Thermoforming Materials — Shirley K’s
Shirley K’s forms a range of thermoplastic sheet materials, selected to fit each project’s durability, food-contact, temperature, and finish requirements. Below are the materials we run regularly.
Material selection visual
OUR MATERIAL CATALOG
- HMW-HDPE (High Molecular Weight HDPE): the primary material for our food handling and material handling totes and lugs. Impact-resistant, suitable for food contact applications, performs from -76 °F to 180 °F, and 100% recyclable.
- HIPS and PETG: used for organizational and school storage trays.
- ABS: a tough, versatile choice for custom parts and enclosures.
- Kydex: for custom parts requiring durability and a quality finish.
- Acrylic and Polycarbonate (PC): for custom parts where clarity or specific mechanical properties are needed.
- HDPE: for general-purpose custom thermoforming.
HEAVY-GAUGE CAPABILITY
For heavy-gauge custom thermoforming we form material from .080″ to .450″. Tell us your part requirements and we’ll recommend the right material and gauge.
GET STARTED
Request a quote or start a custom project:
Call: (740) 868-8140 Email: orders@shirleyks.com
Engineered for Extreme Duty
Shirley K’s thermoforms High-Molecular-Weight HDPE (HMW-HDPE) — chosen because the thermoforming process produces molecular structures suited to cold, high-impact, and chemically aggressive service.
Stays tough in the cold
Long, entangled polymer chains keep the material ductile in freezer and deep-cold service. A dropped tote dents instead of shattering — contents stay contained.
High impact resistance
Biaxial molecular orientation and near-zero residual stress spread impact across the whole part, not along one weak axis.
Resists chemical stress cracking
High ESCR stands up to sanitizers, animal fats, oils, and repeated washdowns — without the spider-web surface cracks common to injection-molded totes.
Safe, ductile failure
Instead of sudden brittle shattering (and sharp shards in food), HMW-HDPE flexes and dents while keeping its shape and containment — a higher safety margin for cold-chain and food.
| Property | Shirley K’s Thermoformed (HMW-HDPE) | Standard Injection-Molded HDPE |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular structure | Long, entangled chains — biaxial reinforcement | Shorter chains — primarily one direction |
| Residual stress | Near zero (low-pressure forming) | High (locked in by rapid cooling) |
| Cold-impact behavior | Ductile — flexes, dents, recovers | Brittle — sudden cracking near/below freezing |
| Chemical stress-crack resistance | Excellent ESCR | Moderate — accelerated by cold + chemicals |
| Failure mode | Visible denting, stays contained | Sudden shatter — possible shards |
Evaluated against recognized ASTM methods (D256 Izod impact, D746 brittleness temperature, D1693 / F2136 stress-crack resistance). Resin technical data sheets available on request — request specs or a quote.