Trade Show Graphics
The phrase "trade show graphics" can mean different things to different people, since trade shows are generally overflowing with graphics and signs of every variety, all competing for attention. For some companies, their trade show graphics are banners that hang off the back of a pipe and drape structure, or a table cover with the company logo. For others, their trade show graphics are banners displayed in some variety of banner stands, or trade show signs attached with velcro to a fabric pop up display. Trade show graphics might mean designs on printed fabric stretched over some type of frame, either floor standing or hanging. When many people think of trade show graphics, they think of graphics for pop up style trade show booths, table top displays, or even large truss structures and custom exhibits. But, regardless of what type of trade show display you have, or how much money you've spent on it, they are all designed to provide a means to show your graphics. So whether you are in search of new graphics for an existing display, or looking to purchase graphics for a new display, and whichever type of trade show graphics you need, we have solutions for you. So while we offer a wide range of printing for various types of trade show graphics, they all are competitively priced, printed in vibrant, accurate color at the highest resolution and quality, and use the best quality materials in each price range so your trade show graphics will look good, and continue to look good after repeated use, to get you noticed in a positive way by your potential customers.
The Available Materials tab below shows the range of different trade show graphics products we offer, from vinyl, fabric and mesh banner materials to semi-rigid rollable materials for pop up booth panels, velcro attached trade show signs, and trade show banners for high end banner stand graphics. Look through the materials in that tab to get information for each, and maybe get an idea or two for something different. Since trade show graphics cover a large range of products, you may find that a specific type of material you have in mind is not listed here. If you don't see something you're looking for, check the other categories under Printing for Indoor Use from the Printing Services menu above, as we almost certainly will offer a solution for you, or Contact Us for assistance.
Be sure to look through the FAQ tab below for helpful information and answers to common questions about trade show graphics, and the Our Recommendations tab for suggestions on the best materials to use for different types of displays.
This page is devoted to trade show graphics. If you are looking for pop up booths, banner stands, table top displays or some other type of trade show displays, be sure to look at the different options available under Display Hardware in the main menu above.
If you would like to get prices on printing and shipping, or place an order, click the Pricing/Order button next to each item in the Printing Materials tab. The Pricing/Order wizard will prompt you for the necessary information such as quantity, dimensions and finishing options to show you prices in real time, and allow you to enter you state and zip code to see the shipping costs. If you're ready to order, you can provide additional information such as how you're sending files or if you need design work, if you want a proof, and how you want us to handle cropping of your files if necessary, and then add the print to your shopping cart. You can also compare product prices in the wizard by clicking the Products tab and selecting different materials from the drop down menu to see how the price changes.
This symbol denotes a eco-friendly option. These materials are generally PVC free, recyclable, and printed with water based inks as an earth-friendly option.
To find pricing information for printing on any of the materials below, click the Pricing/Order button.
Opaque Polyester Graphics
Opaque polyester graphics are high-end materials used for trade show booth panels of all types. There is more than one way to make these types of graphics, and as usual, we make them in the highest quality way. For details, look at the FAQ where can find answers to common questions and other useful information. Select any of the materials below for descriptions, check out the Our Recommendations tab for more info, and use the Pricing/Order buttons to get printing prices.
Trade Show Banner - 10 mil
This lightweight exhibit graphic solution has a scratch resistant, nonreflective finish like our Premium Trade Show, but is lighter weight, and more economical. It's designed to hang flat with less edge curl to make it perfect for roll up displays and banner stands. It is fabricated with an opaque polyester film with a protective laminate making for a very durable finished graphic. Available in widths up to 60".
Indoor longevity of 5-25 years depending on exposure to light.
Economy Trade Show - 15 mil
This textured opaque polyester film is printed with UV curable inks for a scratch resistant, low-glare finish making it a an economical solution for trade show display graphics. It’s not as heavy or durable as our Premum Tradeshow solution, but it’s heavy enough to hold it’s shape when used for pop up booth panels and is an excellent choice for graphic that attach with velcro to fabric panels. Available in widths up to 50"
Indoor longevity of 3-25 years depending on exposure to light.
