How each one is made
HDPE sheets start as polyethylene extruded into flat tapes, which are woven into a fabric on looms and then laminated on one or both faces. The weave gives the sheet its strength; the lamination gives it its water-shedding surface.
PVC sheets start from a base fabric — commonly polyester — which is then coated or laminated with PVC. The coating is thicker and more flexible than an HDPE lamination, and it bonds into the fabric rather than sitting on it.
Side by side
| Characteristic | HDPE woven | PVC coated |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Woven HDPE tape, laminated | Base fabric with PVC coating |
| Weight for a given size | Lighter | Heavier |
| Flexibility, especially in cold | Stiffer | More flexible |
| Cost direction | Lower | Higher |
| Handling at large sizes | Easier | Harder |
| Typical service life | Shorter | Longer |
| Repairability | Patching; welding not typical | Can be heat-welded |
| Common use in India | General-purpose covering across sectors | Heavy-duty, long-life and specialist covers |
When HDPE is the right answer
- Large areas need covering and cost per square metre is a real constraint.
- Covers are handled frequently, often by one person.
- The cover is seasonal or project-length rather than a permanent asset.
- Many covers are needed across a site, fleet or farm.
When PVC is the right answer
- The cover is a long-term fitted asset rather than a consumable.
- It must stay flexible in cold conditions or fold repeatedly without cracking.
- It needs to be repaired by welding rather than replaced.
- A specification names PVC or a coated fabric explicitly.
Comparing GSM across the two
A 200 GSM HDPE sheet and a 200 GSM PVC sheet are not equivalent products. GSM measures material mass per square metre and nothing else, so it is only a meaningful comparison within the same material and construction. Comparing GSM figures across materials is one of the more common ways buyers reach a wrong conclusion.
Our position, stated plainly
Double Kissan manufactures HDPE woven tarpaulin. Where a requirement genuinely calls for a coated PVC fabric, HDPE is not the right substitute, and we would rather say so than sell against the requirement. Where the job is general-purpose covering at scale, HDPE is what most Indian buyers use, and it is what we make.
Written by the Double Kissan team at Ashoka Poly Laminators Pvt. Ltd., Bareilly. Last reviewed November 2026.