Polypropylene: One of the Most Versatile Materials for Summer Printing
Summer is one of the busiest seasons for signs, displays, events, and promotions. From outdoor festivals and farmers markets to graduation parties, golf tournaments, retail sales, restaurants, and community events, businesses need graphics that look good, hold up well, and don't cost a fortune. That's where polypropylene really shines.
Polypropylene—often simply called polypro or PP—is one of the most versatile materials available for aqueous large-format printing. It's lightweight, durable, water-resistant, and available in several different constructions that make it useful for everything from indoor posters and retail displays to temporary outdoor signage.
What Is Polypropylene?
Polypropylene is a synthetic plastic material that can be manufactured as a flexible film or a more rigid sheet. Unlike traditional paper, it doesn't absorb moisture in the same way, making it a useful choice when a print needs additional durability. For large-format printing, coated polypropylene combines that durability with a printable surface capable of producing sharp text, vibrant colors, and detailed graphics.
Depending on the product, polypropylene can offer water resistance, tear resistance, dimensional stability, blockout properties, an adhesive backing, or different surface finishes. This allows the material to be used across a wide range of applications while selecting the construction that best fits the requirements of each job.
Why Polypropylene Is a Great Summer Media
Many summer graphics are temporary by nature. They may only be needed for a particular event, promotion, weekend, or season, but they still need to look professional and withstand transportation, installation, handling, humidity, and potentially some exposure to moisture.
Polypropylene fits these requirements well because it provides more resistance to moisture and handling than conventional paper while remaining lightweight and easy to transport, install, remove, and store. For graphics that are set up and taken down regularly or reused throughout the season, these characteristics can be especially useful.
Water-resistant polypropylene can also be used for certain short-term outdoor applications. The appropriate material and expected lifespan will depend on the specific product, installation, and environmental conditions, but polypropylene provides another option for producing temporary outdoor graphics on compatible aqueous large-format printers.
Choosing the Right Polypropylene
Not all polypropylene media is the same. Different coatings, finishes, adhesives, thicknesses, and constructions give each product different characteristics, so choosing the right material depends on how the finished graphic will be used.
Stay-Flat Polypropylene WR
Stay-Flat Polypropylene WR is a general-purpose polypropylene designed for applications that benefit from a lightweight, durable, water-resistant material. Its stay-flat construction helps minimize the curling that can occur with some synthetic films, making it well suited for posters, displays, temporary signs, and other graphics where flatness is important.
Its combination of durability, water resistance, and dimensional stability makes it a versatile option for both indoor applications and appropriate short-term outdoor uses.
Gloss Polypropylene HD
Gloss Polypropylene HD combines the durability of polypropylene with a gloss printable surface. The finish enhances color and image presentation, making it well suited for applications where a glossy appearance is preferred.
It provides an alternative to coated paper when a print requires the visual characteristics of a gloss surface along with the added moisture resistance and durability of polypropylene.
Blockout Polypropylene Removable
Blockout Polypropylene Removable combines an opaque polypropylene construction with a removable adhesive. The blockout layer helps prevent graphics, colors, or other visual elements on the surface underneath from showing through the new print.
The removable adhesive allows graphics to be installed temporarily and later removed, making the material useful for temporary promotions, seasonal graphics, event displays, and applications where an existing surface needs to be covered without installing a permanent graphic.
A Useful Media for Summer Printing
Polypropylene fills an important space between conventional paper and heavier or more permanent sign materials. It's lightweight and easy to handle while providing additional durability and resistance to moisture. With different finishes and constructions available, it can be used for a broad range of temporary signs, displays, promotions, and event graphics.
Those characteristics are useful throughout the year, but they become particularly relevant during summer when temporary events, outdoor activities, seasonal promotions, and short-term signage are at their peak.
Midwest Inkjet offers a wide selection of polypropylene media for aqueous and latex large-format printers. Call us today and we'll help you choose the best polypropylene for your next print job.
