”This is ideal for short-term, outdoor promotional graphics that we really see being used by sports venues or garden centres, for example. It’s not trying to compete with the long-term outdoor vinyls, this is totally different,” said Sihl Direct UK operations manager Ian Turnbull.

”It will quite happily stand up to two or three months of footfall without any problems,” he added. “The only place there is currently little choice for graphics is on outdoor flooring and walls, so this will really appeal to that market.”

The 2-mil (51-micron), non-PVC acrylic, pressure-sensitive film is designed for temporary use on outdoor, porous surfaces such as tarmac and concrete and according to the manufacturer needs no special installation tools or prior preparation of surfaces. 

It is available either as a white or transparent film, in 610mm and 1,372mm widths on 15m rolls. Turnbull said there was no intention to offer the film in wider measurements as it would become “more awkward to handle” due to its fragile characteristic, but he advised tiling numerous pieces together for larger displays. 

The film, which is compatible with solvent inks used in digital printing, comes in two parts. The first comprises the printable substrate with a removable backing and the second is a transfer layer that is applied to the top of the printed and dried film to support it once the backing is removed ready for application onto a surface. After the film has been moulded onto a surface the transfer sheet is then peeled away to reveal the printed design. 

The film is designed to conform, wrinkle-free, to whatever it is applied to and requires no over-laminate as its surface adheres to anti-slip standards for outdoor pavements, explained Turnbull. 

It can be removed from surfaces using a power washer, which breaks the material down into tiny particles, and according to the manufacturer, due to its vinyl-free characteristics, poses no risk to the environment. 

Permovable is available now through Sihl Direct UK’s reseller network.