Late 1980s: “Hong Kong/Taiwan-style” window films (such as “Sun Film” and first-generation dyed films) arrived in Guangzhou and Shenzhen; these offered only privacy and light blocking with virtually no heat insulation, and tended to fade or bubble within 2–3 years—mostly used on a small number of imported official vehicles.
Around 1992: Distributors for U.S. brands like 3M, LLumar, and Johnson entered the Chinese market; vacuum-evaporated metal films—capable of genuine heat and UV insulation—were introduced but came with high price tags, positioning them as luxury products.
Mid-1990s: Low-end domestic processing plants emerged in the Pearl River Delta, producing imitations of imported films; in the absence of national standards, window tinting services began to take root at automotive dealerships.
Late 1990s: Magnetron-sputtered precious metal films (e.g., V-Kool) entered the domestic market; the industry saw a surge in private-label products and counterfeit “imported” films.
