Printed clear PPF is paint protection film with custom artwork printed directly on it, so one install gives a car both graphics and protection. EMWRAPS installed this kind of film on a white pearl Toyota GR Supra at our Seattle shop in SODO, using UNITY USA printable PPF with a clear base so the factory paint shows through the art.
- Vehicle: Toyota GR Supra, white pearl
- Service: Printed clear PPF (printable paint protection film)
- Film: UNITY USA printable PPF, clear base
- Artwork: Cherry blossoms, rising sun, seigaiha waves, the kanji for sakura, charcoal fade at the rear
- Design: Style Up Studio
- Shop: EMWRAPS, Seattle (SODO)
In short
- Printed PPF is artwork printed on self-healing UNITY USA TPU film.
- The base can be clear (paint shows through) or white (the print sits on a white backing).
- The top layer can be gloss or Stealth, UNITY USA's satin-matte finish.
- Graphics and protection go on in one install, with no raised edges.
- The film carries a 10-year film warranty.
What is printed clear PPF?
Printed clear PPF is clear paint protection film that has been printed with a design before it is installed. It is not a vinyl wrap and not a sticker on top of film. The artwork is part of the protective film itself.
Regular PPF is a clear, self-healing urethane film, about 8 mil thick, that stops rock chips, scratches, bug acid and UV. Light scratches in its top coat heal with heat, and it can be removed without harming factory paint. Printable PPF keeps all of that and adds one thing: custom graphics. On the Sakura GR Supra, the printed areas and the clear areas are the same film, so the whole car gets protection, and the art appears only where it was designed to.
How is printed PPF different from a printed vinyl wrap?
A printed vinyl wrap changes how a car looks. Printed PPF changes how it looks and protects the paint at the same time.
Printed vinyl is the usual material for itasha and anime wraps, and it works well. But vinyl is not self-healing PPF. If you want graphics and real paint protection with vinyl, you need two layers: the vinyl graphic and PPF over it, or PPF and a graphic on top. Each layer adds edges and another install. Printed PPF does both jobs in one film, in one install, with no raised edges where a graphic would normally sit on the surface.
There is also a look difference. On a clear-base print, anything that isn't printed is simply clear film over paint. That lets a builder use the car's own color as part of the design, which is what happened on this Supra.
Clear base or white base: which should you choose?
Choose a clear base when you want the paint to be part of the design. Choose a white base when you want the artwork to look the same no matter what color is underneath.
On a clear base, unprinted areas stay transparent and the factory paint shows through. That works best when the paint color fits the art, like the white pearl behind the cherry blossoms here. On a white base, the print sits on an opaque white backing, so the colors in the artwork don't depend on the paint below. A white base suits full-coverage designs or cars whose paint color would fight the art.
Gloss or Stealth top layer?
Gloss keeps a shiny finish like factory paint. Stealth gives the printed film a satin-matte finish. Both are top layers on the same UNITY USA printable film, so the protection is the same and only the look changes. If you are weighing satin against shiny for any PPF, our matte and stealth PPF page covers the trade-offs.
What went into the Sakura GR Supra design?
The Sakura GR Supra is built around Japanese cherry blossom themes, printed on clear-base printable PPF over white pearl paint. Style Up Studio did the design.
The front quarter and doors carry cherry blossoms and a rising sun. A printed stripe with a rising sun runs over the hood. The roof has a seigaiha wave pattern and the kanji for sakura. At the rear, the white pearl paint fades into printed charcoal with cherry blossom line art and branches across it. Because the base is clear, the pearl paint is part of every part of the design that isn't printed.
The Sakura GR Supra is also the debut build on our printed PPF page, where you can see more of it.
How is printed PPF installed?
Printed PPF goes on like regular PPF, panel by panel, but the artwork has to line up across panels. That means the design is laid out to the car before printing, and the installer places each piece so the art flows across seams, doors and body lines.
We filmed the process: our Instagram has a reel on how to install a printed transparent PPF. The finished film has no raised edges, which is one of the main reasons to pick printed PPF over layering a graphic with film.
What does printed PPF cost?
Printed PPF is quoted per design and vehicle. As a guide, printed PPF runs about 50% more than printed vinyl. A printed PPF hood is $800 to $1,200, compared with $580 to $720 for a printed vinyl hood.
Larger coverage, like half body or full body, is priced by the design and the size of the car. For reference, printed vinyl full body runs $4,000 to $8,000+, and printed PPF sits above that. The final price depends on the vehicle (size, shape, paint condition) and the artwork, and every job comes with a quote.
How do you care for printed PPF?
Care is the same as for any PPF. Wait 48 hours before the first wash. After that, hand wash with a pH-neutral shampoo. Ceramic coating over the film adds gloss, makes washing easier and adds UV protection; ceramic on top of PPF is the setup we recommend. See our ceramic coating page for how that works.
Frequently asked questions
Is printed clear PPF the same as a vinyl wrap?
No. Printed clear PPF is self-healing paint protection film with artwork printed on it, while a vinyl wrap is a color or graphic film without the same protection. Printed PPF stops rock chips, scratches, bug acid and UV, and light scratches heal with heat. A vinyl wrap changes the look, but adding real protection to it takes a separate PPF layer.
Does printed PPF protect paint as well as regular clear PPF?
Printed PPF from UNITY USA is the same kind of self-healing TPU film as regular PPF, with the artwork printed on it. It protects against rock chips, scratches, bug acid and UV like other PPF, and it carries a 10-year film warranty. It can be removed without harming factory paint when it is taken off properly.
Can printed PPF have a matte finish?
Yes. UNITY USA printable PPF is available with a gloss top layer or a Stealth top layer. Stealth is UNITY USA's satin-matte finish, so printed PPF can look satin instead of shiny. The finish choice doesn't change the protection, only how the printed artwork and the paint underneath look in the light.
How much does printed PPF cost in Seattle?
At EMWRAPS in Seattle, printed PPF runs about 50% more than printed vinyl. A printed PPF hood is $800 to $1,200 depending on hood size. Half body and full body printed PPF are quoted per design and vehicle. The final price depends on the car's size, shape and paint condition, plus the complexity of the artwork.
Who designs the artwork for printed PPF?
You can bring your own design or work with a designer. Style Up Studio designed the Sakura GR Supra. EMWRAPS also designs, prints and installs character and anime work in-house, so a printed PPF project can start from an idea, a reference image or finished artwork ready to print.
See the Sakura GR Supra on our Instagram.
Start your printed PPF design
If you want custom graphics and paint protection in one film, tell us about your car and your idea. Send it through the quote form and we reply within 24 hours, or call (206) 383-5328. For more anime-style builds, read our itasha wrap guide.
