Color & Material Options for Color-Change Wraps

Cast vinyl films are made through a casting process that involves pouring a liquid mixture of PVC material and other ingredients onto a moving matrix. This is heated to evaporate solvents, leaving behind a solid film that is thin, stretchy, and conformable. This is the most flexible and durable type of vinyl film. 

Lifespan can range from 2-5 years. Brands include 3M, Avery, Evolv, Hexis, KPMF, & Orafol.

Calendared vinyl is made by rolling and heat-pressing solid PVC material through rollers to flatten the film, similar to making pasta. This process, called “calendaring,” produces a thicker and less expensive film that is not as stretchy or conformable as cast vinyl. These films are trickier to install because they are not as flexible, and the amount of “factory stretch” in the film can lead to post-install peeling and other failures if not considered. 

These films may also fade or discolor more quickly than cast vinyl films and generally have a short lifespan of 6 months to 2 years.

Paint Protection Film (PPF) or clear bra is traditionally a transparent urethane film. It is thicker and more durable than any vinyl film and is known for providing the best surface protection. There are a handful of brands that have taken this technology and successfully injected color into this usually transparent film. 

Enter “Cosmetic PPF” - a color-change experience with added protection against rock chips, scratches, and other hazards. The brand we mention below (Flexishield) is one that applies like a thicker vinyl wrap, so a skilled vinyl wrap shop will be able to apply it. Traditional Cosmetic PPF applies similarly to clear PPF, which involves a separate set of techniques and skills that a PPF shop will have.