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(February 2009) posted on Sun Feb 15, 2009

Insights into banner advances and trends

By Steve Aust

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Banners have come a long way from the days when the principal options entailed bulky canvas or old-school, cumbersome vinyl. And, the advent of digital printing has opened far more possibilities than the days of handpainted or cut vinyl. However, there remains no panacea substrate that suits all printing requirements and all environments. And, how will the economy impact the market?

Representatives from several banner-material manufacturers and purveyors offer insights into what improvements have aided the market, as well as what challenges lie ahead.

Ultraflex

Ultraflex (Randolph, NJ) offers myriad frontlit and backlit substrates, textiles and assorted specialty fabrics. John LoCicero, the company’s North American director of sales, said customers should research more than a spec sheet.

“Service providers often confuse weight with strength,” he said. “Tensile strength is much more important than density. We have some 13-oz. materials that are stronger than 15-oz. products. And, buying a fire-retardant product should be a top priority for any installation. Safety shouldn’t be ignored.”

Any successful banner installation requires solid hemming and fastening procedures. As an example, LoCicero referenced a hypothetical, 5 x 5-ft. banner: ”An application like this requires several pieces of seaming at key connection points; a hem down the middle, and a triple fold where the tether points will be anchored to the building. Stitching weakens the material a little bit, so it’s important to use a heavy, seat-belt-type material for the webbing.”

Although more printers offer double-sided banner-decoration capabilities, and they’ve become more common for pole-hung or suspended applications, he suggests proceeding carefully.

“Printing two-sided banners is difficult because you have to print the front and register the back to match registration and ink density,” LoCicero said. “And, you already have ink on the platen from printing the first side, which makes it prone to make the material soft and sticky. Ultimately, you use more material, so printing two single-sided banners and stitching them together might be a better option.”

The company introduced BioFlex, a biodegradable banner material, approximately two years ago. The eco-friendly product has gained traction with schools, government facilities and other institutions, as well as car dealerships. LoCicero said the company plans to introduce a mesh BioFlex version.

Value Vinyls