UV printing on PET and PETG

Clear boxes, retail displays, packaging, plastic film. What the printer and primer makers publish about PET and PETG: primer, white ink, flat or rotary, how long prints last and what goes wrong.

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Desktop UV: With prep
Primer: Helps
White ink: On dark or clear
Shape: Flat or curved

Plastics and rubber. Things people make: clear boxes, retail displays, packaging, plastic film. From the sources at the end, checked October 11, 2026; we haven't tested it ourselves.

What it needs

Desktop UV printers: With prep xTool rates PETG Very Good, but Mimaki says PET should be corona or plasma treated and may need a primer. [1] [2] [4]
Primer or adhesion promoter: Helps. Corona or plasma treatment, or primer in some cases (Mimaki). Mimaki IJ Primer PR-100 rates untreated PET Good with it, for its LF-140 and LH-100 inks. [2] [3]
White ink: On dark or clear. xTool: clear plastic is typically printed with a white ink base for an opaque result. [1]
Flat or curved: Flat or curved. eufyMake lists PET in its flatbed and rotary-attachment material tables. Flatbed height limit 60 mm; rotary takes round objects 45-100 mm wide. [5] [6]

How long it lasts

None of the sources gives dishwasher, outdoor or scratch figures for PET and PETG. Test a sample the way it will be used before you sell it.

What goes wrong

Mimaki's table rates untreated PET Bad and primed PET Good with its LF-140 and LH-100 inks.

[3]

Before you print

Mimaki says ink adhesion rises with PET that has highly adhesive processing, so buy treated film where possible.

[2]

Supplies

Look for an adhesion promoter sold for UV printing on PET and PETG, and read its data sheet for how long to let it dry: adhesion promoter (Amazon US), adhesion promoter (Amazon UK). Clean with isopropyl alcohol wipes first. Test one piece before a batch.

Every material in one table: what a UV printer can print on. Weighing up other machines? See UV against DTF, sublimation and a Cricut.

Has a maker published something different, or does your printer's manual disagree? Email hello@homeuvprinter.com and we'll check it against the source.

Sources

Checked October 11, 2026.