How About a Banner?

They are everywhere!  From sporting events to Art in the Park... At birthday parties, vacation bible schools, store fronts and educational workshops - Vinyl Banners are an attractive and inexpensive way to promote your business, organization, or event.  Let's take a couple of minutes to explore banner signage and help you determine if there is a banner option that is right for you.

Why are banners so popular?

Banners have several characteristics that make them desirable tools for effective advertising.  In a word, banners are versatile!  The material used to make vinyl banners is UV and fade resistant.  Banners can be sized to meet almost any situation or need, from small to absolutely enormous.  They can very easily and quickly be displayed almost anywhere, and in most cases, without the need for special equipment, tools or professional skills.  Banners can be one-sided, double-sided, frontlit, or backlit translucent.  The flexible vinyl media can be rolled up for compact storage and simple transport.  With properly designed graphics and full-color printing, banners can take on a highly professional, dynamic and eye-catching appearance.  In addition to all of these benefits, banners are surprisingly durable and extremely affordable.  

Banner Design Principles and Tips

So, you've got a message or ad you want to share with the world and a banner would be perfect!  Now, what should you consider in terms of design?  First, It is important to understand what a banner is, and just as importantly, what it isn't.  A banner is not a large brochure.  Banners are primarily attention getters, meant to catch the eye of passersby.  Think of billboards along the highway.  Vehicle passengers only have a few seconds to see and process the message.  Successful ads are succinct, resourceful and often clever.  For some time I have enjoyed the art of logo design, where the goal is to create a simple yet memorable symbol that represents the business or organization in a positive way.  When you think of the logos for large corporations, what comes to mind?  Apple, McDonalds, Nike, FedEx, Wal-Mart, Target?  These companies have invested big money in research and development to create logos that appeal to their customers, but you and I can learn a lot for free just through observation.  What do these logos all have in common?  They are incredibly simple and easily recognizable at a glance.  Similar principles apply when designing your banner.

One of the main goals is to convey your message in as few words as possible, and those words should be sufficiently large and very easy to read.  Avoid the temptation to clutter your banner with a lot of distracting details.  Remember, this isn't a brochure.  Share the headlines on the banner and provide the details elsewhere.

When selecting colors and graphics - bright colors can help a banner stand out but color contrast is most important.  Background colors and graphics should compliment the text and never overpower or distract from it. Any text in your design should be a contrasting color from the background and should easily stand out.

Size matters - at least in the case of signage.  When determining banner size, you should consider where the banner will be displayed and at what distance your audience will be viewing it.  Small banners are better suited for intimate or more confined spaces, while larger spaces may require larger signage.  As a general rule, text characters 2" in height can typically be read from a distance of 50 feet.  Of course, 2" is a minimum size for that distance, and other factors including boldness of text and color contrast can play a role in visibility.  Bottom line - if you aren't sure,  you might want to go bigger.

Prroofread, Proofreid, Proofread...  (See what I did there?)  Mistakes happen and we ain't judging, but displaying a message to the world with spelling and grammatical errors is not a good look.  If spelling and grammar isn't your thing, have other trusted friends or associates proofread for you.  It's too late once the banner goes to print.                   

There are some wonderful tools out there for amateur designers.  Free online design programs like Canva have taken the world by storm.  Many of these programs offer clipart, photos and graphics for your use.  Avoid using graphics, fonts and images that are copyrighted or licensed.  You are welcome to create your own design or let us work with you to design a beautiful banner.

Indoor/Outdoor Vinyl Banners

What makes a quality vinyl banner? The answer to this question really depends on how the banner is going to be used.  Banners are considered short to medium-term signage with a limited life span. Of course, the longevity of your banner will depend on the conditions in which the banner is displayed.  Banners kept in climate-controlled indoor settings can potentially last much longer than those subject to harsh outdoor environments. Banners designed for indoor use are typically thinner and lighter. For outdoor banners, strength is the name of the game.  You want a banner that can handle the elements and won't be damaged easily in windy conditions.

First, let's discuss banner material weight, which is measured in ounces per square yard.  Banner material weights can range from about 8 oz up to 22 oz.  Some companies will tout the material weight of their banners as a demonstration of quality and strength.  While there is some credence to this, material weight is not the best indicator of banner durability and strength.  The better indicator of banner strength is scrim.

Scrim is a polyester mesh reinforcement that is sandwiched between two layers of vinyl, and it is the primary component that gives the banner its strength.  Scrim is measured in denier, or the thickness of individual fibers used in a textile.  In basic terms, the higher the denier, the thicker the scrim material and the stronger the banner.  For example, a 10 oz. banner with a denier count of 500 may be stronger than a 13 oz. banner with a denier count of 250. You can find banners with a denier count as low as 200 x 200, but a denier count of 500 x 500 is more common.  A denier count above 600 is considered extremely durable and suitable for military and industrial textiles.  At VM Prints we construct vinyl banners as large as 5 feet in width from a high quality 13 oz. scrim banner with a denier count of 1,000 x 1,000 to provide exceptional durability at an excellent price!

Wind-Resistant Mesh Banners vs Banner Slits

Outdoor banners are essentially like windsails, so it isn't surprising that most outdoor banners eventually fail due to wind damage.  In attempt to mitigate this problem, companies began offering the option of cutting half-moon shaped slits in the surface of banners to reduce the wind load.  While this method accomplishes the desired effect, it creates potentially bigger problems.  These slits introduce multiple weak points in the banner that are prone to tearing prematurely, shortening the banner's lifespan.  Additionally, the banner's appearance suffers from having large slits cut into its printed graphics.

