A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Vinyl Skin Business
Here is a full list of the machines, materials and workflow required to launch a customised vinyl skin business for computers, phones, gaming consoles, and more.
1. The Best Printers for Printing Vinyl Skins
A. Eco-Solvent Printer: The Epson i3200 (6-Pass) is the best choice for beginners who want high quality.
The Epson i3200 Eco-Solvent Printer (6-pass) is a great choice if you want to start a vinyl skin business and want to invest in a reliable setup from the start. It prints well, works well for full-skin designs on flexible vinyl, and is affordable for beginners
- Print Head: Epson i3200
- Print Mode: 6-pass (A good balance between speed and quality)
- Print Width: 4 ft (48 inches) Roll-to-Roll
- Price Range: USD 1,800 – USD 2,200 (₹1.5–₹1.8 lakhs INR)
- Inks Used: CMYK Eco-Solvent Ink
- Lamination: Optional (Glossy, Matte, or Textured Film)
- Software Compatibility: PhotoPrint, Maintop RIP, FlexiPrint
- Ideal For: Vinyl skins, decals, labels, and flexible media prints
Pros:
- Great print quality for beginner to intermediate level
- Reliable head with low maintenance
- Affordable entry into commercial printing
- Compatible with all standard printable vinyls
Cons:
- RIP software setup required
- Lamination needed for extra durability and finish
B. UV Hybrid Printer – 18" to 24" – Best for Full Vinyl Skin Printing (No Lamination Needed)
An 18" or 24" UV hybrid printer is a great choice for skin businesses that want to print full-size vinyl skins (for laptops, consoles, tablets) that will last in the sun and don't need to be laminated.
- Print Head: Dual XP600
- Print Mode: 6-pass / 8-pass (adjustable based on quality needs)
- Print Width: 18" or 24"
- Price Range: $4,200 – $6,600 USD (₹3.5 – ₹5.5 lakhs INR)
- Ink Type: CMYK + White UV LED Ink
- Lamination: Not required (prints are waterproof and scratch-resistant)
- Software: AcroRIP / PrintExp
- Ideal For: Full-sheet vinyl skins, dark or transparent vinyl, semi-rigid items
Pros:
- Prints full-size skins (e.g., laptops, PS5, Xbox)
- No lamination needed
- White ink support for black and transparent materials
Cons:
- Slower than eco-solvent printers for bulk jobs
- Requires regular UV print head cleaning
How We Do It - We get UV printing done externally from a reliable vendor. It's a cost-effective way to achieve high-end, scratch-resistant prints without investing in a UV printer in the beginning.
Recommendation
If you're just starting out, go with the Epson i3200 (6-pass) — it's affordable, easy to use, and perfect for printing vinyl skins on rolls.
If you want scratch-resistant prints without lamination and plan to work with transparent or dark vinyl, consider a UV Hybrid Printer (18"–24") with XP600 heads — ideal for premium-quality skins.
2. Vinyl Cutter / Plotter Machines
Precision cutting is required for perfect-fitting skins. Here are the best cutters for your skin business needs.
Graphtec CE7000 or CE6000
- Price: $1,500 – $1,800 USD (₹1.25 – ₹1.5 lakhs INR)
- Max Cutting Width: 24–28 inches
- Software: Graphtec Pro Studio
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Ideal For: High-volume, professional-grade vinyl skin cutting with precise contour accuracy.
Cricut Maker 3
- Price: $300 – $450 USD (₹25,000 – ₹38,000 INR)
- Max Cutting Width: 12 inches
- Software: Cricut Design Space
- Ideal For: Beginners and small-scale production; user-friendly and versatile.
Silhouette Cameo 4
- Price: $250 – $400 USD (₹21,000 – ₹34,000 INR)
- Max Cutting Width: 12 inches
- Software: Silhouette Studio
- Ideal For: Entry-level to intermediate users who need flexibility in design and cutting.
Recommendation
- Cricut and Cameo are great for small runs and beginners
- Graphtec is ideal for commercial-grade volume and precision
How We Do It – We use the Graphtec CE7000-60 cutter to test all of our skin templates. Its accurate and consistent cutting enables us to thoroughly test the accuracy of each design during development. Once everything is done, we make the templates available as digital cutfiles on our website, VecRas, for others to use.
3. Printable Vinyl Materials
Choosing the correct vinyl is essential for creating high-quality, long-lasting skins. The vinyl you choose influences not just the appearance and texture, but also its durability, stretchability, and ease of application, particularly over curves or edges.
Common Printable Vinyl Types:
- Glossy Printable Vinyl - Shiny finish provides bright and rich color output. Ideal for stylish tech or gaming skins.
- Matte Printable Vinyl - Non-reflective surface providing a clean and professional appearance. Ideal for subtle, minimalist designs.
- Cast Vinyl - High performance, thin and flexible. Ideal for curved surfaces and prolonged use. Available in both solid colour and printable formats. Long-lasting and resistant to shrinking.
- Carbon Fibre / Brushed Metal - Textured vinyls that resemble expensive materials such as carbon weave or brushed steel. This is common on phones, laptops, and gaming consoles.