Premium Trade Show - 20 mil
This is the most durable, and best looking, trade show graphic solution. It has a scratch resistant, non-reflective finish thanks to the textured polycarbonate surface. This rigid yet rollable solution will hang flat while still conforming to the shape of the booth frame, Shown in the most popular weight of 20 mil, can also be produced in 15 mil for use where a more flexible panel is needed. Available in widths up to 50".
Indoor longevity of 5-25 years depending on exposure to light.
Scrim Reinforced Vinyl
Scrim vinyl is a standard for outdoor banners, as the scrim reinforcement gives them excellent tear strength, but they are also popular indoors. While vinyl banners make many people think of low-end products, there are a huge range of vinyl banner materials, from low end to high end, so look through the descriptions below, check out the Our Recommendations tab for more info, and use the Pricing/Order buttons to get printing prices.
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 104".
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
Mesh
Mesh is popular for both indoor and outdoor use. Generally, it's used outdoors to reduce wind resistance, but indoors for trade show use, it's popular because of its semi-transparent look. Using mesh you can have printed wall panels that enclose your booth space without blocking the view in our out of your space. There are a wide range of weights and styles available so look through the descriptions below, check out the Our Recommendations tab for more info, and use the Pricing/Order buttons to get printing prices.
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.
Fabrics
The fabrics shown below are all direct printed with either water based or solvent based inks, and are specially designed for that purpose. There are a wide range of weights, finishes and textures available so look through the descriptions below, check out the Our Recommendations tab for more info, and use the Pricing/Order buttons to get printing prices.
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 and 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 UV Curable 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.
Specialty Banner Materials
These materials have special characteristics that make them different from the other banner materials we offer, so we've split them out into their own category. While not suitable for every situation, they have properties that make them ideal for certain applications.
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.
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 3 mil polycarbonate laminate. Available in widths up to 60".
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.
Banners for Trade Show Use
The Trade Show Banner material was specifically designed for banner stand graphics to reduce the edge curl that can occur with these graphics. It also has the scratch and glare resistant finish of our Premium Trade Show material, and is completely opaque to prevent any light from behind the stand from showing through. It's a 10 mil product that while stiff, is still flexible enough for all our retractable banner stands. It's the finest and most durable product for banner stands graphics we offer. It's also one of the most environmentally friendly banner products.
The Curl Free Fire Retardant Banner is an excellent choice for both banner stand graphics and free hanging trade show banners. This vinyl coated fabric prints very well and has the upscale look of canvas with a low gloss finish. It's specially engineered to hang flat without curling on the edges like standard banners, and it's flame retardant so it's good for a wide range of applications.
The 13 oz Smooth Blockout Vinyl is our economy option for banner stand graphics. It prints very well with excellent color depth, and has smooth semi-gloss surface, but like most standard vinyls, the edges will tend to curl, especially with heavy ink coverage.
For free hanging banners, such as the kind typically hung from the pipe and drape at the back of a booth space, the 13oz Scrim Vinyl materials are the least expensive, but will also tend to curl at the edges a bit. The 15oz gloss or matte scrim vinyl is a higher quality scrim vinyl that has a smoother surface, heavier weight, and will hang flatter. While more expensive than the 13oz scrim vinyl, it's still very inexpensive and an excellent value. The Curl Free Blockout banner that we use for banner stands, is also a great choice for this type of banner. The 18 oz blockout vinyl offers excellent image quality, and the heavier weight helps it to stay flat and hang better than lighter weight materials, and it can be printed on both sides for situations where a double sided banner is needed.
