Abstract Moisture can be absorbed from the air by PVC plastisols and by the fused product. Water in plastisols can contribute to defects in films, sheet goods and foam products, usually in the form of depressions or craters. Water absorbed by thermoformable foam PVC sheets can result in defects in the molded product, often appearing as wrinkles. Correlation between the sum of the water absorbed by individual PVC plastisol components and the water absorbed by a fused thermoformable foam sheet suggests that moisture sensitivity of the product can be minimized by selecting plasticizers and PVC resins having low moisture absorption.