Braided Sleeving

Our Braided Sleeving section has a complete range of braided cable sleeves to help you organise, insulate and protect your wires and cables in any electrical project. This includes sleeves from well-known brands like Hellermann Tyton and Federal Mogul.

We also stock a selection of braided sleeving from our own brand in the ExpressPRO range to assist you with wire protection.

What is cable sleeving?


Cable sleeves have very similar properties to heat shrink tubing as they are both used to protect cables and wires within cable management. It can offer protection from a variety of environmental conditions, including moisture and chemical resistance. Not only can it offer protection, but it also assists with the identification of cables as they are available in a wide variety of colours that are consistent with the wire regulation colour-coding scheme.


What are braided cable sleeves?


Braided cables sleeves are primarily used to protect and improve organisation within cable management. They are made with braided plastic fibres, such as PET, and have a unique open weave feature that helps prevents issues caused by chemical exposure, weather, pests and high temperatures.

This is enabled by allowing heat and moisture to quickly dissolve through the gaps within the cable braid. The braid feature of the sleeve also means it has exceptional flexibility to protect a wide range of cables, including irregular shaped cables. More importantly, the tiny gaps within the sleeve allow employees to examine the cable for any damages, ensuring safety with cable management.


What is the difference between braided cable sleeving and heat shrink tubing?


Both braided cable sleeves and heat shrink tubing help protect and insulate cables. However, there are some differences between each type of sleeve that makes them more suitable for specific applications:


  • Braided sleeving does not shrink . Instead, it is slid unto the cables and wires. Once it is on, it can also remain very flexible, making it the ideal applications for tight spaces, irregular shapes and bulkier objects.

  • Unlike heat shrink tubing, braided sleeves do not require any additional tools to apply it unto the wire. It also takes less effort than heat shrink tubing as it is designed to fit over the cable without any alterations, which may save you a great amount of time and money.

  • Although there are many different applications for each sleeve, it is often recommended to use both types within electrical applications. Many projects would use braided sleeving for the main routing, whilst using heat shrink tubing around the ends of the wire to ensure maximum protection and durability with the wire.

What industries use braided cable sleeves?


Braided cable sleeves are suited for many different applications and can be used in any project to help protect, insulate and organise cables. Some examples of industries that use cable braiding are:

  • Marine – as the marine industry requires cables to be submerged in water, braided sleeves become the ideal accessory to use as it has superior protection from any water or moisture damage.

  • Automotive – due to cables becoming exposed to engine fluid, braided cable sleeves are advantageous to use as they provide maximum protection against chemicals. It also provides additional protection from any abrasion damage, meaning they have become a very popular component in any vehicle electronic system.

  • Rail – cables that are positioned underneath the undercarriages of trains are exposed to a wide variety of stressors, including vibrations, extreme temperatures and weather elements, such as wind and rain. Therefore, braided sleeves are ideal as they enable moisture drainage, provide flexibility and protect against harsh environmental conditions.

  • Robotics – as robotics require precise motions, braided cables have become the ideal solution within cable management as they provide exceptional flexibility whist applying resistance to any conditions that may damage the complex products.

What are the benefits of braided cable sleeves?


There are many benefits that braided cable sleeves provide. Some of the most important ones are:


  • Flexibility – When you compare braided cable sleeves to other accessories, such as metal conduits, they offer exceptional flexibility. They can easily fit into irregular shapes, tight spaces and bulky objects, making it the ideal solution for a wide variety of different shapes and sizes of cables.

  • Moisture draining – The unique braid feature within this accessory means it can effectively drain out any moisture through the gaps of the sleeve. Without this, cables would be at risk of water damage as moisture would collect around the cable instead of slipping through the weave.

  • Heat transfer – Similar to moisture draining, the unique cable braid within this sleeve can assist with effective transference of heat from the cable into the environment. Heat that is collected around the cable is simply dissolved through the gaps in the sleeve, reducing the risk of electrical issues and fires.

  • Organisation – not only do braided cable sleeves provide protection and insulation, they also help organise your cable management system. They are able to bundle wires and cables into a compact sheath that will help assist with the organisation of cables. Additionally, they can also help companies identify cables through a colour coding system.


What other products should i use with braided cable sleeves?


  • Electrical tape – This is one of the most efficient, cost-effective ways to add additional protection to your braided cable sleeve. After you have inserted the cable, it is recommended you wrap the ends of the sleeve tightly with electrical tape. This method is one of the most economical and easy applications. However, it can become difficult to remove the tape and it is not suitable for reuse.

    Cable wraps– Again, this is a very quick and effective application to add protection to your braided cable sleeve. The Velcro wraps slide onto the end of the sleeve to provide extra security. They are easier to remove than electrical tape and are easy to reuse with multiple applications.


  • Heat shrink tubing – although this method is more time intensive, it also provides the most protection when used alongside braided cable sleeves. To secure heat shrink tubing, you must slide the length of plastic tubing down the cable and apply heat to it. This has become a very popular application within industries such as automotive as it provides maximum heat protection and weatherproofing.


Still unsure if braided cable sleeves are right for you?



Not to worry, you can read more about braided cable sleeves in our literature store.

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