For fabric banners, the Polyester Block Banner is an excellent option because it offers great color and is completely opaque so light from behind won't cast shadows or wash out the image. If you're looking for something more eco-friendly than vinyl, but don't want to give up the image quality that vinyl offers, this is a great option. The Polyester Heavy Banner is one of our most popular fabrics. It's a heavier fabric with a more textured finish like canvas, and it prints very well and hangs straight.
For sheer banners, curtains, partitions or backdrops when you want an upscale, partially transparent look, the MeshTex is a great choice. It's our most transparent fabric so it's great when you really want a subtle look. The Nylon Taffeta is another great choice. This fabric prints extremely well for such a sheer material so you can get a strong image or a partially see though graphic, depending on the lighting. The Mesh Plus and Super Mesh are also excellent for transparent banners, but they don't drape like the other two so they wouldn't be suitable for curtains, but they would be excellent for wall panels or other applications where the banner needs to hang flat. There are literally dozens of other fabrics on the market, so be sure to contact us with any special needs and we can advise you on what's available.
Graphics for Trade Show Displays and Tabletop Displays
All the materials in our trade show line of graphics are printed at the highest quality currently available. Our Trade Show Banner and Premium Trade Show materials feature the same high resolution 12 color printing fthat we use for our much acclaimed limited edition fine art printing, so these really are the best quality trade show graphics you can buy, even if the price is more reasonable than you'd expect.
The Premium Trade Show material is the staple of the booth graphics market. This material produces outstanding color and detail in an extremely durable and rigid yet rollable graphic. This material was designed specifically with the trade show graphic market in mind. It features a two piece construction with a textured, glare reducing finish and can be repeatedly rolled and unrolled without tunneling or delaminating. If you're tired of having your booth graphics come apart, or having to follow a long list of special care instructions to ensure your trade show graphics don't fail, then you need this material. See the FAQ tab for information on how this material compares with similar materials on the market. The 20 mil standard weight is ideal for mural panels because it's heavy enough to hold it's shape smoothly without waves or ripples. Since this type of panel is usually only connected to the frame on the edges with magnetic tape, and supported by a hanger panel at the top, this ability to hold it's shape is very important.
The Economy Trade Show material has a similar finish as the Premium Trade Show material, but it's a heavy polyester film that's printed with UV curable inks, which are extremely scratch resistant, so it doesn't require a laminate for normal use, which makes it less expensive. At 15 mil thick, it's still heavy enough to be used as an economical choice for full mural graphics, and is an excellent weight for graphics that attach to the display with velcro. Most booth manufacturers produce their graphics this way, but on cheaper, less durable materials. Polyester is more expensive than what most companies use, but it has better dimensional stability compared to PVC products, and the textured finish of this film matches the classic polycarbonate finish, so these graphics look just like more expensive laminated graphics. While we use the highest quality UV curable printing available, the printing technology used on the Premium Trade Show product is still slightly better, but it would be difficult to tell in most situations. Since these graphics are not laminate, a little more care is needed to keep them looking good. UV curable printing is very durable, but anything print can be damaged if handled too rough, so keep that in mind with these graphics.
While not specifically listed in this section, we do have many materials that can be used to make rigid, mounted trade show signs. While we often get requests for these type of trade show signs, we recommend against them because they aren't as durable and are more difficult to transport than rollable trade show graphics. But, we have several solutions for those who's situation requires a rigid sign. The least expensive option is the Textured Adhesive Vinyl mounted to foamcore or Gatorfoam. It has the look of textured polycarbonate but is inexpensive, waterproof, and fairly durable. For greater durability, our Economy Adhesive vinyl can be laminated with a textured vinyl laminate that also looks like polycarbonate, but is much less expensive. This can also be mounted on foamcore, Gatorfoam, or Sintra for a durable, rigid graphic. For the highest quality laminated prints, we recommend the Image Pro Satin or Gloss paper. These can be laminated with either Polycarbonate, for the same finish and scratch resistance as our Premium Trade Show graphics, or gloss, satin, or matte vinyl for a different finish and a less expensive option. These can then be mounted on Foamcore, Gatorfoam or Sintra. Sintra is a solid expanded PVC plastic, so it's more durable, but less rigid than foam boards. Gatorfoam is the most durable foam board and the most popular choice, while foam core is the least durable, but the least expensive. All these printing materials can be found under the appropriate categories under the Printing for Indoor Use section, and the laminates and mounting materials will be presented as options when you order.
