Plastisol is a highly flexible and widely used material made by suspending PVC (polyvinyl chloride) particles in a plasticizer. Known for its strength, adaptability, and smooth finish, plastisol has become a go-to material for countless industrial and consumer applications.

At Carlisle Plastics Company, we specialize in manufacturing plastisol-based caps and dip coating products with precision, consistency, and a commitment to American-made quality. This page offers an in-depth look at what plastisol is, how it’s made, where it’s used, and what makes Carlisle Plastics Company a leader in custom dip molded plastisol solutions.

What Is Plastisol?

Plastisol is a liquid form of vinyl that turns into a solid, flexible plastic when heated and cured. It is created by suspending PVC particles in a liquid plasticizer. It doesn’t dry on its own like paint; it requires a heat-curing process to fully solidify. Heating the compounded mixture to approx. 350°F, and then allowing the materials to melt, fuse, and bond. Once cooled, the dipped plastic retains its shape, remains flexible, and resists cracking or breakdown under pressure. Because of its ability to form a tough yet pliable coating, plastisol is ideal for applications requiring durability (corrosion resistance, UV protection, anti-fungal), impact resistance (shipping protection, bolt covers, sharp edges), and weatherproofing (shutter bolt caps, pipe covers, fence post tops).

A Brief History of Plastisol

The origins of plastisol date back to the mid-20th century, when PVC became commercially viable as a replacement for natural rubber and early synthetic materials. Over time, plastisol’s ability to mold, coat, and bond with other materials led to its widespread use in manufacturing, construction, automotive, and fashion industries. Carlisle Plastics Company has been part of this history, improving and perfecting plastisol dip molding processing to serve modern industries with precision manufactured caps and coatings.

Common Uses of Plastisol

Plastisol is one of the most adaptable materials in manufacturing today. Its primary uses include:

  • Dip Molding: Plastisol is ideal for creating flexible coverings for tools, handles, caps, grips, and other molded components. It flows easily around objects and cures into a tough, protective coating. Dip molding is the type of manufacturing we do here at Carlisle Plastics.
  • Coatings: Used for racks, shelves, furniture, industrial parts, roofing, electrical components, and marine equipment, plastisol provides excellent corrosion, chemical, and UV resistance. Carlisle Plastics provides dip coating services.
  • Other uses for Plastisol not covered by Carlisle Plastics Company
    • Slush Molding: In this method, plastisol is poured into a heated mold that spins or rotates, coating the interior surface. This is common for flexible, hollow parts in automotive and medical applications.
    • Screen Printing Ink: Plastisol ink is a top choice for printing graphics on fabric, as it penetrates textile fibers deeply and holds color vibrantly after heat-curing.
    • Textile Ink: Plastisol coatings in textiles help designs remain vibrant, flexible, and resistant to wear.

Its flexibility, chemical resistance, and ease of processing make plastisol indispensable across multiple industries.

Industries That Rely on Plastisol

Because of its broad utility, plastisol is found in a wide variety of fields, including:

  • Automotive: Used for protective underbody coatings, wiring harness insulation, gaskets, and flexible interior parts. Plastisol helps prevent corrosion, absorb sound, and increase durability in vehicle components.
  • Medical: Commonly used in soft grips, tubing, sterile enclosures, and flexible medical containers. Plastisol’s ability to be molded makes it ideal for non-invasive devices and disposable components.
  • Marine and Outdoor Equipment: Plastisol provides corrosion-resistant coatings for metal parts, waterproof seals, and insulated grips. It withstands harsh weather, UV rays, and saltwater exposure.
  • Apparel and Screen Printing: Plastisol-based inks are favored for their durability, vibrancy, and ability to print fine details. They bond well with fabric, making them ideal for high-quality prints on garments and promotional items.
  • Industrial Manufacturing: Used for dip-molded caps, plugs, tool handles, and hand grips. Plastisol adds comfort, safety, and chemical resistance to high-use industrial parts.
  • Construction: Serves as a durable coating for furniture, architectural elements, window profiles, fencing, and roofing membranes. It enhances weather resistance, color retention, and impact strength.
  • Shipping Protection: Plastisol is used to coat or mold parts that prevent damage during transport, such as edge protectors, caps for threaded fittings, and flexible guards. It helps reduce wear and breakage during handling and shipment.
  • Paint Protection: Applied as a removeable or permanent coating to shield painted surfaces from scratches, chemical exposure, and impact. It’s ideal for temporary masking or long-term preservation during manufacturing.
  • Electronics: Used in insulating connectors, wire coatings, and cable sleeves where flexibility and electrical resistance are essential.
  • Agriculture: Applied in protective coverings, tool grips, livestock equipment, and irrigation system parts. Plastisol resists moisture, chemicals, and wear.
  • Aerospace: Provides vibration damping, insulation, and protective coatings for components exposed to pressure, friction, or temperature extremes.
  • Furniture Manufacturing: Used in padded furniture feet, protective end caps, and soft-surface coatings for ergonomic comfort and safety.
  • Sporting Goods: Plastisol coatings are found on exercise equipment, weights, and outdoor gear to improve grip and prevent rust or damage.
  • Consumer Goods: Common in kitchen tools, soft-touch handles, toys, and home appliances. Its flexibility and durability make it ideal for everyday use items.
  • Military and Defense: Utilized for ruggedized coatings, secure grips, and weather-resistant components used in extreme environments.
  • Retail Display and Packaging: Used in product hangers, display hooks, and protective end covers to enhance appearance and reduce product damage.

