Banners

13oz Gloss Scrim Vinyl

This low-cost, medium-weight durable weatherproof banner solution is ideal for outdoor or indoor use. The gloss finish is excellent where more vibrant color is desired and reflection off the surface is not a concern. Can be sewn and grommeted. Available in widths up to 99".

While the print is good for up to three years outdoors, the banner itself has a 6 month to 1 year outdoor life depending on installation and wind conditions. Indoor longevity of 5-20 years.

 

13oz Matte Scrim Banner

This low cost, medium weight scrim reinforced banner solution is designed for outdoor our indoor use. The matte finish is excellent where reflection off the surface is a concern. Can be sewn and grommeted. Available in widths up to 99".

While the print is good for up to 3 years outdoors, the banner itself has a 6 month to 1 year outdoor life depending on installation and wind conditions. Indoor longevity of 5-20 years.

 

13oz Blockout Scrim Vinyl

This durable, weatherproof, scratch-resistant banner solution is smooth on both sides with a blackout layer in the middle making it ideal for single or double sided use. It has a soft, fabric-like quality that makes it excellent both indoors and out. This is the economy material used in all our banner stands. Available in widths up to 80".

Outdoor longevity of 6 months to 3 years.

 

Curl Free Fire Retardant Banner - 12oz

This banner material is durable, flame retardant, and specially designed to eliminate edge curl which makes it the material of choice for banner stands and hanging displays where flat, curl-free edges are important. It’s canvas-like texture and low gloss finish give it a high-end look and helps minimize glare. Available in widths up to 86".

Outdoor longevity of up to 6 months, indoor longevity of 5-20 years.

 

Backlit Banner Vinyl - 14 oz

This flame resistant glossy backlit banner vinyl offers tremendous image quality and color depth in a durable material that is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. A true translucent vinyl, it can be used in a lightbox or free hanging since it has the strength of a scrim reinforced banner. Available in widths up to 63".

Approx. longevity of 5 years indoors and 2 years outdoor.

 

15oz Matte Scrim Vinyl

This heavyweight scrim reinforced banner solution offers a low gloss finish for situations were glare is a concern, as well as excellent durability. It’s completely opaque so it's an excellent option for outdoor banner displays so light from behind doesn't cast visible shadows on the front of the banner. Available in widths up to 54".

It’s fade resistant for up to three years outdoors, or 20 years indoors, but it’s outdoor life expectancy is 1-2 years if properly hung, depending on wind conditions.

 

15oz Gloss Scrim Vinyl

This heavyweight scrim reinforced banner solution offers tremendous color depth and saturation, as well as excellent durability. It's fine textured finish and high white point make for superior image quality, and the weight and construction give it excellent lay flat properties. Available up to 54" widths.

It's fade resistant for up to three years outdoors, or 20 years indoors, but it's outdoor life expectancy is 1-2 years if properly hung, depending on wind conditions.

 

15oz Bioflex Banner

This durable biodegradable banner material has a matte finish and offers excellent color reproduction. Unlike other vinyl banners, in landfill conditions, the patented construction of BioFlex attracts microbes that break down the PVC within 3 to 5 years. BioFlex contains no toxic materials and is tear, fade and fungus resistant. Available in widths up to 72".

It’s fade resistant for up to three years outdoors, or 20 years indoors, but it’s outdoor life expectancy is 1-2 years if properly hung, depending on wind conditions.

 

16oz Gloss Scrim Vinyl

This glossy scrim-reinforced vinyl is a premium banner material that offers excellent image quality and color depth in a durable 16oz weight. Excellent for banner applications both indoors and out. It is scratch resistant, weather proof, and features coated construction which gives it superior strength. Available in widths up to 98".

Can be sewn and grommeted. Approx. outdoor longevity up to 3 years.

 

16oz Matte Scrim Vinyl

This durable, weatherproof, scratch-resistant banner material is a premium product that has a smooth matte surface and is great both indoors and out. It offers excellent image quality and is perfect wherever a durable material is needed with a low gloss finish. It also hangs straight without edge curl so it's an excellent choice for hanging displays and banner stands. Available in widths up to 98".

Outdoor longevity of 2 years, 5-20 years indoors.

 

18oz Blockout Scrim Vinyl

This durable, weatherproof, scratch-resistant banner solution is smooth on both sides with a blackout layer in the middle making it ideal for single or double sided use. It has a soft, smooth surface that makes it excellent both indoors and out, and the low gloss finish is great for situations where glare is a concern. Available in widths up to 99".

