What Is Matte Polypropylene?

Are you trying to figure out what matte polypropylene is, and whether it is the right material for the banner in front of you? Here at Digital Media Warehouse, we believe in finding the best fit and the best price. Matte polypropylene is a coated plastic film for indoor signs, posters, and short-run banners. It prints with a flat, non-glare face, and a good roll stays flat on the table instead of curling up while you finish the job.

If you already know you need it and just want the roll, jump to the options below. If you are still sorting media, this is the short version.

Questions about which roll fits your printer? Call us at 1 (800) 576-8182.

What matte polypropylene is used for

Shops run matte polypropylene when the graphic needs to look clean up close and survive a little handling.

• Indoor banners and hanging displays
• POP signs and custom posters
• Short-term trade show graphics, once you add a blockout layer
• Stick-on posters, when you pick an adhesive version

A satin banner is the fabric you want when the piece has to drape, like a theater drop or a gallery wrap. Backlit film is the film you want inside a lightbox. Matte polypropylene is the flat, non-glare film in between those two.

Stay-flat matte polypropylene

Stay-flat poly has a coating that pulls the sheet flat on both sides. That is the roll for posters and hanging banners that should not curl after they come off the printer.

The 10 mil professional matte stay-flat poly is the heavier option. The back coating forces the media to lay flat, and the face is tear-resistant and water-resistant, with a porous top coat that can take a heavy ink load. It comes 24 inches wide by 100 feet on a 3-inch core.

The 8 mil matte stay-flat poly is the everyday indoor roll, in a wider 44-inch width. The coating helps it stay flat and resist tears, and it is water resistant enough for a temporary outdoor poster. It runs on most aqueous, latex, and UV printers, and it is a solid choice for POP displays, indoor banners, hanging banner displays, and custom posters.

Blockout matte polypropylene

Hang a print in front of a window, or in front of another graphic, and light will wash the image out unless the film blocks it. 8 mil hybrid matte blockout polypropylene has that blockout layer. The matte face takes a heavy ink load and dries quickly. It is built for short-term trade show displays and posters. Aqueous ink works. Latex and UV ink work even better. The 36-inch by 100-foot roll is on a 3-inch core.

Adhesive matte polypropylene

When the poster has to stick and stay there, use 8 mil permanent adhesive matte polypropylene. It is for permanent posters and signage, it is cold-lamination only, and it runs on most aqueous and latex printers. This roll is 36 inches by 75 feet on a 2-inch core.

How to pick the roll

• Poster or hanging banner that has to lay flat: stay-flat poly, 8 mil or 10 mil
• Trade show graphic with light behind it: blockout poly
• Poster that mounts and stays mounted: permanent adhesive poly

Match the width to the printer before you match the finish. These rolls sit with the rest of our wide format media.

If you are staring at three widths and still not sure, call Digital Media Warehouse at 1 (800) 576-8182. We will match the media to the machine.