Home UV Printer

UV printing on TPU (soft phone cases, flexible parts)

Soft phone cases, flexible covers. What the printer and primer makers publish about TPU (soft phone cases, flexible parts): primer, white ink, flat or rotary, how long prints last and what goes wrong.

Updated · This page has affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. How we make money

Desktop UV
Limited
Primer
Needed
White ink
Not stated
Shape
Not stated

Plastics and rubber. Things people make: soft phone cases, flexible covers. From the sources at the end, checked October 11, 2026; we haven't tested it ourselves.

What it needs

Desktop UV printers
Limited eufyMake lists TPU as a printable plastic but its blog says soft TPU cases are not suitable, and xTool says soft TPU needs a dedicated primer and soft ink. [1] [2]
Primer or adhesion promoter
Needed. xTool says soft TPU/TPE requires a dedicated primer for that material; it names no product. [3]
White ink
Not stated
Flat or curved
Not stated

How long it lasts

None of the sources gives dishwasher, outdoor or scratch figures for TPU (soft phone cases, flexible parts). Test a sample the way it will be used before you sell it.

What goes wrong

  • Soft TPU does not bond well with UV ink (eufyMake).
  • Highly flexible cases can make hard UV ink crack (eufyMake); Procolored says the same for hard ink on soft materials.
  • Some TPU cases warp under heat during prep (eufyMake).
[1] [5] [6]

Before you print

  • Use soft (flexible) UV ink for TPU (xTool); eufyMake sells a flexible white ink for flexible cases.
  • Rigid hard plastic cases are the most reliable choice for UV printing (eufyMake).
[1] [4] [5]

Supplies

Look for an adhesion promoter sold for UV printing on TPU (soft phone cases, flexible parts), 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

  1. eufyMake: How to Start a Phone Case Business
  2. eufyMake Support: Standard / Mini Flatbed Printing Substrate Compatibility & Precautions
  3. xTool Support: xTool O1 UV Printing Guide: Using Primer and Improving Scratch Resistance
  4. xTool Academy: guide to UV ink types
  5. eufyMake: How to Print a Photo on a Phone Case
  6. Procolored: UV printing basics (hard and soft ink)

Checked October 11, 2026.