3M IJ180 vs Avery MPI 1105: Which Vinyl Is Right for Your Vehicle Wrap Job?

3M IJ180CV3 and Avery MPI 1105 Easy Apply RS are the two most widely specified vinyl wrap films for printed vehicle wrap applications. Both are trusted, proven materials used by professional wrap shops across the industry. Both produce excellent print quality and reliable outdoor performance.

So which one do you choose?

The honest answer is that for the majority of vehicle wrap jobs, either film will produce a great result. But there are meaningful differences in how they're constructed, how they behave during installation, and which applications they're best suited for. Here's the complete comparison.

Side by side

Construction and film type

3M IJ180CV3 Controltac is a 2-mil cast vinyl. Cast films are manufactured by pouring liquid vinyl onto a casting sheet, which produces a dimensionally stable film with excellent conformability and minimal memory — it doesn't want to retract after being stretched to conform to a complex surface.

Avery MPI 1105 Easy Apply RS is also a 2-mil cast vinyl, cast the same way and sitting in the same premium tier. The difference between these two films is not film class — both are cast. It is the adhesive system, the matched overlaminate, and which manufacturer's ecosystem your shop works in.

Adhesive systems

3M IJ180CV3 uses 3M's Controltac adhesive — a microscopic glass bead technology that allows the film to be repositioned during application. Once squeegeed firmly, the beads crush and the adhesive engages fully. It's a well-proven repositionable system trusted by installers for decades.

Avery MPI 1105 Easy Apply RS uses Avery's Easy Apply RS adhesive — a micro-channel pattern that lets air escape during application, reducing bubbles and allowing repositioning. Similar concept to Controltac but implemented differently. Both systems give experienced installers the working time they need to position panels accurately before committing.

Conformability

Because both films are cast, conformability is comparable.

Both handle the hard parts of a vehicle — deep door-handle recesses, aggressive compound curves, hood scoops — stretching without lifting and without the memory that makes a film crawl back out of a recess weeks later.

Installers who use both tend to describe the difference as feel rather than capability: how the film releases off the liner, how much working time the adhesive allows, how it responds to heat. Neither is a step down from the other.

Print quality

Both films accept solvent, eco-solvent, latex, and UV inks well. Print quality on both materials is excellent with a calibrated print system. Color accuracy and ink adhesion are comparable at the same quality tier.

The primary print quality difference is in how each film's surface texture interacts with the ink — a subtle difference that varies by print technology and is generally not visible in the finished installed wrap.

Lamination pairings

3M IJ180CV3 is designed to be used with 3M 8518 (gloss) or 8519 (matte) overlaminates. Using a mismatched laminate can affect adhesion and warranty coverage.

Avery MPI 1105 pairs with Avery 1360Z (gloss) or 1370Z (matte) overlaminates — a matched system optimized by Avery for this specific film.

Durability and warranty

Both films are rated for 5–7 years in vertical outdoor applications with appropriate overlaminate. Real-world performance is comparable for standard vehicle wrap applications.

Which one should you specify?

Choose 3M IJ180CV3 when:

• Your client or their brand guidelines specify 3M material by name
• The job has to stay inside 3M's warranty system with matched 3M overlaminate
• Your shop is already tooled and trained around 3M films and laminates

Choose Avery MPI 1105 when:

• There is no brand mandate and you want a proven premium cast film
• You want the matched Avery laminate system — 1360Z gloss or 1370Z matte
• You're ordering from Printwise — 1105 is our primary print material and is always in stock, calibrated, and ready to ship the next business day

For most commercial wrap jobs, either film does the work. We specify Avery MPI 1105 as our primary material because we print it every day, our profiles are calibrated for it, and it is always in stock — not because it is the cheaper option.

Get an instant quote on Avery MPI 1105 → or contact us to discuss material options for a specific job.