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WOW EFFECT FOR SPECIAL FILMS

Every day, Irina Golub drives through Brandenburg to ORAFOL’s headquarters. Grey, white, and occasionally red or blue cars pass by. And then: a distinct sparkle in the morning sun. Irina immediately recognises it: an ORACAL® 970RA film in the Sparkling Citrus Fury finish. “Wow, that looked amazing and I was proud to see something I helped develop out in the real world,” she says. Irina Golub is an R&D Scientist in the Graphic Solutions division at ORAFOL, where film formulations are developed for the ORACAL® 970RA series that are used to enhance and brand vehicles of all kinds.

AT FESPA 2025, THREE NEW MATTE-EFFECT COLOURS WERE LAUNCHED: SPARKLING CITRUS FURY, SPARKLING RIVIERA RUSH AND SPARKLING TURBO TURQUOISE.

New colour trends and the science behind cast films

New colours and effects are introduced every year. In 2024, ORAFOL released eight new metallic films in glossy finishes, including Sparkling Citrus Fury. Christian Wigbers, R&D Manager Cast and Irina Golub’s colleague, adds: “This year, at FESPA in May 2025, we presented our new colours in a matte finish.”

Developing multilayer cast films like ORACAL® 970RA is a highly technological process. Each layer has its own formula and must be precisely coordinated with the others to ensure durability, visual impact and excellent handling characteristics. In addition to the base formulation, pigment selection plays a critical role.

Car wrapping films – materials, effects, applications

Pigment

Pigment

Pigment is the base material that gives the film its colour. ORAFOL sources pigments from various suppliers and processes them into pastes to ensure a consistent colour tone and to facilitate integration into the formulation. A colour tone (or “colour location”) refers to the precise position of a colour within a defined colour space, usually described as a point with exact coordinates, representing a measurable colour nuance.

Effect Pigment

Effect Pigment

Some visual effects, such as sparkle, cannot be achieved with standard pigments. Effect pigments are used instead; these generate optical effects through their structure and the way they reflect and refract light. For example, silver sparkle is typically created using aluminium flakes, while red sparkle can result from aluminium flakes coated with iron oxide.

Base Formulation

Base Formulation

The base formulation, known as an organosol, is composed of finely dispersed PVC particles, plasticisers, and solvents. The exact recipe varies depending on the desired film characteristics. Additives can be included to enhance durability, flexibility or UV resistance. The organosol is coloured before it is processed further.

Film

Film

The coloured organosol is cast onto a carrier material. When heat is applied, the gelation process begins, the solvents evaporate, and a flexible plastic film remains.

Effect Films

Effect Films

ORAFOL offers a wide range of films with visual effects, such as metallic (sparkle) or chameleon (colour-shifting depending on viewing angle). These films are often cast in multiple layers to achieve the desired depth and optical performance.

Car Wrapping

Car Wrapping

ORACAL® 970RA films are designed for full vehicle wrapping. Thanks to the special manufacturing process, effect pigments can be evenly distributed throughout the film, often more precisely and efficiently than in sprayed coatings. Fewer effect pigments are needed compared to paint, and the film can be removed cleanly at any time.

IRINA GOLUB AND CHRISTIAN WIGBERS EVALUATING A NEW COLOR SAMPLE IN THE LABORATORY.

From Pigment to Film

Before anything reaches production scale, the pigments are worked into the base formulation in the lab. ORAFOL sources raw pigments from specialised suppliers. To test their suitability for a new film, Irina Golub and her colleagues incorporate them into an organosol. The pigments are first processed into a fine paste and milled. Effect pigments are typically stirred directly into the formulation.

From the coloured organosol, ORAFOL’s R&D team produces A4-sized film samples for detailed evaluation. How does the colour behave? Does it match the intended appearance? Are the pigments distributed correctly? This is especially important for effect films. In chameleon films, for example, pigment flakes must be precisely aligned horizontally to create a uniform and dynamic colour shift – a significant technical challenge.

ORAFOL ALSO OPERATES AN OUTDOOR WEATHERING STATION IN WUSTROW, ON THE BALTIC SEA.

The Endurance Test

Once the sample meets visual expectations, it must pass a rigorous endurance test. After all, the final product will need to withstand years of exposure on vehicles under varying weather conditions. To ensure ORAFOL quality, the sample undergoes weathering, exposed for several months to sunlight, moisture and temperature changes. Importantly, ORAFOL does not rely solely on lab simulations: the company operates its own outdoor weathering stations, such as in Wustrow on the Baltic Sea. Only pigments that perform under real-world conditions are approved for further development. This early-stage validation is one advantage of the close relationship between ORAFOL’s R&D teams and pigment suppliers. As Christian Wigbers explains: “Our suppliers know that we conduct stringent testing and are open to experimenting with new colours and effects. That mutual trust has grown over many years.”

CREATING A FILM SAMPLE. WHAT WORKS IN THE LAB MUST BE OPTIMISED FOR PRODUCTION.

From Lab Sample to Series Production

Before a new film enters series production, sales and marketing teams are consulted. Not every new development becomes a commercial product – it must appeal to customers and fit the ORAFOL portfolio.

Once approved, the recipe is scaled up for production. This “upscaling” step, moving from lab to industrial manufacturing, is critical. As Irina Golub explains: “What works in the lab often needs adjustment in production. That’s why we work closely with quality assurance throughout the process.”
Only when every team from R&D to QA gives the green light, is the film declared ready for market.

THE NAME OF A NEW COLOUR IS CREATED COLLABORATIVELY – ACROSS TEAMS AND CONTINENTS.

Films with a Wow Effect

For the ORACAL® 970RA Premium Wrapping Cast series, ORAFOL launched three new matte-effect colours this year: Sparkling Citrus Fury, Sparkling Riviera Rush and Sparkling Turbo Turquoise.

And the names? “That’s a team effort,” says Irina Golub. Christian Wigbers adds: “We often meet over breakfast, place the film sample in the middle of the table and brainstorm ideas. Our colleagues from ORAFOL Americas are also part of the process. That’s how we create names that resonate internationally.”

Irina Golub is likely to spot many more ORACAL® 970RA films outside of work and perhaps, next time you see a car sparkle in the sun, you’ll recognise the technology behind the effect.

 

 

“To achieve a consistent sparkle effect, the pigment flakes need to lie evenly and horizontally throughout the film – that’s a technical challenge.”

Read more in the ORAFOL magazine

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