Outdoor longevity of 6 months to 3 years, indoor longevity of 5-20 years.

Single Sided	Double Sided

 

24oz Premium Blockout Scrim Vinyl

This luster finished vinyl is smooth on both sides with a blockout layer to allow for double sided printing and provide superior image quality in an extra heavy 24oz weight. It is scratch resistant and weather proof, and flame resistant making it perfect for use indoors and out. Can be sewn and grommeted. Available in widths up to 63".

Approximate outdoor longevity up to 3 years, 5-20 years indoors.

Single Sided	Double Sided

 

Micro Mesh - 7.4 oz

This mircro-perforated flame retardant textile has a linen look with exceptional dimensional stability. It’s highly flexible, has a light finish and exhibits no edge curl, making it ideal for hanging displays, theater decor, POP advertising and other graphic displays where some translucence is desired. Available in widths up to 86".

Approx. longevity of 20 years indoors.

 

Super Mesh - 8 oz

This PVC vinyl coated polyester mesh produces a partially translucent image for indoor or outdoor use. Great for outdoor banners, building wraps, partitions and hanging banners for trade shows and retail display. It reduces the wind load when used outdoors by allowing 37% air flow through the banner. Available in widths up to 98".

Longevity of 1-3 years outdoors, 5-20 years indoors.

 

Mesh Plus - 12 oz

This super-tough polyester mesh with PVC vinyl coating is flame retardant, and it's as strong as 24 oz scrim vinyl, making it the most durable we offer. The smaller holes also make for a stronger image than other mesh products, making it perfect for indoor or outdoor use. Can be sewn, grommeted and welded. Available in widths up to 63".

Longevity of 1-3 years outdoors, 5-20 years indoors.

 

Vision Mesh - 12.4 oz

This unique flame retardant mesh has an anthracite black backing for a transparent, one-way vision effect from inside, making it perfect for shop windows, POP advertising and solar protection. It has a gloss finish and hangs with no edge curl even with heavy ink coverage. Available in widths up to 63".

Approx. longevity of 5-20 years indoors.

 

MeshTex - 10 mil

This waterproof sheer polyester mesh material is ideal for special exhibits, hanging partitions, outdoor banners, flags, and signs. It's weatherproof, rip proof, and translucent. Available in widths up to 60".

Outdoor longevity is 6 months, 5-20 years indoors.

 

Flame Retardant Polyester Banner - 5 oz

This tear-proof woven 100% polyester fabric is flame retardant so it can be used at trade shows or in public places like museums for elegant hanging banners and displays. It is water resistant when printed with dye inks (shown) and waterproof with solvent inks. It meets NFPA 701 fire testing standards, and is designed not to fray easily so hemming is optional. Available in widths up to 60".

Approx. longevity of 1 year outdoors, 5 to 20 years indoors.

 

Flame Retardant Cotton - 10 mil

This 100% cotton fabric banner material is excellent for banners, trade show exhibits, podium signage, table cloths, flags, curtains, and window displays. The image is scratch resistant and waterproof, but water may cause the cotton to shrink or curl, so it is only recommended for indoor applications. Available in widths up to 98".

Approx. longevity of 5 to 20 years indoors.

 

EVO - 17 mil

EVO is an environmentally-friendly and recyclable non-woven polyester and polyamide fabric. This durable fabric offers bright, sharp images, resists wrinkling, and will not curl on the edges. EVO is flame retardant, water resistant, and breathable. EVO contains no heavy metals, PVC resins, phthalates or fungicides, and the manufacturing process creates no pollution. We print this fabric with water based inks to make for the ultimate in eco-friendly retail banners, signs, and retail posters. Available in widths up to 60".

Longevity of 5-50 years indoors, depending on exposure to sunlight.

 

Poly Oxford 8 oz

This oxford weave polyester fabric has excellent strength and dimensional stability, and is highly wrinkle resistant with excellent color depth. This makes it our favorite fabric and is ideal for banners, POP displays, patio umbrellas, and backdrops, and any indoor or short term outdoor use. Available in widths up to 60".

Longevity of 5-20 years indoors, depending on exposure to sunlight.

 

Blockout Polyester Fabric - 12 mil

This heavy polyester fabric banner material is woven so tightly that it's completely opaque, making it ideal for banner stands. It's scratch resistant, weatherproof and hangs very flat, making it perfect for hanging signs, trade show exhibits, podium signage, and window displays. It can be sewn and grommeted. Approximate longevity of 15-20 years indoors, and 6 months outdoors.

