ceramic—but it also had a lot of environmental and health downsides, which is why it’s fallen out of favor for most food packaging in the last 15 years. The big shift in the industry came around 2010, when more affordable polyethylene (PE) resins hit the market. PE is the plastic most common in grocery bags, milk jugs, and a ton of other everyday packaging, and it’s become the base material for the vast majority of cling film sold today, both for home use and commercial catering.
Now, the core question: Do either PVC or PE contain animal-derived ingredients? Let’s start with the raw material basics to make this as clear as possible. All plastic starts as a petrochemical feedstock—derived from crude oil or natural gas, not animals. That’s the foundation for both PVC and PE. But here’s where things get tricky: it’s not just the base material. Every manufacturing process has additives—small ingredients mixed in to give the cling film specific properties, like flexibility, heat resistance, the right amount of cling, and even how it stretches without tearing. Additives make up between 2% and 10% of the final cling film product, and that’s where the potential non-vegan stuff lives.
Let’s start with the old PVC cling film, because it’s still out there in some markets, even if we don’t carry it. Years ago, PVC cling film relied on plasticizers to make it soft and stretchy, and some older formulations used stearic acid derived from animal fat as a stabilizer. Stearic acid is a common fatty acid that can come from either plant sources (like palm or soybean oil) or animal sources (beef tallow, for example). But here’s the thing: by the mid-2000s, most food-grade PVC cling film manufacturers had switched to plant-based stearic acid, or synthetic alternatives, because animal-derived additives brought with them regulatory headaches and consumer concerns. That said, if you come across a super cheap, generic cling film from a small overseas supplier that’s still using old PVC formulas, there’s a chance it uses animal-based additives. That’s one of the reasons we test every batch of our own cling film before it hits our warehouse, not just for performance, but for additive origins.
Now, the PE cling film that most of our customers buy today—this is where the vegan story gets a lot more consistent, but still not 100% universal. PE cling film needs a few key additives: slip agents to make it slide easily off the roll instead of sticking to itself, cling agents to help it stick to surfaces, and heat stabilizers to keep it from breaking down when you use it to cover dishes that go in the microwave or oven. All of these can be synthetic or derived from plants, but the catch is that some older additive formulations still use animal-derived components, though it’s rare in modern food-grade products.
Wait, let’s talk about one specific additive that’s been a hot topic in the vegan community: glycerin. Glycerin is used in a lot of plastic products, and for a long time, many manufacturers used animal-derived glycerin from tallow or lard because it was cheap. But again, that’s shifted dramatically. Today, most food-grade glycerin used in plastic packaging is plant-based, derived from palm or coconut oil, and you can confirm that with a quick certificate of analysis from the supplier. We make it a point to request those certificates for every single one of our raw material shipments, because we know our customers are counting on us to get this right. We’ve even had customers who run vegan meal kit services come to us specifically because they need 100% plant-derived additives, so we adjusted our supplier contracts a few years back to only source PE cling film with plant-based additives, no exceptions. That’s not just a marketing gimmick for us—it’s a requirement for a big chunk of our repeat business.
But here’s the part that a lot of people miss: even if the raw materials are all plant-based, the manufacturing process can sometimes use animal products as processing aids. Processing aids are ingredients that help make the plastic during production, but they don’t end up in the final product. For example, some manufacturing lines use animal-based lubricants to keep the plastic from sticking to the machinery as it’s extruded into thin cling film. That’s a trickier thing to track, because processing aids are often not listed on product packaging, and some manufacturers don’t even disclose them. Again, that’s why we vet our suppliers so thoroughly. We visited our primary PE resin factory in Ohio last year, and we watched their production lines. Their lubricants are all synthetic, no animal products, and they have third-party testing to prove it. We also bring that same level of attention to every new supplier we work with, because one bad batch could ruin our reputation with the vegan customers who rely on us.
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: some cling film products are not plastic at all. A lot of people confuse plastic cling film with beeswax wraps, cotton wraps, or other plant-based or animal-derived alternatives. Beeswax wraps, for example, are made from beeswax, which is 100% not vegan. We don’t sell beeswax wraps, and we make sure to label our cling film clearly to avoid that confusion. Our cling film is explicitly labeled “plastic cling film” to distinguish it from those alternatives, which is important for customers doing their research. I’ve had more than one customer come to me after buying beeswax wraps by mistake, thinking they were buying plastic cling film, so clarity is key.
Another common misconception: “biodegradable” cling film is automatically vegan. That’s not true either. A lot of biodegradable cling film is made from plant-based materials like cornstarch, but it still uses additives, and some of those additives can be derived from animal sources. We’ve tested a few biodegradable formulations over the years, and while some are vegan, others use animal-based processing aids. For our part, we don’t sell biodegradable cling film right now, because we found that the ones that meet our performance standards are often not fully transparent about their additive origins. We’re testing new formulations this year, though, and if we launch a biodegradable line, it will come with full documentation proving it’s vegan.