Recommended Brands
- 3M 1080/2080 Series Cast Vinyl
- Avery Dennison MPI 1105 & Supreme Wrapping Film Series (cast)
- Orafol ORACAL 951 / 970RA Cast Vinyl
Why Use Cast Vinyl for Skins?
- Durability: Lasts 5–8 years; great for long-term applications.
- Stretchable: Ideal for complex curves (e.g., console corners, phone edges).
- Professional Grade: Used by leading brands for wrap-quality results.
- Print Compatibility: Available in printable versions (Eco-Solvent, UV).
Note - You should use vinyl adhesive with a grey backing for the best results, as grey-backed vinyl does not damage the device and can be easily removed.
Difference between thin and thick vinyl for device skins (phones, laptops, gaming devices)?
Thin vinyl (70–100 microns / 2.7–4 mil): Sleek, seamless finish but less forgiving on curves/edges and needs very precise cutfiles. Best for flat or semi-flat devices like laptops, tablets, consoles.
Thick vinyl (150–250 microns / 6–10 mil): More stable and easier to handle on curves/corners, adds durability and scratch resistance. Best for phones, controllers, and curved devices. In practical device wrapping, thicker vinyl often feels easier for curves, while thin vinyl demands more precision.
How We Do It – When producing our own digital cutfiles, we first test them on Avery 100-micron printable vinyl. It is a low-cost solution for ensuring fit, edge alignment, and cut perfection. Once the design is complete, we perform one last application on a 3M solid color or textured vinyl (such as honeycomb or carbon fibre) (Max 215 micron) to check the look and finish, which we utilise for product pictures or client previews.
4. Additional Equipment
These tools improve your workflow by ensuring the smooth application and finishing of skins.
Cold Roll Laminator (18–25")
- Purpose: Apply glossy, matte, or textured films
- Price: $100 – $200 USD (₹8,500 – ₹17,000 INR)
Heat Gun / Application Tools
- Purpose: Helps in applying vinyl cleanly over curves and edges
- Price: $30 – $50 USD (₹2,500 – ₹4,200 INR)
Weeding Tools
- Purpose: For removing excess vinyl cuts after contour cutting
- Price: $10 – $20 USD (₹850 – ₹1,700 INR)
Cutting Mat (for Cricut users)
- Purpose: Holds vinyl sheets in place during the cutting process
- Price: $10 – $15 USD (₹850 – ₹1,300 INR)
How We Do It – We use a cutting mat while cutting vinyl sheets from a large roll to keep the material in place during the process. We use a weeding tool to remove any superfluous forms that are not included in the final design. We use a heat gun to apply the skin smoothly, particularly over edges and corners, as it helps the vinyl settle properly and provides a clean, bubble-free finish.
5. Design & Cutting Software
Use these design tools to generate skin templates and send them to be printed and cut out.
Adobe Illustrator
- Purpose: Creating precise skin templates and print-ready vector designs
- Availability: Paid
- Why it's important: Industry-standard tool for designing skins with accurate dimensions and cut lines.
CorelDRAW
- Purpose: Vector design and layout for printing and cutting
- Availability: Paid
- Why it's important: Widely used in signage and printing industries; good alternative to Illustrator.
Cricut Design Space
- Purpose: Sending cut files to Cricut machines
- Availability: Free
- Why it's important: Essential if you're using Cricut Maker 3 for cutting vinyl skins.
PhotoPrint / FlexiPrint
- Purpose: RIP software for Eco-Solvent printers
- Availability: Paid
- Why it's important: Converts design files into printable formats with accurate color and scaling.
AcroRIP / PrintExp
- Purpose: RIP software for UV flatbed printers
- Availability: Paid
- Why it's important: Necessary for managing UV printer output and handling white ink/layer control.
How We Do It – All of our skin cut files are made using Adobe Illustrator. It provides comprehensive control over measurements, outlines, and alignment, which is essential before sending anything to the cutter. Illustrator also makes it simple to prepare the print layer, which includes properly arranging the design for printing and ensuring that everything aligns perfectly with the cutfile.
Choosing the Right Setup
- For Beginners: Begin with an Epson i3200 (6-pass) eco-solvent printer, Cricut Maker 3 or Cameo 4, and optional lamination. It's inexpensive, simple to use, and ideal for roll-based vinyl skins. And choose the vinyl material according to your budget, because the vinyls from the 3M brand are expensive.
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For Premium Work: Go for a UV Hybrid Printer (18"-24") with XP600 and a Graphtec CE7000 cutter. Ideal for sophisticated projects, white ink support, and scratch-resistant skins—without lamination.
Conclusion
Starting a vinyl skin business nowadays is really possible with the right tools and setup. Whether you're establishing a small design company or expanding a luxury brand, having a reliable printer, precision cutter, and high-quality materials is critical.
The Epson i3200 (6-pass) is a great choice for beginners. As your business grows, you can upgrade to a UV Hybrid Printer, which provides increased durability, white ink printing, and more creative options.
With the right tools and a well-defined approach, you can produce professional-quality skins that meet today's client requirements.
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