PET Records not Vinyl Records: Another Way to Bring Music to Life.
Throughout my 13 years in the vinyl manufacturing industry, I continue to be amazed by this little disc that can hold so much: sound, memories, art, and emotion. Vinyl has a rich history, a passionate community, and an entire industry built around making physical music possible. I have a tremendous amount of respect for that.
But I also believe there's room to explore other ways of making records.
PET records are a great example. PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is opening up some exciting possibilities in record manufacturing, from injection-molded records produced at larger scales to diamond-cut, lathe-cut records made one at a time.
I was so fascinated by lathe-cut records that I took the leap and picked up a record-cutting lathe in September of the year 2025. Since then, I've continued to fall deeper into the craft. The learning process has been incredibly rewarding, and the possibilities for connecting more people with these grooves feel limitless.
And the sound of a PET lathe-cut record? It can be stunning.
Manufacturers like Sonopress are already producing injection-molded PET records commercially, showing that this material has a place beyond small-scale experimentation. Meanwhile, lathe-cutting offers a different kind of flexibility, making it possible to create everything from a single record as a gift to small runs and special editions.
Different processes, different possibilities, one shared love for physical music.
What excites me most is the potential for these approaches to coexist. Vinyl will continue to have its place, and I believe PET is finding its own place alongside it.
I've noticed the term vinyl being used to describe PET releases, which inspired me to write this post and highlight the distinction between these two physical record formats. Both have something special to offer, and I think understanding the differences makes the world of physical music even more interesting.
I'm also excited about the potential to explore more thoughtful approaches to manufacturing. From producing only what's needed to improving material recovery and reducing waste, there are opportunities to keep learning and finding better ways to make things. PET isn't automatically more sustainable, but I believe it's worth exploring what we can achieve with the right materials, processes, and infrastructure.
A future where making a record can mean producing just one copy, creating something special for an independent artist, or scaling up to larger manufacturing runs is an exciting one to imagine.
I don't see this as vinyl versus PET. I see it as an opportunity to expand what's possible.
Because at the end of the day, it's about more than the material or the manufacturing process. It's about finding new ways to connect people through tangible music experiences.
More formats. More possibilities. Same love for records.
A Note on Sound
While all three formats bring music to life through physical grooves, their sonic characteristics can vary depending on the material and manufacturing process. Pressed vinyl benefits from decades of refinement in mastering and pressing, delivering the familiar sound that collectors know and love. Injection-molded PET records can also deliver impressive audio quality, with results shaped by groove precision, mastering, and manufacturing quality. PET lathe-cut records are cut individually in real time, offering a different production approach where cutting technique, equipment, and playback speed all play important roles in the final sound. Lathe-cut records can have a distinct sonic character, and when well made, the results can be surprisingly stunning. No format automatically sounds better than another the master source, preparation, manufacturing quality, and playback setup all matter.