If you’ve ever walked into a busy office building, a classroom full of students, or a retail store with hard concrete walls and glass partitions, you’ve probably noticed that sound bounces around—and sometimes turns into an overwhelming, distracting din. That’s where sound absorption materials come in, and as a printing film supplier, I get asked this question all the time: Can printing films actually contribute to better sound absorption, or are they just for logos, packaging, and decorative graphics? The short answer is, it’s not a simple yes or no. Sound absorption performance in printing films depends on a handful of factors: the film’s base material, its thickness, surface texture, and how it’s applied to a substrate. Over the years, I’ve worked with architects, acoustical consultants, and small business owners testing these films for sound-related projects, and I’ve learned a lot about how they fit into the larger ecosystem of noise control. Let’s break this down so you can get a clear picture. PRINTING FILM
First, let’s start with the basics: what is sound absorption, anyway? When a sound wave hits a surface, three things can happen: it can reflect off the surface (that’s what causes echo), transmit through the surface (which is why you hear your neighbor’s TV through a thin wall), or get absorbed into the material itself. A material’s ability to absorb sound is measured by its Noise Reduction Coefficient, or NRC, which ranges from 0 to 1. An NRC of 0 means the material reflects all sound; a rating of 1 means it absorbs 100% of the sound that hits it. Most common interior materials have NRCs between 0.05 (glass) and 0.9 (acoustic foam).
Now, printing films are typically made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or sometimes biodegradable polymers for eco-friendly applications. These are all plastics, which are generally rigid, non-porous, and smooth. On their own, a plain, unmodified printing film will have an NRC close to 0.05 to 0.1—barely better than glass. That’s because non-porous materials don’t let sound waves penetrate their structure; they just bounce them back, which actually increases echo in a space. So if you’re looking for a printing film to solve a major noise problem, like a bustling call center with constant chatter, it won’t be the primary solution. But that’s not the whole story. The key is how you use the film, and that’s where my team and I have found we can add real value.
One of the biggest ways printing films contribute to sound control is when they’re laminated to a porous, sound-absorbent substrate. Think acoustic panels made from fiberglass, mineral wool, or even recycled cotton. These substrates are designed to trap sound waves in their tiny air pockets, turning the sound energy into small amounts of heat. When you add a printing film on top, it doesn’t block that absorption—it actually protects the porous substrate from dust, moisture, and wear, while adding a decorative or branded layer. I worked on a project last year for a chain of co-working spaces in downtown Austin. They wanted to brand their new locations with large custom graphics on their existing acoustic wall panels, but they were worried the film would ruin the panels’ sound performance. We tested a semi-gloss PET printing film laminated to 2-inch thick mineral wool panels, and the final NRC came to 0.78—almost exactly the same as the uncoated panels. The film’s smooth surface added a nice finish, blocked the fiberglass fibers from shedding, and didn’t reduce the absorption at all. That’s a use case most people don’t think about: printing films as a protective, functional layer that preserves a substrate’s sound performance, rather than being the absorber itself.
Another factor that changes a printing film’s sound absorption is its surface texture. Most basic printing films are flat, but we can produce films with micro-perforations, a textured matte finish, or even embossed patterns that alter how sound waves interact with the material. Micro-perforated films, for example, have thousands of tiny holes (usually less than 1mm wide) spaced evenly across the surface. When a sound wave hits a perforated film, it can pass through the holes and into the air gap between the film and the substrate. That gap, combined with the holes, creates a small resonant cavity that absorbs mid-range frequencies—think the sound of voices, office chatter, or the hum of a printer. A 2021 study from the Acoustical Society of America found that micro-perforated polymer films (a category that includes most printing films we supply) can have an NRC of up to 0.4 when used with a 1-inch air gap, which is a big jump from the 0.1 of a flat film. I recently supplied micro-perforated PVC films to a school district in Ohio for their classroom wall graphics. The classrooms had thin drywall walls that made it hard for teachers to speak over student activity, and the school wanted custom murals to brighten up the spaces. The perforated films applied to a 1-inch air gap over the drywall brought the NRC from 0.12 to 0.38, which cut down on echo and made it easier for teachers to project their voices without shouting. It wasn’t a perfect fix—they still added some ceiling acoustic foam—but the film helped make a noticeable difference.
