A padlock seal is a single-use seal shaped like a small padlock: a shackle passes through the closure and locks into the body. It is the usual choice for light closures with small hasps or eyelets – airline catering trolleys, duty-free carts, cash boxes and ATM cassettes, courier totes, instrument cases and bags. Like every security seal, it is tamper-evident: it shows when the closure was opened, and it cannot be refitted.
All-plastic or steel wire shackle?
| Feature | All-plastic padlock seal | Steel wire shackle padlock seal |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Body and shackle moulded in polypropylene; recyclable single material | Polypropylene body with a steel wire shackle |
| Typical closures | Airline trolleys, duty-free carts, ATM and bank cash boxes, instruments, bags | Containers, vans, postal and courier totes, doors with small hasps |
| Removal | By hand on tool-free models (MC-PL01); break or cut on others | Cut the wire shackle |
| Example models | MC-PL01, MC-PL04, MC-PL05, MC-PL06, MC-PL07, MC-PL09 | MC-PL02, MC-PL03 |
Will the shackle fit your eyelet?
Check the smallest hole the shackle must pass through, and the space the closed body needs.
- Mini: MC-PL09 is 31.5 mm high with a 1.8 mm shackle – for meter covers, instrument cases and zipper pulls.
- Thin wire: MC-PL03 has a 1 mm steel wire shackle, 18 mm wide with a 15–20 mm extension; check that the extension clears your hasp.
- Pin and frame: MC-PL06 has a 25 mm straight pin, 1.9 mm in diameter, in a hinged frame.
- Larger bodies: MC-PL01 is 62 × 54.6 mm with a 28.3 mm shackle opening; MC-PL05 is 48 × 40 mm overall.
Dimensions come from the original drawings; confirm the closed fit on a sample before ordering in volume.
Tool-free or cut-to-remove?
Think about the person who opens the seal.
- Tool-free: MC-PL01 opens by hand, which speeds up handling where staff remove many seals every day – in-flight catering trolleys, duty-free carts and cash cassettes.
- Break or cut: MC-PL04, MC-PL05 and MC-PL09 are removed by breaking or cutting.
- Cut the wire: MC-PL02 and MC-PL03 are removed by cutting the steel wire shackle.
All are single-use: once opened, the seal cannot be refitted, so a missing or broken seal shows that the closure was opened.
How much marking space do you need?
Padlock seals carry the logo and serial number on the body, a plate or a flag. Plastic surfaces can be laser marked, screen printed, UV printed or hot stamped, confirmed on a production sample.
- Protected printing: MC-PL02 has a 37 × 25 mm body with a transparent cover over the printed logo, serial number and barcode – useful for barcode-scanned shipments where a scratched code would stop the scan.
- Large flat body: MC-PL04 has a 38.4 × 31.2 mm body for a number that staff read at a glance.
- Separate number plate: MC-PL05 has a 25 × 15 mm plate that stays easy to read when the shackle is tight.
- Flag: MC-PL07 has a 31 mm wide marking flag.
Eight padlock seals at a glance
| Model | Shackle | Size (drawing) | Removal | Marking area | Catalogue MOQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MC-PL01 | Plastic | 62 × 54.6 mm | By hand, no tool | Ribbed body, tag hole | 10,000 pcs |
| MC-PL02 | Steel wire | Body 37 × 25 mm | Cut the wire | Printed area under a clear cover | 2,000 pcs |
| MC-PL03 | Steel wire, 1 mm | Body 37 × 21 mm | Cut the wire | Large body face | 5,000 pcs |
| MC-PL04 | Plastic, serrated | Body 38.4 × 31.2 mm | Break or cut | Large flat body | 1,000 pcs |
| MC-PL05 | Plastic | 48 × 40 mm | Break or cut | 25 × 15 mm number plate | 1,000 pcs |
| MC-PL06 | Plastic pin, 1.9 mm | Flag 24.7 × 12.8 mm | Confirm on sample | Flag | 1,000 pcs |
| MC-PL07 | Plastic, 3.9 mm | Flag 31 mm wide | Confirm on sample | Flag | 1,000 pcs |
| MC-PL09 | Plastic, 1.8 mm (mini) | 31.5 mm high | Break or cut | Body 21.5 × 12.7 mm | 1,000 pcs |
See all padlock seals. If you are not sure a padlock seal is the right format, compare it with bolt and cable seals in bolt seal vs cable seal vs padlock seal.
What should you send your supplier?
- A photo of the closure and the smallest eyelet size.
- Your removal preference: tool-free or cut.
- Marking: logo, serial number format, barcode – see how to order custom printed security seals.
- Seal colour, quantity per order and per year, and the delivery country.
For routine checks at handover, read installing, checking and recording a seal.
Frequently asked questions
What is a padlock seal used for?
A padlock seal closes light closures with small hasps or eyelets and shows whether they were opened. Typical uses are airline catering trolleys, duty-free carts, cash boxes and ATM cassettes, courier totes, instrument cases and bags.
Should I choose a plastic or a wire shackle padlock seal?
Choose an all-plastic padlock seal for trolleys, cash boxes, bags and instruments, especially when a single recyclable material or tool-free removal matters. Choose a steel wire shackle, such as MC-PL02 or MC-PL03, for courier totes, vans and small hasps where a thin, flexible shackle fits better.
Can a padlock seal be opened without tools?
Yes, if you choose a tool-free model. MC-PL01 has an easy-open structure that staff remove by hand. Other models are broken or cut, and wire-shackle models are removed by cutting the wire.
Can a padlock seal be reused?
No. Padlock seals are single-use. Once opened, they cannot be refitted, so a missing, broken or wrong-numbered seal shows that the closure was opened.
Which padlock seal fits very small holes?
MC-PL09 is a mini padlock seal with a 1.8 mm shackle and a 31.5 mm overall height, made for small holes on meter covers, instrument cases and zipper pulls. MC-PL03 has a 1 mm steel wire shackle.
Can padlock seals carry a barcode?
Yes, where the marking area allows. MC-PL02 protects the printed logo, serial number and barcode under a transparent cover, which helps keep the barcode scannable. Confirm the barcode size on a production sample.
What is the minimum order for padlock seals?
It depends on the model. Catalogue MOQs: MC-PL04, MC-PL05, MC-PL06, MC-PL07 and MC-PL09 1,000 pieces; MC-PL02 2,000 pieces; MC-PL03 5,000 pieces; MC-PL01 10,000 pieces.
Ready to choose a padlock seal?
Send a photo of the closure, the eyelet size, your removal preference, quantity and marking through our quote form. We will recommend a padlock seal and confirm the marking in the quotation.
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