If you’ve stepped outside at any point over the past few months, you’ll know that things are getting uncomfortably hot. 2026 has been a year of unprecedented heat, with the Met Office confirming that England experienced its warmest June on record, and the UK as a whole its second warmest.
The mercury has soared. But it’s not over yet. In fact, it’s our new normal.
We’ve already explored how polythene can be part of the solution to climate change, from cutting emissions to capturing carbon.
But there’s another, more immediate way this versatile material is helping us cope with a warming world: thermal protection. As temperatures rise, protecting sensitive goods from the extreme heat has become a critical challenge for lots of industries across the country, and not just the ones you’d expect.
The solution? White polythene. Seems too simple, and too good to be true – but physics can back this one up!
The heat is on: the threat to goods and supply chains
This latest round of heatwaves has exposed a major weakness in our national infrastructure. Cold chain logistics (the network of temperature-controlled warehouses and transport that keeps our food and medicines fresh) is under strain.
Around half of all food consumed in the UK passes through a concentrated network of just 460 temperature-controlled warehouses. And these warehouses were simply not designed for the kind of temperatures we are now experiencing.
It’s not just about food. Plastic extrusion businesses are seeing their products warp and deform under the heat of the sun. Timber merchants are watching on as their valuable wood stocks crack and split, as moisture is drawn out. UV light can cause plastic to break down, and can discolour timber.
Heat is causing chaos across the board.
From concrete curing on building sites, to protecting delicate plants in polytunnels, the extreme heat is creating problems for industries that might have once considered themselves immune.
Goods that need protection in heatwaves
It’s easy to assume that some goods are tough enough to withstand a bit of sunshine, but as always, the reality is a bit more complicated. Wood, for example, is a hygroscopic material – meaning it naturally absorbs and releases moisture from the air.
In extreme heat, this moisture evaporates rapidly, causing the wood to shrink, warp, and crack. This can ruin wood stocks in merchants yards – and we’ve had a handful of new business from those looking for a solution.
Similarly, plastic products can become soft and pliable in high temperatures, losing their shape and strength – while UV radiation from the sun accelerates this degradation process, causing plastics to become brittle and discoloured.
Even concrete is vulnerable. The heat hasn’t stopped building projects from going ahead – but without adequate protection, concrete can cure badly in extreme heat. Its curing process is a delicate balance of heat and moisture, and elevated temperatures can cause it to dry out too quickly, leading to cracks and a weaker final product.
Read more: Polythene for Concrete – How to Choose the Right Sheeting
In all these scenarios, there’s one white knight material to save the day: white polythene.
White polythene: a simple solution to a complex problem
White polythene offers a remarkably effective, versatile, low-tech solution to thermal management.
And it’s just simple physics at play; white materials offer the highest level of reflection (80-90%) besides high-polish metals and foils (up to 99%). But unlike metals and foils (which are extremely expensive, heavy, and unfit for most heat shielding jobs due to their conductivity), polythene is cheap, light, incredibly strong and flexible – while offering high heat insulation.
The white surface reflects a significant portion of the sun’s radiant energy, rather than absorbing it. This simple property has a massive impact, making white polythene a first line of defence against heat gain.
But polythene is also an effective barrier against moisture loss. By creating a physical barrier over a material or surface, it traps moisture inside, preventing it from evaporating into the dry, hot air.
This is great for both concrete curing and keeping timber from drying out.
A heat shield for UK industry
There are countless applications for white polythene, but it directly addresses the challenges businesses are facing with extreme heat right now. Here are just a few examples:
For plastic extrusion businesses
Protecting raw materials and finished products from heat and UV degradation is a big task, especially when so much of it is stored and transported outdoors.
We’ve had plastics manufacturers contact us for help – and we’ve provided simple covers made of white polythene sheeting that can reflect heat. This keeps the temperature down and prevents the material from becoming soft or warping.
UV inhibitor additives also absorb harmful UV radiation, which attacks plastics and causes them to become brittle quickly. This is an essential additive for any covers used to protect goods from the sun, as polythene is also vulnerable to UV light without it.
For timber merchants
We’ve also been contacted by timber yards for help, as the heat has been drying out and cracking vast supplies of timber stocks. To prevent this, we’ve been providing them with white polythene.
By wrapping or covering timber stacks with white polythene, merchants can create a stable microclimate; the reflective surface keeps the wood cool, while the moisture barrier prevents it from drying out and cracking. This reduces waste and preserves the quality of the stock.
For concrete curing
We’ve long been supplying large scale developers and civil engineering projects with polythene for all manner of jobs on site. But in hot weather, fresh concrete is highly vulnerable and susceptible to cracking.
So, white polythene sheeting is used to protect it while it cures. It’s a tried and tested method for proper concrete curing, reflecting heat to prevent the concrete from getting too hot, and trapping moisture – allowing the concrete to cure slowly and evenly. This allows it to develop its maximum strength and durability.
Protecting the food chain
The vulnerability of our food supply has been a major talking point this summer. It’s not just that refrigeration units in stores and warehouses are struggling to cope, it’s the effects of heat on agriculture and farming, too.
Grow bags and irrigation systems that use polythene are generally made of black polythene. This is because heat is usually a luxury in the UK, and plants tend to grow better when it’s warmer. Black polythene does the opposite of white – it absorbs the vast majority of solar radiation that hits it, heating up dramatically under intense sunlight.
But the kind of heat we’ve been experiencing is extreme, and it’s starting to cook the crops grown in black polythene alive.
Polytunnels – giant greenhouses covered in polythene sheeting – are also at risk. The high light transmission of clear polythene can cause internal temperatures to soar, damaging sensitive crops and any livestock kept under them.
White polythene has a powerful role to play in all of these areas – in the form of pallet covers, grow bags, polythene for polytunnels and storage solutions for goods sitting on a loading bay or being transported in a trailer.
Get white polythene – from NPF Packaging
White polythene proves that sometimes, the most effective solutions are also the simplest. It reflects heat, can be treated to block UV rays, and retains moisture, making it a brilliant tool for industries struggling to adapt to our rapidly changing climate. It’s also pretty cost-effective and much less wasteful when compared to active cooling and other solutions.
The future’s getting hotter, but with solutions like this, our supply chains and businesses can weather the heat.
So, protect your sensitive goods from the heat, with white polythene. To start your order, contact us or call 01773 820415.