Matt Effect Masterbatch 3235 Drives the Next Evolution of Matte TPU Films with Enhanced Surface and Soft-Touch Performance

TPU Films Enter a New Phase of Surface Engineering
The global thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) industry is experiencing sustained growth, driven by increasing demand for lightweight, flexible, and high-performance materials across automotive, medical, electronics, and packaging applications.
According to recent market analysis, the global TPU market is projected to grow from USD 2.5 billion in 2026 to USD 3.9 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 6.8%, reflecting strong expansion in advanced elastomer applications.
Similarly, the TPU films segment is also expected to expand steadily, reaching USD 716.8 million by 2033, driven by automotive and protective film applications. (Source from Grand View Research Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) Market 2026 - 2033)
In this context, surface quality—especially matte appearance and tactile performance—has become a key differentiator in TPU product design.
Industry trends indicate that TPU is no longer used solely for its mechanical performance but is increasingly evolving toward a deeper integration of aesthetics and functionality. Recent industry discussions point to several clear directions, including growing demand for matte TPU surfaces in consumer products, rising preference for soft-touch and skin-like material experiences, increased interest in TPU films with reduced gloss and more consistent surface texture, and the expanding adoption of TPU in wearables and protective films driven by durability and flexibility requirements (Source: Reddit A Fresh Wave of TPU Colors — More Ways to Design, More Ways to Flex).
At the same time, feedback from manufacturing communities highlights persistent limitations in standard TPU materials, such as overly glossy surfaces, inconsistent tactile performance, and difficulty achieving true matte finishes without the use of functional additives (Source: Reddit Matte TPU recommendations). These challenges are accelerating the demand for dedicated surface modification solutions that can simultaneously balance appearance, touch perception, and processing stability.

In response to these evolving market dynamics, material innovation is increasingly shifting toward surface engineering technologies that can be directly integrated into existing TPU processing systems. Rather than relying solely on base resin modifications, manufacturers are now seeking functional additives capable of delivering both aesthetic enhancement and stable processing performance. This transition is accelerating the development of specialized solutions designed to address the growing complexity of TPU application requirements across multiple industries.

What is Matt Effect Masterbatch 3235?

Matt Effect Masterbatch 3235 is a polyether TPU-based functional additive designed for TPU surface modification, developed to enhance both aesthetic and tactile properties in TPU films and molded products.

It enables manufacturers to achieve a matte surface finish without compromising mechanical performance or processing stability.

Key features include:

  • Polyether TPU carrier system
  • Direct melt blending compatibility
  • No granulation required
  • Long-term stable performance without precipitation

Technical Advantages of 3235 in TPU Processing

Si-TPV 2335-65A Matt Effect Masterbatch
1. Stable Matte Surface Performance
2. Soft-Touch and Skin-Like Experience
3. Improved Wear and Scratch Resistance
4. Processing Stability for Industrial Production
5. Efficient Manufacturing Integration

3235 enables uniform matte appearance by modifying surface light scattering behavior in TPU films and molded parts.

This addresses a common industry challenge where TPU surfaces tend to appear overly glossy under standard processing conditions.

 
 
 
 

The Test Data & Performance Comparison of Matt Effect Masterbatch 3235 demonstrates its effectiveness in optimizing the optical and surface properties of TPU films under standardized processing conditions. In the evaluation, 10% of 3235 was uniformly blended with polyester TPU and then directly cast into a 10-micron film, after which key parameters such as haze, light transmittance, and surface gloss were measured and compared against a conventional matte TPU reference material. The results indicate that 3235 enables a more controlled light-scattering behavior within the TPU matrix, contributing to a stable matte appearance while maintaining balanced transparency and overall optical consistency. At the same time, the material preserves smooth processing behavior during melt blending and film extrusion, ensuring that surface enhancement can be achieved without compromising production stability or requiring additional post-treatment steps.

Matt Effect Masterbatch 3235 – Advanced TPU Matte Surface Solution
A high-end visual showcasing advanced TPU film and material applications, highlighting matte surface aesthetics, soft-touch performance, and industrial polymer innovation for automotive, wearable, and protective film applications.

The expansion of TPU films in automotive interiors, protective films, and wearable devices is accelerating globally. According to industry forecasts from Grand View Research (Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) Market 2026–2033), the automotive sector remains the largest application segment, accounting for over 25% of global TPU film demand, driven by lightweight design trends and the increasing need for scratch-resistant, durable surfaces. At the same time, TPU films are gaining wider adoption in EV interior components, protective coatings, flexible electronics, and medical-grade film applications, where both surface aesthetics and tactile performance are becoming increasingly critical design parameters.

However, community and industry feedback—including discussions among TPU users and manufacturers on Reddit (A true matte finish TPU or TPE?)—highlights persistent challenges such as difficulty achieving true matte surfaces, overly glossy finishes in standard TPU grades, and trade-offs between softness, mechanical strength, and processing stability in thin-film applications. Against this backdrop, Matt Effect Masterbatch 3235 offers a balanced solution that integrates enhanced surface aesthetics, soft-touch performance, and stable processing behavior. As TPU continues to evolve from a purely functional polymer into a design-driven engineering material, manufacturers are under increasing pressure to simultaneously optimize mechanical performance, visual appearance, tactile experience, and production efficiency. In this context, 3235 provides a scalable and practical pathway to achieve these requirements without modifying the base TPU formulation.

A Step Forward in TPU Surface Engineering

Matt Effect Masterbatch 3235 represents a new generation of TPU modification technology, aligned with the global shift toward high-performance, visually refined, and consumer-oriented flexible materials.

