If you’ve ever handled a flexible, stretchy, weather-resistant bag, a foldable smartphone case that bounces back after being bent, or a medical dressing that moves with your skin without bunching up, you’ve probably held TPU fabric. As a TPU fabric supplier, I get asked this question all the time by product designers, clothing makers, and manufacturers: “What is the softness of TPU fabric, and why does it matter for my application?” It’s not a simple answer—TPU fabric softness isn’t a one-size-fits-all number, and getting it right can make the difference between a product that feels intuitive to use and one that falls flat. Let’s break this down the way I explain it to my team and our clients every day. TPU Fabric
First, let’s get clear on what TPU fabric actually is, because that’s the foundation of its softness. TPU, or thermoplastic polyurethane, is a polymer that balances two seemingly opposite properties: rubber-like elasticity and plastic-like durability. When we make TPU fabric, we don’t just use raw TPU—we combine it with a textile base, like polyester or nylon, in one of two main ways: coating or laminating. Coating means we melt TPU resin and apply a thin, even layer to one or both sides of the woven or knitted base fabric. Laminating is gluing a TPU film to the base fabric with an adhesive, or even heat-bonding them together without extra glue. Both methods change how soft the fabric feels, but that softness is shaped by way more than just the TPU itself.
Let’s start with the core factors that dictate TPU fabric softness, because this is where it gets specific enough for designers to use. The first is the hardness of the raw TPU resin we start with. TPU is measured on the Shore hardness scale, which ranges from 0 (super soft, like liquid rubber) to 100 (hard, like a plastic credit card). For TPU fabrics, Shore A hardness is the standard we use—think of it as the “softness baseline.” A Shore A 70 TPU is similar to a soft pencil eraser, Shore A 85 is like a rubber kitchen mat, and Shore A 95 is almost as rigid as a hard plastic. But here’s the twist: that baseline changes once it’s combined with a base fabric. A Shore A 80 TPU coating on a lightweight polyester knit will feel way softer than the exact same Shore A 80 TPU laminated to a thick, heavy nylon canvas, because the base fabric adds its own texture and density.
Next, the structure of the base fabric is a huge, often overlooked factor. Knit fabrics, for example, have tiny, stretchy loops that give way to pressure, so a TPU fabric with a knit base will always feel more pliable than one with a woven base, which has interlaced, tight threads that resist bending. Even the weight of the base fabric matters: a 50-gram-per-square-meter (gsm) polyester chiffon is light and floppy, while a 300 gsm heavy nylon canvas is stiff and structured. I had a client last year who wanted TPU fabric for a foldable dog raincoat—they’d tested a Shore A 82 TPU on a 100 gsm knit base and said it felt “like a plastic wrapper” until we swapped in a 70 gsm lightweight nylon jersey base paired with a Shore A 75 TPU. Suddenly, it bent easily, folded small, and felt soft against a dog’s fur, just like they needed.
Then there’s the coating or lamination process itself, which we tweak in our factory every day to adjust softness. For coated fabrics, the thickness of the TPU layer is key: a 0.1 mm thick TPU coating will feel softer than a 0.3 mm thick one of the same Shore hardness, because there’s less rigid polymer to weigh down the base fabric. But we have to balance that—too thin, and the TPU won’t be durable enough to resist scratches or water. For laminated fabrics, the adhesive we use makes a difference too. We use water-based adhesives for most of our mid-range TPU fabrics because they’re flexible and don’t add a stiff layer, while solvent-based adhesives are more rigid and are only used for heavy-duty industrial applications where stiffness is a plus, not a minus. We also control the heat and pressure during bonding: too much heat can make TPU more rigid, so we calibrate our machines to keep the process consistent, which keeps softness uniform across every roll we ship.
Now, it’s important to bust a common myth about TPU fabric softness: it’s not “softer = better.” I’ve had clothing designers come in asking for the softest TPU fabric possible for a winter ski suit, only to realize that an ultra-soft Shore A 70 TPU fabric wouldn’t stand up to snow, abrasion from ski lifts, or repeated washings. The sweet spot for ski apparel is usually Shore A 75 to 80 on a lightweight knit base—soft enough to move with the body, but durable enough to last a season. On the flip side, a medical device client wanted TPU fabric for a wearable insulin pump patch that needed to stay comfortable against skin for 7 days straight—they needed a Shore A 72 TPU on a very fine polypropylene knit, which was soft enough to not irritate sensitive skin but tough enough to hold up to daily activity.