Carlisle Plastics Company and Plastisol Dip Mold Manufacturing

Carlisle Plastics Company is proud to manufacture a wide range of plastisol caps and coatings right here in the United States. With decades of experience in the plastic dip molding industry, we deliver superior quality, competitive lead times, and excellent customer service for businesses of every size. Our plastisol capabilities include:

  • Standard and Custom dip-molded plastisol caps 
  • Flexible, durable coatings and protective covers
  • Short and long-run production
  • Custom color matching and thickness control

We partner closely with our customers to create high-performance plastisol parts for virtually any application. Whether you need caps, coatings, or a custom combination, we can help with product definition support, prototyping, and production manufacturing.

Color Options for Plastisol Products

We offer a full range of standard plastisol colors, including:

  • Black
  • White
  • Gray
  • Red
  • Orange
  • Yellow
  • Green
  • Blue
  • Translucent Clear (semi-opaque)
  • Matte Black (slightly textured)

Need something more specific? We can color-match to Pantone numbers, paint chips, or physical samples. Please note that special orders may have slight shade variations and include additional charges.

Standard and Custom Sizes

Our plastisol products come in a wide variety of standard sizes and styles. Whether you’re looking for caps, tips, or protective covers, we likely have a standard option to meet your needs. However, if you need something unique, we specialize in custom solutions-and “custom” doesn’t have to mean expensive. Carlisle Plastics Company aims to provide affordable custom plastisol components with:

  • No minimum order quantity
  • Fast turnaround
  • In-house tooling and concept development support

Understanding Shore A Durometer and Plasticized PVC Dip Molding

Our plasticized PVC (plastisol) dip molding process is designed to deliver flexible, durable, and attractive parts tailored to your exact needs. One of the most important factors we consider is the material durometer (Shore A). The durometer is a test of plastic resistance to indentation. The final test results in a numerical value describing the hardness of the flexible plastic on a scale from 0 (very soft) to 100 (very hard).

We offer a durometer range of 55 up to 90 (Shore A) to cover a wide variety of applications. For example, our most popularly requested material is around 55–60 Shore A and feels similar to a typical pencil eraser—firm but comfortably flexible and easy to grip. Moving up to 70 Shore A gives a feel closer to shoe soles or tire tread, with added hardness and wear resistance. Most of our coatings are done with a 77 Shore A durometer to provide more durability. At the higher end, 80–90 Shore A provides even greater protection with the least flexibility, similar to the feel of a golf ball.

Whether you need soft, flexible, easy-to-manipulate caps/grips or tough, semi-rigid protective covers, our dip molding capabilities ensure you get the right feel, performance, and quality every time.

Why Choose Carlisle Plastics?

As a small family-owned company based entirely in the United States, Carlisle Plastics Company is dedicated to quality, flexibility, and customer service. We ship globally, work with businesses of all sizes, and offer small batch runs or high-volume production depending on your project.

In addition to our expertise in manufacturing plastisol caps and coatings, we provide a full suite of services including:

  • Plastic dip molding
  • Vinyl coating
  • Standard or Custom 
  • In-house prototyping
  • Secondary operations (hole punch, imprinting, hot stamping, and more)
  • Special packaging

We take pride in our ability to turn ideas into dependable, cost-effective plastic solutions.

Need Plastisol Parts or Coatings? Let’s Get Started.

Carlisle Plastics Company is your trusted partner for high-quality plastisol dip mold manufacturing. Whether you’re coating tools, molding protective components, or designing something entirely new, we’re ready to help. Contact us today to request a quote, discuss a custom project, or learn more about our capabilities.