 

Polyester Heavy Banner - 10 mil

This 100% polyester fabric banner material is very scratch resistant and weatherproof, making it perfect for banners, trade show exhibits, podium signage, table cloths, flags, curtains, and window displays. It is heavy enough to be used outdoors and can be sewn and grommeted. Available in widths up to 98".

Longevity of 5-50 years indoors, and 6 months outdoors.

 

Waterproof Matte Canvas - 17 mil

This waterproof canvas is great for art reproductions, photos on canvas, murals, indoor or outdoor hanging banners or point of purchase displays. Can be sewn and grommeted. Available in widths up to 60".

Approximate longevity of 50 years indoors, and 6 months outdoors.

 

Sunbrella® - 10 oz

Sunbrella® is a premium product made in the USA from 100% acrylic, and is the industry standard for high quality street banners, awnings, casual furniture and boat covers. This weatherproof material has a woven canvas look and features excellent UV resistance, high wrinkle resistance and is fray resistant after cutting. Available in widths up to 60".

Approx. longevity of 50 years indoors and up to 3 years outdoors.

 

Indoor Tear-Proof Banner - 8 mil

This economical, tear proof glossy material is made of high-density polypropylene and accepts heavy ink coverage to produce brilliant colors. It's an environmentally friendly option for short term indoor banners and posters. It can be mounted, laminated and grommeted. Available in widths up to 60".

Approximately 1-20 year indoor longevity, depending on the inks used.

 

Polypro Banner - 11 mil

This satin-finished, tear-resistant, scratch proof, waterpoof banner is made of a 90% opaque polypropylene film with a protective polypropylene laminate. It's an eco-friendly material that is printed with water based inks for an extremely environmentally conscience, recyclable solution that features outstanding image quality. The film's finish and hang flat properties make it the perfect choice for no-curl roll-up displays. Available in widths up to 60".

Longevity of 5-50 years indoors, depending on exposure to sunlight.

 

Dupont Tyvek - 11 mil

This eco-friendly banner material has great image quality, smooth matte finish and is printed with environmentally friendly latex inks for a waterproof, tear resistant and abrasion resistant banner. Tyvek® is made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is 100% recyclable and accepted at most local recycling facilities, and it has similar durability to scrim vinyl banners. Available in widths up to 60".

Longevity of 1-3 years outdoors, 3-20 years indoors.

 

HDPE Reinforced Banner - 5.5 oz

This recyclable High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) banner material helps reduce the impact of printing on the environment by providing an alternative to vinyl banners. It has great outdoor durability and is designed to withstand harsh weather conditions without fading or losing vibrancy. At 5.5 oz, it offers tear strength equal to or greater than most standard 13 ounce scrim vinyl products. Available in widths up to 54".

Longevity of 3-20 years indoors, 6 mo. - 1 year outdoors.

 

Polyester Display Film - 7 mil

This glossy polyester film has a blockout layer on the back so no light can be transmitted through the material. It's printed at our highest resolution and image quality, resists edge curl, and has a glossy finish for rich, saturated colors. Polyester is very eco-friendly, and it's printed with water based inks for one of the most environmentally conscious graphics available. It’s an excellent choice for banner stand graphics, especially retractables and can be used as is for short term use, or as our Tradeshow Banner, which is this material with our 5 mil polycarbonate laminate. Available in widths up to 50".

Longevity of 5-50 years indoors, depending on exposure to sunlight.

 

Ultra Smooth Indoor Banner - 12 mil

This unique material features a smooth vinyl face on each side with a polyester blockout layer in the middle which makes this product printable on both sides, completely opaque and curl resistant. It’s offers a semi-matte finish, excellent image quality and is waterproof and scratch resistant, making it a good choice for banner stands and hanging displays. Available in widths up to 54".

Longevity of 5-50 years indoors, depending on exposure to sunlight.

 

Normal turnaround time is 4-5 days. During the order process you will be asked if you have a specific due date, and if you do, we will adjust your shipping method, if necessary, to get your order to you on time. If you need your order even quicker, we also have a rush service. If you authorize rush charges, we can get your order shipped the same day or the next day. Rush charges are typically 50% of your order up to a maximum of $75. If we're able to meet your deadline without bumping other jobs, we won't actually charge the rush charge, but you must authorize the rush to guarantee delivery.