There’s also a difference between “hand softness” (the feel when you touch or squeeze the fabric) and functional softness (how it moves and stretches when you use it). A lot of suppliers will quote a Shore A number and call it soft, but they’re not accounting for stretch, which is a big part of how soft a fabric feels in use. TPU fabrics can have 2-way stretch, 4-way stretch, or no stretch at all. A 4-way stretch TPU fabric, which can stretch equally well in all directions, will feel softer when bent because it gives with movement, while a non-stretch TPU fabric will feel stiffer because it resists bending. We recently developed a custom TPU fabric for a yoga brand that needed to be water-resistant but still flexible enough for downward dog—we used a Shore A 78 TPU on a 4-way stretch polyester spandex base, and the hand softness test came in at 4.2 out of 5 (our internal scale, where 5 is as soft as a well-worn cotton t-shirt) and the functional softness for movement was rated even higher by their product testers.
As a supplier, we also do a lot of testing to make sure the softness of our TPU fabric is consistent, not just a number on a spec sheet. We test every roll for tensile strength, which tells us how much force it takes to stretch the fabric—lower tensile strength means softer, more pliable fabric. We also do a hand feel test with our quality control team, who are trained to notice tiny differences that Shore A tests miss, like how the fabric feels against bare skin after an hour of wear, or how it bends when folded 100 times (a test we do to simulate repeated use, like a bag being stuffed in a backpack every day). We had a client who switched to us from another supplier because their TPU fabric softness varied so much from roll to roll—some were soft, some were stiff, and it messed up their clothing line’s fit. Now, we test every roll to a tolerance of ±3 Shore A, which keeps softness consistent for all their orders.
I’ve also seen a lot of innovation in TPU fabric softness over the last few years. A few years ago, all TPU fabrics felt either super soft and delicate or stiff and industrial. Now, we have TPU blends that add small amounts of silicone or softening agents to the polymer, which makes the final fabric even softer without sacrificing durability. For example, we have a new line of TPU fabrics for baby bibs that are Shore A 74, coated on a cotton-like knit base, so they feel soft against a baby’s skin but are waterproof and stain-resistant, which is a game-changer for parents. We also make TPU fabrics that are “silky soft” for fashion accessories, like small crossbody bags and phone cases, which have a smooth, non-sticky feel that doesn’t hold onto dust or lint.
One of the most common questions we get is how to compare TPU fabric softness to other common fabrics, because that’s what clients care about—they want a TPU fabric that feels like a certain cotton or polyester, but with added benefits like water resistance or durability. A TPU fabric with a Shore A 75 hardness on a lightweight knit base is roughly as soft as a medium-weight fleece, while a Shore A 80 TPU fabric on a woven canvas is similar to a light denim jacket. That’s a rough comparison, of course, because TPU is stretchier than those natural fabrics, so it feels more pliable when bent. We always share real hand feel samples with clients before they place a big order, because numbers can only tell part of the story.
At the end of the day, the softness of TPU fabric is a balance between the raw polymer, the base fabric, and the manufacturing process—and that balance is different for every product. I’ve worked with clients making everything from medical device patches to heavy-duty truck tarps, and each needs a different softness profile. For soft, flexible, close-to-skin applications, we lean towards Shore A 70 to 78 on lightweight stretch bases. For applications that need a bit more structure, like raincoats or backpacks, we use Shore A 78 to 85. For heavy industrial uses, like protective covers for machinery, we go up to Shore A 90 or higher.
If you’re working on a project and wondering what TPU fabric softness is right for you, or you need custom TPU fabric with a specific softness profile, we’re here to help. We don’t just sell rolls of fabric—we work with you to test samples, adjust the Shore hardness, base fabric, and coating process to get exactly the feel and performance you need for your product. Whether you’re a small startup designing a new line of eco-friendly backpacks or a large manufacturer making medical devices, we can tailor our TPU fabric to match your needs. Reach out to our team to discuss your project and request samples, so you can feel the softness for yourself.
TPU Finished Product References
- Coran, A. Y., & Patel, R. (2005). Thermoplastic Elastomers. John Wiley & Sons.
- Textile Institute. (2019). Coated and Laminated Textiles: Properties and Performance. Woodhead Publishing.
- Shore Instrument & Manufacturing Co. (2021). Shore Hardness Testing for Polymers and Elastomers. Technical Bulletin.
- ASTM International. (2018). Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics. ASTM D638-18.
Nanjing PrimeTex New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.
With abundant experience, we are one of the most professional TPU fabric manufacturers and suppliers in China. Please rest assured to wholesale bulk advanced TPU fabric in stock here from our factory. Good service and quality products are available.
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