3M and Avery Dennison are the most common choices of professional car wrap installers in terms of performance, reliability, and ease of use. Arlon’s extensive 10-year warranty is ideal for areas with harsh weather conditions.
At National Car Wraps, we use 3M IJ180 for most fleet jobs for its conformability, repositionability, superior stretch, and smooth finish.
I’ll compare these reputable brands to help you choose the best option for your fleet vehicle wrap needs.
Arlon Wraps vs 3M vs Avery Dennison: Top-Performing U.S. Vinyl Wraps and Their Best Features
3M and Avery Dennison are well-established and highly trusted brands known for their amazing car wraps, whereas Arlon is newer to the vinyl wrap market.
Here are the best features that make these brands stand out:
3M
Best Features:
- Easy to install and reposition even without heating up, conforming smoothly to complex curves and edges
- Wide array of colors and finishes
- Air-release technology minimizes bubbles to speed up installation (nobody likes bubbles, except in champagne)
- Superior durability and quality, with excellent resistance to UV and extreme weather
- Strong adhesive removes cleanly and leaves no residue
Avery Dennison
Our Top Choice: Avery Dennison SW 900
Best Features:
- Easy to reposition, slideable, and highly conformable
- Excellent color selection (120+ colors), including special effect films and extreme texture (when you want your vehicle to look better than the rest)
- Superb durability and climate resistance
- Ideal for premium vehicle wraps
Arlon
Our Top Choice: Arlon SLX Plus
Best Features:
- Cost-effective
- Vibrant print quality
- Excellent durability and weather resistance
- Much easier to reposition and stretch compared to earlier Arlon wraps, although still not as smooth to install as 3M or Avery
Key Takeaway: 3M is the most dependable choice if you want fast, smooth, and precise installation for your personal vehicles or commercial fleet wrap graphics, ensuring premium wrap quality that lasts for years. While not on par with 3M, Avery Dennison also features easy repositionability and superior longevity. Arlon is much cheaper if you want lower price options, although installers still notice issues like excessive adhesive residue during removal and hard repositioning.
Warranties
Arlon’s impressive 10-year warranty makes it an appealing choice for areas with extreme temperatures, like Arizona and Florida, as the warranty covers material replacement in case of climate-related damage, especially peeling caused by intense heat.
The company offers three partnership warranty tiers: silver, gold, and platinum, with varying coverage levels. Although you’ll receive less compensation as your wrap ages.
3M provides extensive warranty options varying from 7 to 10 years, and Avery Dennison offers warranties lasting 5 to 10 years, depending on the film type.
Best Use Cases
- Large Projects: 3M and Avery Dennison are perfect for large-scale vehicle wrap projects, including wrapping fleets, where precision, consistency, and ease of use are critical.
- Small Projects and Decals: Arlon is a solid, budget-friendly option for low-risk cut decals, like logos, websites, and phone numbers. It’s also a good choice for wrapping one to two cars.
Choose a Trusted Installer for Outstanding Wrap Results
Comparing Arlon wraps vs 3M vs Avery Dennison is the first step to ensuring you pick the right film, whether you want decals and stickers or a full wrap using premium cast film to withstand hotter climates.
Choose a certified and experienced wrap installer to achieve that flawless finish and avoid performance issues down the road.
Remember, even the best wraps under perform when applied the wrong way!
Ready to transform your fleet’s appearance? Call National Car Wraps today for stunning and long-lasting fleet vehicle graphics! Our friendly team will be happy to answer all your questions and guide you throughout the wrapping process.