Normal turnaround time is 4-5 business 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 in 1-2 days. Rush charges are $75 per order. 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.
For high quality prints that look good up close, we recommend files be 150dpi at the actual size they will be printed. Since trade show booth murals can be 10' wide or more, it would be very unusual to have native files that large. However, because trade show displays are often set up in the back of a booth space, it's fairly common for them to be viewed from 5-10 feet away, in which case lower resolution files will work fine. If this is the case with your display, 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.
With some types of trade show graphics, you have to follow certain rules about rolling your graphics a certain way, or keep from rolling them smaller than a certain dimension. This is usually because they're made with inferior materials such as paper, and if you don't follow the rules correctly, the graphics will come apart. We use the finest quality materials available in a balanced one or two piece construction for all our trade show graphics, so there are no specific rules that must followed when rolling or shipping our graphics. Many companies have switched to cheaper products to save money, and because those cheap products have a similar finish, it's easy to pass them off as the same thing, but there is a tremendous difference. That's why we continue to offer the quality options and let others pass off the cheap imitations. Making excuses and having to replace failed graphics is no fun for us, and a giant inconvenience to you, so we won't do it. So, try to roll and store your graphics carefully to help them stay looking good for a long time, but rolling them a certain way isn't usually important. However, rolling graphics that attach with magnets with the image to the outside is a good idea so that any residual curl they develop while stored won't cause them to try to pull away from the magnets on the frame.
Absolutely! For many brands of trade show displays, we know the specifications for the graphics, but for others, we may need some information in order to ensure the graphics are produced properly since each brand and model is a little different and it's important for full mural graphics to be extremely precise. If you can provide us with the brand and model of your display, we can get the necessary information. If you don't know the brand and model, we may need the display, the existing panels, or some detailed measurements in order to produce your new graphics. For pop up booths, there is also panel hanging hardware that is attached to the top, and usually the bottom, of each panel that allows the panels to hook onto the display at the top. Unfortunately, it seems every manufacturer makes these panels hangers differently so if you want to keep your existing graphics in addition to your new ones, you will need new panel hangers as well. Again, with the correct information we can usually get these for you. If you aren't keeping your old graphics, we can remove the old panel hangers and reuse them which will save you some money.
Most people don't realize there are many different kinds of magnets that are used for trade show displays, and every manufacturer seems to use a different kind. It's important to use the type of magnet that matches the display or the graphics won't stick properly. If you have graphics that don't stick to your frame, they either have the wrong kind of magnets, are dirty, or the magnets have lost their strength. Check and make sure the surface of the magnets are clean, as that can obviously have an effect. Also make sure the magnetic channels on the booth itself are clean. If your panels stuck properly at one time but don't stick properly any more, and you've tried cleaning them, they probably need to be replaced. Otherwise, they are most likely the wrong kind. We keep all the different styles of magnet on hand so we can use the correct type for each display. If we don't know, or can't find out, the correct magnets to use for a particular display, we can test your existing display to determine the correct type.
