How to Design a Fabric Banner for Printing

Using fabric banners for business marketing and events is a classy way to go if you plan to display your banners indoors. There are many reasons to opt for fabric over vinyl banners. First of all, if you have your fabric banner printing done by a reputable company, you should get a 3-5 year guarantee that it will not fade. Secondly, it allows for extremely vivid colors while vinyl is rather limited. Lastly, the printed fabrics are available in many different sizes-even custom sizes-to fit your business’ needs.

Effective Design is Half the Battle

If you’ve decided to design your own fabric banner, there are some very important factors to keep in mind before you deliver the final copy for printing. Following, you’ll find a checklist that you can use to make sure your design is flawless!

• Decide upon the banner material before you create your design. Make sure you select the material that will best display your message. You can have your printing done on satin, polyester, or tri-poplin. Fabrics are available in different weights, too. The heavier the better, generally speaking. Lighter cloth is going to wear out faster with the exception of polyester duck fabric which is both lightweight and durable.

• When you are designing your fabric banner, keep the scope of your message simple. Limiting the number of words in your message makes your message more powerful. Adding too many words or too much information will make it confusing to the potential customers or participants you are trying to reach. Keep it precise and to the point.

• The font that you use is of ultimate importance to the effectiveness of your banner display. The lettering must be plain and easily legible. Although you may be attracted to fancier fonts, remember the plain truth of the matter is that if people can’t read your sign, it’s not going to inform or motivate them to act. Also, your lettering should be large enough to be read from a distance.

• Do you already have a logo or a brand identity? If so, carry that over to your banner design to be consistent and reinforce the visual appearance of your brand in order to make it immediately recognizable to customers. This rule goes beyond fabric banner printing and applies to any online or paper advertising you may do.

• Use colors carefully in your design. Don’t let the palette overload your message. You want to be particularly cautious when using colored lettering. It may be readable to you just because you already know what it says!

• Always consult with an expert before sending your final draft to print. Most reputable banner printing companies have employees on staff who are trained and experienced with effective graphic designs. You might be able to get some great ideas about your layout or the placement of graphics. Keep your mind open and use the suggestions they give you.

Retractable Banners are a Functional Option

If your fabric banner is one that you’ll be using repeatedly, a retractable design is a great idea. The banner is on a roller that enables you to pull it down to display it or retract it when you don’t want it displayed or are putting it in storage. Retractable banners are easy to move around or to take along to business meetings to show off your brand.

Displaying Your Fabric Banner

The fabric banner printing company should send the necessary hardware you’ll need to display your banner. Displaying it correctly is very important. You want it to stay put! Nothing is less impressive than a banner that’s in the process of falling down, wrinkled, or rolled up. Most fabric banners are hung with poles. A pole pocket is sewn into the banner at the top and bottom. The poles are made with eyelets in the ends so you can hang them with string or rope. A smaller pole is threaded through the bottom to help the banner hang straight.