Polyethylene is used by us most often as a flexible sheet for banners. It has excellent weatherability, can be sewn or sealed, and sheets easily. Polypropylene is used widely in the printing industry. As a single polymer, polypropylene is used to make Coroplast brand corrugated plastic. As a co-polymer, it is used to make synthetic paper under many trade names, Kimdura as an example.
Primary advantages are durability, high impact strength and light weight.
It does generally have a low surface energy as a single polymer, and must be corona treated prior to printing. Polyolefin is the name given to a blend of olefin plastics. The most common of these plastics are polyethylene, polypropylene and polybutylene. In graphics products, the best example is Tyvek brand synthetic paper, which is a spunbound Polyolefin. Vinyl ranges from a rigid vinyl, used to make credit cards, to pressure sensitive decals stocks, and static cling vinyl.