We don't charge either of these common fees. In our opinion, charging setup and RIP fees would be like advertising a price for gasoline, but charging a pumping fee to get it into your car. It's misleading and since you can't print a job without setting it up and processing it through a RIP, like the gasoline is of no use if it isn't pumped into your tank, it should be reflected in the prices already. They are just hidden fees to increase the cost of your job in a way that makes a companies printing prices look more competitive. As long as you provide print ready files, there are no additional charges related to printing your job.

Yes we can, even if you don't know what you want on it. But, since all our design time is charged by the hour, if you already know what you want on your banner, it can save quite a bit of time, and therefore cost a lot less than if we have to come up with the concept and the design. So, if you know what you want your banner to say, and have any logos or photos that you want to use, send them to us with your order, indicate you need design work when the option appears, and we will contact you to discuss it. Once we create your banner design, we'll send you an electronic proof for approval prior to printing.

We charge $75 per hour for design time, but the amount of time it will take, and therefore the cost, depends on several factors. As we explained in the previous question, if you already know what you want on your banner, and can send us any necessary logos, photos, etc., the design cost could be as little as $15-$20. If you have no idea and want us to come up with concepts and designs, it can cost hundreds of dollars. In our experience, most people have an idea of what they want, and if we provide alternatives, they will almost always come back to what they had in mind in the first place, so you should always tell us what you have in mind. It will save time and money, and that's always a good thing.

The banner materials themselves are white, so any color other than white is part of the design that is printed on them. If you want a banner with a red background and white letters, we are basically printing the red background and leaving the letters unprinted so the white of the banner material shows through. Just like printing on paper with a desktop printer.

With printed banners, the base material is white and printed with either water-based or solvent-based inks so the image becomes part of the banner. While it's possible to scratch or scuff the printing on the banner, it can't peel off or be removed. Any number of colors can be used, so it's possible to print high quality photos and logos in addition to solid colors.

With cut vinyl type banners, adhesive vinyl letters or graphics are computer cut and stuck onto a banner blank to make a banner. The banner blanks will typically come an assortment of solid colors, as does the adhesive vinyl. This used to be very common because printed banners were very expensive and not very durable outdoors. With the widespread use of solvent inks, cut vinyl banners have become less popular because your are limited to just a few colors, and the letters can shrink and peel off. So, while you can get a blue banner with red letters, you may not be able to get exactly the shade of blue or red you want, and you can't have a graduated color in the background or use a photo or soft drop shadow. While we do offer this type of banner for our customers who request it, we don't recommend it for most situations because of these shortcomings. For situations where you want a solid color background with a solid color type, it may still be practical, but if you want more than one color in your lettering or logos, a printed banner will be less expensive and will most likely hold up much better.

Printed banners are created in a similar way to printing on a desktop printer at home. The process is much larger and uses a different type of ink, but the concept is the same in that it's a process color, or CMYK printing process and true metallic colors aren't possible. Metallic effects can be simulated in the design, but we can't print with actual metallic inks. There are metallic finish adhesive vinyls that can be cut and applied to your banner, as described in the question above, so that's the best solution if you need metallic elements on your banner. It's also possible to screen print with metallic inks for large quantity orders, but that process isn't practical for less than 250-500 banners, and metallic inks aren't as shiny or reflective as the metallic vinyls.

For high quality prints that look good up close, we recommend files be 150dpi at the actual size they will be printed. Since banners are usually viewed from 5-10 feet away or more, lower resolution files will work fine. If this is case with your banner, you can use files that are as low as 72-100 dpi and still get satisfactory results. We use special software to enlarge smaller files for printing at larger sizes, but the larger your original files, the better the results will be so you should always use the largest files you can. When in doubt, send us your file and we'll examine it and let you know how large we think it can go and still look good.

The finishing of your banner will depend on the material you choose. Hemming is done with inferior materials that fray easily, or to add strength to the edges of the banner to support the grommets. We don't use the inferior materials that fray easily, and we try to avoid hemming banners because it looks bad and makes them hang poorly. Instead we usually use a hem reinforcement on the back side of the banner to give it more strength than a hem without the sloppy look. This is only necessary for outdoor banners as indoor banners don't need the extra strength, so indoor banners are finished with a clean trimmed edge. Outdoor banner also have a clean trimmed edge, but have the reinforcement on the side edges. If you want additional hem reinforcement you can choose that option under Other Finishing during the order process.