There are several different ways to make panels for trade show displays, and like most things, there are more companies that do what's cheapest and easiest for them rather than what's best for the customer. Since the finished products tend to look similar, it's easy to get away with this, but all kinds of problems can occur when cheap materials are used. The most common problems come from using paper prints to make trade show panels. They will typically have a backer and a laminate to give them the thickness and rigidity necessary, and to make them look like higher end graphics. This kind of three piece construction is a bad idea for rollable graphics, and is particularly bad when there is paper in the center. As the graphics are rolled and unrolled, each part of this makeup is subjected to different stresses depending on which way the graphic is rolled so ultimately the paper in the center is left to absorb this stress and eventually will get peeled apart. The other problem that can damage any graphic is impact on the edges of one of the panels. When this happens, it puts a dent in the graphic and can cause the materials to separate. With a two piece construction, if this kind of impact causes a dent that makes the laminate come up off the graphic, you can simply push it back down. If the graphic is made from paper, this type of impact will cause the paper to split, and there is no way to repair this when it happens. To make matters worse, this will create a weak spot in the graphic that will spread and get worse as the graphics are rolled unrolled. That's why all our trade show graphics are made with a two piece construction that uses opaque polyester base film with a surface laminate. This produces the greatest color depth, best print quality, and greatest durability. The different products we offer use different thicknesses of the base film and laminate, but they are all this two piece construction so that they will stay looking good over a long period of time.
This will obviously depend on the size of your booth space, but the most common size is 10 feet wide. If your goal is to be as economical as possible, the a banner that's approximately 8 feet wide will maximize the visibility while keeping the costs down. You could make the banner the full 10 feet wide, but the edges are usually not easy to see unless you're standing directly in front of your booth space. For the same reason, it's most common to make the height of the banner 3-4 feet tall since the area below that point tends to be obscured by tables, chairs, people, etc. To some extent the specific dimensions will depend on what you want to put on your banner, so it's usually best to determine how wide you want the banner, and then let the height adjust to fit your type, logo, etc.
This is generally not a good idea, but it is possible. If each panel of your booth is different where alignment and color matching isn't an issue, then there's no reason why you couldn't do this, but there are several potential issues if you are trying to replace one or two panels of a continuous mural. Certainly if you are having a different printing company make the new panels, the color will not match your previous panels, and the material itself could easily be different as well. We are particularly good at producing repeatable color, but even so, it could be difficult to get an exact color match to a previous job due to many factors including the fact that the materials get changed by the manufacturers from time to time. Plus, the process of producing a multi-panel mural involves very precise alignment and trimming, so trying to substitute panels later would almost certainly create some alignment issues.
So, while it is possible, we don't recommend doing it unless your design is such that subtle color and alignment differences would not be a problem.
Obviously, if you are creating less than a full mural, you will need to velcro your graphics to the fabric panels that came with your pop up booth. But, if you're creating a full mural, you have the choice to replace the fabric panels with graphic panels, or velcro the graphics to the fabric panels. There are advantages and disadvantages to each option, but it's more common to have graphic panels in place of fabric panels. The advantages to this option are that by eliminating the fabric panels, your have less bulk and weight to travel with, you save time in setting up and taking down your display, and in cases where you are purchasing a new display, you would save money by not purchasing both the fabric panels and graphic panels. The only disadvantages to this option are the lack of flexibility and relative cost of the material. By replacing the fabric, you don't have any other option but to display a full mural. If that's all you ever intend to do, then it's no disadvantage, but if you want the option to display smaller graphics or a partial mural, you will need the fabric panels.
The advantages to graphics that velcro to the fabric are that you can use a lighter weight, less expensive material, you have the flexibility to use smaller, and therefore less expensive graphics, such as a mural that only covers the top half of your booth. The disadvantages to a full mural that velcros to the fabric panels are that you have to travel with both the fabric and graphic panels, and they may not both fit in your display's case. It also will take longer to set up your booth as you first have to hang the fabric panels, and then attach the velcro panels.
Considering all this, for full murals, we recommend graphic panels that replace the fabric panels.
Hook velcro is the scratchy side and loop velcro is the soft side. For attaching to the carpet-like fabric panels of a trade show booth, you would need hook velcro. Some displays that have velcro attachment for the graphics will use the hook side on the display itself, in which case you would need loop velcro on your graphics, but this is more common with banner stands and some sign holders and less common with trade show display graphics.