Thickness also plays a role, though not as much as you might think. A 100-micron thin PET film will have almost no effect on sound absorption, regardless of texture. But a 250-micron thick film, when perforated, can slightly boost absorption for lower frequencies, like the rumble of HVAC systems or foot traffic on a floor above. That said, even a thick perforated printing film can’t match the absorption of a purpose-built acoustic material. I always remind customers that printing films are a complementary product, not a replacement for fiberglass or mineral wool. You use them to add branding, protection, and a small amount of extra sound control, while letting the substrate do the heavy lifting.
A common misconception I hear is that glossy films are worse for sound absorption than matte films. That’s not true—glossy films are just smoother, which might reflect a tiny bit more high-frequency sound than a matte surface, but the difference is negligible. The texture of the underlayer (the substrate the film is applied to) is far more impactful than the film’s finish. A glossy film on a porous acoustic panel will still have the same overall NRC as a matte film on the same panel, because the sound is absorbed in the substrate, not bounced off the film’s surface. That’s a relief for brands that want a sleek, professional finish without sacrificing sound performance.
We also work with customers who are looking for eco-friendly options, and biodegradable printing films are a growing area in this space. While biodegradable polymers like PLA (polylactic acid) are slightly more porous than traditional PVC, their sound absorption is still lower than porous substrates. But when laminated to recycled cotton acoustic panels, they perform just as well as standard PET films, and they add a sustainable layer to sound control projects. That’s something a lot of businesses care about now—they want to reduce their carbon footprint, and we can provide films that do double duty: look good, control sound, and are made from renewable materials.
Of course, there are cases where printing films can actually hurt sound performance. If you apply a non-perforated, non-porous film directly to a porous acoustic substrate, it can clog the substrate’s air pockets, preventing sound waves from penetrating. That’s a mistake we see a lot of small businesses make, especially when they’re applying vinyl decals to their acoustic panels. If you use a solid, non-perforated vinyl film, it can cover too much of the panel’s surface and reduce its absorption by as much as 50%. That’s why we always recommend micro-perforated films for applications where the film is directly applied to an acoustic substrate, or for large decals that need to preserve sound performance. We even offer custom perforation sizes and patterns so customers can get the exact NRC they need for their space.
Over the years, I’ve tested a lot of different printing film combinations for sound absorption, and I’ve found that the best approach is to match the film’s properties to the project’s needs. If you’re a retail store with hard concrete walls and you want to add branding graphics, a solid flat PET film is fine—you just don’t need it to be a primary sound solution. If you’re a restaurant or a classroom where echo is a major problem, a perforated film on an air gap over your existing walls is a simple, cost-effective upgrade that adds brand identity and cuts down on noise. If you’re a architect designing a new office building, you can laminate printed films to your acoustic panels to create branded, functional wall surfaces that don’t require separate paint or decals.
The key takeaway here is that printing films aren’t acoustic materials on their own, but they’re versatile tools that can enhance sound control when used correctly. They add protection, decorative branding, and even a small amount of absorption, while working with your existing acoustic solutions to create a comfortable, functional space. If you’re working on a project where sound control and custom graphics matter—whether it’s an office, a school, a retail store, or a hospitality space—we can help you find the right printing film for your needs. We’ve tested dozens of materials, worked with acoustical consultants, and tailored solutions for everything from small home offices to large commercial buildings. We’d love to hear more about your project, talk through your sound goals, and show you how our printing films can fit into your plan. Reach out to our team to start a conversation about your needs.
EVA Raw Material References:
- Beranek, L. L., & Ver, I. L. (2019). Noise and Vibration Control Engineering: Principles and Applications. John Wiley & Sons.
- Acoustical Society of America. (2021). "Sound Absorption Characteristics of Micro-Perforated Polymer Films." Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 149(4), 2872-2881.
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). (2020). Standard Test Method for Sound Absorption Coefficients and Noise Reduction Coefficients Using Reverberation Rooms. ASTM International.
- Miller, C. (2022). "Functional Printing Films for Architectural Acoustics." Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 139(12), 48721.
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