Supported by strong TPU market growth and increasing demand for matte, soft-touch surfaces, it offers manufacturers a practical and scalable solution for next-generation TPU applications.

Contact

SILIKE Silicone Materials Team
Website: https://www.si-tpv.com/
Email: sale@levvymetal.com
Inquiry: Available via official website contact form

Powder Coat Booths

For those larger-sized parts, or smaller quantity runs, we have 2 independent powder coat booths and ovens. The quality, durability and affordability of today’s powder coating finishes make this the process of choice for world-class companies.

Powder coating advantages over other forms of coating are many. Materials used in the Powder coating process can be metals and non-metals that come in a multitude of thicknesses, textures, colors, etc. Another of Powder coating’s biggest advantages over conventional coatings is its ability to create finishes in many different textures. Powder Coating Booths allow us the ability to apply these advantages to large products.

Wet Paint Line

Tri-State Fabricators runs a full-service conveyor line for painting. Wet painting can provide protection or decoration to many different part styles. From start to finish, every project is easier to undergo random and point-based inspection by our skilled painting team.

Advantages to our Wet Paint Line are these lines start with product prep and ends with a thorough inspection of a high quality finished product. Our ability to complete large and small projects with a superior finish and doing so in a timely and economical fashion. This passes along the savings in production to our customers. When powder coating ins not an option, our Wet Paint Line gets the job done right the first time.

Wet Paint Booths

When the parts get big and heavy we roll-out our custom paint racks and oversize booth. By utilizing our partnerships with all the major paint brands, we can match virtually any color with wet paint.

The advantages of having access to a Wet Paint Booth are many. Large projects of many different shapes can be loaded into the booth. The Wet Paint Booth offers an environment that is much more controlled than a typical parts painting operation.

Not only are they used because of their controlled environment, but they’re are also advantageous when it comes to applying paint to parts that are needed in industries that require specialty coatings such as medical, aerospace, etc.

Military CARC

Our military forces have some very high standards when it comes to the finish of their vehicles and equipment. From the first pre-treatment step to final coat, it takes a great deal of knowledge and experience to protect the men and women of our armed forces. They deserve only the best, and Tri-State Fabricators provides it.

All of our processes are closely monitored by our staff and management teams. Both of which are highly trained in the processes of metal fabrication and finishing. Tri-State Fabricators’ goal is to always fully satisfy each and every customer, including the military. We will always put a 110% into what we do.

Glass-Bead Blasting

Abrasive media blasting is an excellent way to remove old paint, rust, and increase the paint/powder adhesion. Glass beads produce a much smoother and brighter finish than angular abrasives; leaving the part clean yet without any dimensional change. Chemically inert and environmentally friendly, we can recycle our beads approximately 30 times; making them a more preferred method of metal cleaning or surface finishing.

Advantages to Glass Bead Blasting are many. Glass bead blast media is used when a project is needing rough surfaces need to become smooth for applications of coatings such as paint. It is typically used to clean paint and rust from a product surface without deforming the surface it is being used on. Overall, compared to many other blasting media, Glass Bead Blasting is a very economical choice and those savings are always passed on to our customers.

Part Washing

Tri-State Fabricators utilize a zinc phosphate wash to clean and etch the material to ensure the best paint adhesion possible. The unique design of our 3-stage wash system does the work like a 5-stage. From Cleaning and rinsing to conversion coating and post-treatment, Our Part Washing process is a complete service and works throughout the fabrication service and the finishing service.

Along with the previously mentioned benefits, Curing is a vital chemical reaction that leaves the product finish hard and relatively safe from mild abrasion and aggressive corrosion. This process can be done in more than one way; ambient air-dry or in curing ovens at temps that exceed 240°.

Burn-Off Oven

From fixing paint mistakes (someone else’s of course) to simply cleaning our paint line hooks, our burn-off oven is put to good use. After a quick burn-off, a little clean up, and a fresh coat of paint, your parts will look better than new.

Why does our Burn-Off Oven work so well? Because super heating the air around parts turns the materials into ashes. From paint and powder coatings to rubber and machining oils, high temps do the job without degrading the integrity of the part.

Masking

Masking is a vital part of producing high quality products. We have die-cut masking patterns to protect machined surfaces as well as a wide range of plugs and caps to protect threaded holes and bolts. We provide permanent and temporary masking.

Masking allows the selected sections of a product to be protected from a fabrication or finishing service. This can be with both chemicals when etching and tapes, paints when only finishing just a section of the product. Masking is great in aiding the customization process of a project.

Screen Printing

Screen printing is a photographic process that transfers artwork onto a porous nylon screen which allows colored ink to flow through the screen and be deposited on an aluminum or plastic component. We can generally have just about any design created onto a screen for your parts.

Some of the advantages of Screen Printing are, brand recognition for your business displaying on your products, assembly instructions, product warnings/hazards, etc. Tri-State Fabricators produces Screen Printing of the highest quality so you know it’s durable.

Metal Finishing

Metal Finishing is the art of treating the exterior portion of product, often metal but can also be made of other materials, so that the surface is clean and free of any debris. Then the process of applying coats or either paint of powder coat takes place. This coating process improves the quality of the product in both appearance and resistance to wear and corrosion.

Tri-State Fabricators, Inc., understands that a project typically isn’t complete until a high-quality finish has been added to your product. This is why our painting and powder coating teams continuously inspect the products throughout the Metal Finishing process.