Let’s also talk about third-party certifications, because that’s the easiest way for customers to avoid guesswork. Certifications like the Vegan Society Trademark, or PETA’s Vegan Approved label, are not just stickers—they require manufacturers to prove that no animal products were used anywhere in the production process, from raw materials to additives to processing aids. We don’t currently hold those certifications, but that’s a goal we’re working toward for next year, because so many of our customers ask for that peace of mind. In the meantime, we offer a detailed product spec sheet for every roll of cling film we sell, which lists every additive, their source, and all relevant test results. If a customer needs a certificate of analysis that specifically confirms no animal-derived ingredients were used, we can provide that within 48 hours. That level of transparency is non-negotiable for us, because we’ve built our business on trust.
Now, let’s get real about the downsides of cling film, because veganism is also about environmental ethics, and that’s a big part of the conversation too. Plastic cling film is not recyclable in most curbside programs, right? Because it’s thin and made of mixed plastics, it often clogs recycling machinery. That means it usually ends up in landfills, where it can take hundreds of years to break down. That’s a problem, because even if it’s vegan, it’s not great for the planet. A lot of vegan customers ask us about this, and so we’ve made it a priority to offer bulk, low-waste packaging for our cling film rolls. We also partner with a plastic recycling program that accepts thin film plastics, including our cling film, for specialized recycling. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s a step, and we work with our customers to make it easier for them to dispose of the cling film responsibly.
I also want to address the mistake a lot of people make: assuming all plastic is non-vegan, or all plant-based packaging is automatically vegan. I’ve seen comment sections on vegan blogs claim that all cling film is made with animal products, and that’s just not true, not anymore. But I’ve also seen other posts that say cling film is 100% vegan, and that’s not true either, because there are still old formulations out there. The truth is, it depends on the specific product, which is why buying from a supplier that’s transparent about their sourcing and testing is so important. That’s why we started this blog, actually—too many customers are buying generic cling film online or at big box stores without knowing what’s in it, and we wanted to cut through the noise.
Let’s circle back to my own experience as a supplier. I started this business 12 years ago, when my mom, a caterer, kept asking me to find a reliable source for cling film that worked well for her busy kitchen. Back then, I didn’t pay much attention to veganism, but over the years, as more of our customers started asking about it, I did my own deep dive. I visited factory after factory, tested hundreds of batches, and realized that there was a gap in the market: a reliable, high-performance cling film that was transparent about its ingredients, so customers could make informed choices. That’s the cling film we sell today. We don’t cut corners on additives, we don’t use animal-derived materials, and we test every single batch to make sure it meets our standards.
If you’re a vegan customer looking for cling film, or a business owner who needs to source vegan packaging for your products, I can’t stress enough how important it is to ask questions. Don’t just take the packaging label at face value—ask for the spec sheet, ask about additive sources, ask about processing aids. A good supplier will be happy to give you that information, no hesitation. That’s the kind of relationship we build with our customers. We don’t just sell rolls of plastic—we’re here to help you find the right product that aligns with your values.
At the end of the day, the question of whether cling film is vegan-friendly doesn’t have a one-word answer. It’s not “yes” and it’s not “no”—it’s “it depends on the product, and on the supplier’s transparency and sourcing practices.” For the cling film we sell, yes, it’s 100% vegan. We’ve traced every raw material back to its source, confirmed all additives are plant-derived, and verified that no animal products are used in any part of the manufacturing process. But that’s not the case for every cling film out there, and that’s why it’s so important to do your research and work with a supplier you can trust.
If you’re a vegan consumer looking to purchase our cling film for your home, or a business owner who needs bulk quantities for your cafe, grocery store, or meal kit service, we’re here to help. We can answer any questions you have about our product, provide the documentation you need to confirm its vegan status, and help you find the right quantities and packaging for your needs. Reach out to our team to discuss your requirements, and we’ll make sure you get the information and product you’re looking for.
Cotton Pulp Paper References
- The Vegan Society. (2022). “Plastic Packaging and Veganism: A Guide for Consumers.” The Vegan Society Official Website.
- European Plastic Converters Association. (2021). “Additive Use in Food-Grade Polyethylene Packaging.” EPCA Technical Report.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2020). “Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption; Part 177: Polymers.” FDA Code of Federal Regulations.
- Environmental Protection Agency. (2023). “Plastic Film Recycling in the U.S.” EPA Waste Management Program Report.
- National Confectioners Association. (2022). “Vegan Certification in Food Packaging: Industry Best Practices.” NCA Technical Bulletin.
Shanghai Rongying Industrial Co., Ltd.
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