Also under the finishing options you can choose to have grommets in the top corners and along the top, or in all corners and along the top. If you want some other kind of grommet placement, you can indicate that in the special instructions area of the order.

Wind slits are supposed to decrease the wind resistance on the banner and the support structure that the banner is attached to. We can cut wind slits, but we recommend against it because wind slits have been shown to be ineffective and in most cases, actually increase the stress on the support structure. They also weaken the banner where the slits are cut so if you are concerned about the banner itself holding up in the wind, using a better banner material and mounting it properly is the best approach. If your concerned about stress and wind load on whatever your banner is attached to, such as a fence, scaffolding, or light poles, then we recommend using a mesh banner material instead. Mesh banner materials reduce the wind load by allowing air to pass through the holes in the mesh over the entire surface of the banner, which is much more effective than wind slits.

You can order any banner with grommets, which will give you attachment points for hanging them. The best way to hang banners from grommets is to put some tension on the grommets so the banner is pulled tight and hangs flat. If your banner is for indoor display, we also sell banner hanging systems that are good looking an inexpensive. Check out the page for Poster & Banner Hangers to learn more about the different banner hanging products we offer.

For outdoor use, grommets are the preferred method to attach a banner to just about any surface. It's even more important to keep outdoor banners under tension, because if there is too much slack in the banner, it can whip around in the wind, and the force that generates will tear up the banner or rip out the grommets, no matter how strong the banner material is. So, we recommend either attaching the banner with something that gives, such as bungee cords, or checking the banner at regular intervals to adjust the tension and keep it tight. Since bungee cords stretch, you can put the banner under tension and it will be able to flex in the wind without coming loose. We sell Ball Bungees which are a quick and easy way to attach a banner, and they can be found on the order form under Display Hardware in the subcategory Outdoor Display and Sign Hardware, Outdoor Sign and Banner Accessories. For more installations against a wall, such as on the side of a building, you can use screws or bolts with washers through all the grommets, but again, make sure the banner is pulled fairly tight. This type of installation can last for quite a while because the banner is protected by the wall from wind, but you must be sure to take the slack out of the banner. We also have a banner frame system designed to be attached to a wall the side of a truck that holds the banner smooth and tight, and lets you change the banner fairly easily when you want. With a system like this, a banner can last for 3 years or more outside since it can't be damaged by wind. Contact us for more information on this banner frame system.

Our outdoor banners are all printed with solvent based pigmented inks that are good outdoors for 2-3 years without noticeable fading. To get the maximum life from your banner, be sure to follow our advice on the best way to hang your banner in the question above. You could also install an outdoor banner frame mounting system that will allow you change the banner out when want to change your message, or if the banner has faded over the years. Since banners are one of the most inexpensive types of outdoor sign, this kind of system makes sense because you only pay for the frame once, and then can swap out the inexpensive banners as needed. This system looks like a framed rigid sign without the added expense, so it's a very nice option. You could also look for a more durable sign option, such as adhesive vinyl with a cast vinyl laminate mounted to an outdoor board such as Alumalite.

We get asked this all the time, but the answer isn't easy because the legibility of the type depends on the viewing distance. There is an actual math formula to calculate the best size for type legibility from a particular distance, but it's rather technical, so we like to use the simpler method of making the cap height of the type 1/200 of the viewing distance. For example, if you want your type to be legible from 100 feet, you would want 6 inch tall letters. Also, sans serif type faces are more legible from a distance and in short blocks, while serif type faces are easier to read in longer passages of text. That's why road signs are almost always in a sans serif type face such as Helvetica, and books and magazines are almost always in a serif type face such as Times.

Fabric is popular because there are many that are sheer enough for the image on the front to show through to the back, giving you a double sided appearance. The problem is that any type or logos read backwards on the back side of the banner. There are a few different ways to deal with this. If you actually want a double sided banner, there are materials that are opaque that can have an image printed on each side, but they are vinyl coated fabrics. There are no actual fabrics that can be printed on both sides without the image on one side interfering with the other, so the way to make a double sided fabric banner is to actually print two banners and sew them back to back with a blockout liner sewn in between. This is more expensive and in our opinion, doesn't look as good as printing a double sided vinyl banner, so we don't recommend it.

If you're not interested in a double sided banner, there are fabrics that are heavier so the image from the front doesn't show through much to the back so the reversed type effect on the back isn't noticeable. The Polyester Heavy Banner and Poly Oxford fabrics are good choices.