What is Acetate?

Frequently Asked Questions: Acetate

What are acetate film and acetate sheet? Many people use the term “acetate film” to generically refer to plastic film. However, acetate film is really a specific type of plastic material called cellulose acetate.

Made from wood-pulp and/or cotton fibers, cellulose acetate comes in two derivatives, Di-Acetate and Tri-Acetate. Grafix Plastics is one of the largest stocking converters of Cellulose Di-Acetate in North America. We also stock Tri-Acetate, but in a lesser variety or quantity than Di-Acetate.

Acetate film is produced by two mechanical methods – solvent casting or forced extrusion. Solvent-cast, or cast acetate, is the type of acetate we stock at Grafix Plastics, because of its superior clarity and surface quality.

Because acetate is made from wood-pulp, it has certain attributes that are sometimes desirable and sometimes something you want to avoid … depending on your application.

Attributes of Grafix’s Cellulose Acetate Film:

  • Glass-like clarity
  • Very uniform optical properties and low birefringence
  • Good dimensional stability
  • Easily torn (low tear strength)
  • Easily die-cut
  • Printable with conventional screen and offset printing methods
  • Melt point of about 225 degrees F./110 degrees C
  • Approved world wide for indirect and direct food and medical applications
  • Available in Clear and Matte
  • Many custom production options: Colors, Finishes, Dies, etc.
  • Available in wide range of thicknesses .001″ – .020″

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