The Benefits of Fabric Printing for Events & Exhibitions

Exhibit Hire has evolved from furniture hire into a multi-disciplinary event and exhibition company. As we evolve and move forward with our ear to the ground our client list grows due to the fact that we are always embracing the latest technology and working practices to further enhance the visual effect and return on investment of client projects the best way we know how.

 

 

The Fabric Printing Process 

If you happen to visit an event or an exhibition lately in the UK or globally you will notice that event and exhibitions are now moving from familiar materials such as wood, plastics, vinyls etc. and are now more often constructed from fabrics and specialised aluminium framing which is prominent in the design of many exhibition stands. Fabric is now replacing many of the temporary walls and structures for events and exhibitions. The main reason for this is the overwhelming advantages which have arisen by using fabric printing as an alternative to conventional methods. Fuelling this popularity of fabric printing and using fabric as a substrate for event and exhibition components typically reduces the overall weight of the graphics, which lowers shipping costs and improves ease of handling. In addition to this, using fabric increases the reusability of graphics and generally enhances the appearance of the finished components. Even if the initial cost of a fabric product is more than convention method products, the return on investment is greater because of the longevity and elegance of the fabric project overall. Using fabric as a substrate and dye sublimation as a process enables our event and exhibition designers to design and build stands that challenge their own design capabilities and create truly amazing projects which were previously not possible. 

 

Advantages - Dye Sublimation Printing Process

• Sublimation is one of the very few methods you can print full colored images onto hard surfaces.
• It has a relatively low learning curve compared with screen printing.
• Almost unlimited colors to choose from. Thousands of colors can be produced with sublimation (even if you choose a 4 color printer) and it doesn’t cost extra to add additional colors to your design.
• Same cost to print one item or 1000 items so no need for minimum orders, and perfect for 1-up items and promotional items for small businesses, schools, charities, sports teams, parties, reunions, and many more!
• Complete customisation! The advantage of digital sublimation printing is that no plates are required, so it is ideal for customising designs with changing elements such as names, numbers, etc.
• Sublimation is quick and easy to produce, allowing for same day or same hour printing, as well as on demand printing that reduces risk and wastage.

 

Disadvantages - Dye Sublimation Printing Process

• Substrates need to be polyester coated or made of polyester fabric.
• Substrates need to be white or light colored. You cannot print onto dark or black colored items.
• Printers tend to clog if not used for extended periods of time. With the introduction of Ricoh printers, the clogging risk has been significantly reduced. However we still recommend doing a nozzle check once a week.
• Sublimation inks are relatively expensive compared with OEM inks. This will need to be factored in when pricing your products.
• Color Management issues. With the installation of the PowerDriver, colour management problems have been significantly reduced. As with all printers, colour management issues will vary depending on the graphic/photograph.

 

We have given you our spin on this so it's up to you to decide. Exhibit Hire believe this is the future and believe the future is now looking bright for all your up and coming events and exhibitions for 2020 and beyond. If you would like more information or advice on how we can help you going forward please do not hesitate to contact us via our email sales@exhibithire.co.uk.