Luckily, there is an alternative option for windy conditions that yields much better results.  Mesh banners are designed to significantly reduce banner wind load by utilizing engineered perforations in the surface of the banner while retaining strength and appearance.  Mesh banners are categorized by a ratio of printable surface area versus void space within the banner media.  A common mesh banner is 70/30, which means the banner has 70 percent printable surface area with 30% void space.  The perforations, or void space, in the banner media allows wind to pass

through the banner reducing the wind load while retaining sufficient surface area to produce vibrant prints.  Like the previous banners discussed, mesh banners are strengthened by polyester scrim.  VM Prints can produce full-color 8 oz mesh banners as large as 5 feet in width with a scrim denier count of 500 x 1000 for high durability at affordable pricing.

Indoor Banners

While scrim banners are durable for outdoor use, they can certainly be used indoors as well.  However, there are lighter weight banners that are designed specifically for indoor or temporary outdoor use.  These banners can be single or double-sided, and are available in smooth formats for a cleaner and more sophisticated look.  They can be hung or utilized in a variety of free-standing display stands, including popular retractable stands.  These smooth banners are typically unhemmed and with anti-curl edges.  VM Prints offers 12 oz smooth blockout banners with optional display stands to meet your advertising needs. 

Banner Finishing Options (Hemming and Grommets)

There are multiple options for finishing banners.  First, let's discuss banner hemming options.

• Unhemmed -  It has already been mentioned that indoor banners are often unhemmed with anti-curl edges.  While hemming of outdoor banners is usually recommended to increase durability and mitigate fraying of the edges, hemming may not always be necessary.  Banner-ups is a company whose products have done a lot to change the banner finishing landscape.  (We are not affiliated with or compensated in any way by Banner-ups, but we have used their products and have been impressed with the results.) Banner-ups manufactures a product called Power Tape for unhemmed banners.  Power Tape is one-sided reinforcement tape that is applied to the backside edges of unhemmed banners to add durability and help reduce fraying.  Only in rare cases where banners will be used for very short-term situations should banners be left unhemmed without reinforcement.

• Double-sided Taped Hem - One of the most common methods for hemming banner edges is the use of hem tape.  There are many versions and manufacturers of hem tape in the sign market, and naturally, some are better than others.  Hem tape is a double-sided tape (usually 1" or 1 1/2" wide) with extremely strong adhesive that is applied to the edges along the back-side of the banner.  The edges of the banner are then folded over the tape bonding the material and creating a hem.  If done properly with a quality hem tape, this method can produce a durable hem that will last the life of the banner.

• Heat-welded Hem - Bigger companies that produce banners in large quantities most commonly use a method for hemming known as heat welding.  In this method, the edges of the banner are folded and pressed between heat platens that permanently fuse or "weld" the hem together.  The advantages of heat welding are related as much to production cost as quality.  That isn't to say that heat welding doesn't produce a durable and attractive hem - it certainly can.  It just means that alternative methods for hemming can be durable and attractive as well.  Companies who produce mass quantities of banners often opt for heat welding to reduce production times and to avoid the long-term costs of consumable materials associated with other hemming methods.

• Sewn/Stitched Hem - Though not as common, some companies offer sewn/stitched banner hems.  This method of hemming is done using a double-stitch sewing machine that sews durable double stitches along the folded banner's edges.  Sometimes preferred for its unique appearance,  stitching can also be beneficial when adding nylon reinforcement into the hems of certain banners to serve as grommet anchors, especially in large mesh banners.

At VM Prints we use either taped or heat-welded hems on our banners.  Bottom line, any of these methods can produce a quality hem with a clean finished look and reinforced grommets.  

Now let's take a look at grommet options.  Most banners are made with grommets for hanging.  However, some banners may not require grommets depending on how the banner will be used.  If using grommets, the following are the most common grommet options in the industry:

• Metal Grommets -  Metal grommets are far and away the most popular grommet type installed in the majority of banners sold.  These grommets come in different colors, the most common being brass, nickel, and black.  Metal grommets start out as two separate parts, a male part with a barrel and a female washer.  These parts are inserted into a grommet press and are punched through the hem of the banner in multiple locations using compression.  Once installed, the grommets are permanently affixed to the banner media and can be used to hang the banner.  Metal grommets are attractive and effective for their purpose, and have stood the test of time in the sign industry.

• Banner-Ups - We previously mentioned this company when discussing banner hem tape, but Banner-Ups has an entire line of products designed for finishing banners.  At the date of this article, the most popular Banner-Up product promoted as a viable alternative to metal grommets is their Bravo Tabs.  Basically, Bravo Tabs are 1 7/8" square plastic tabs with a very strong adhesive backing.  Each tab is pre-punched with a 5/16" hole.  These tabs are adhered on opposing sides (front & back) of the banner at the corners and along the edges of the hems so that the 5/16" holes align.  A hole punch is then used to punch through the banner material inside of these holes to serve as grommets.  Since traditional metal grommets are synonymous with vinyl banners, Banner-Ups has faced a tough challenge in changing customer perception.  That being said, they have definitely shaken up the market and are becoming more and more common among sign shops for a few reasons:

1. Metal grommets look strong, but we've all seen banners with grommets that have pulled through the material and are no longer effective.  Bravo-tabs have a wider surface area than grommets and distribute the stress of the load more effectively, resulting in superior strength.  This has been demonstrated through independent wind-tunnel testing.
2. Bravo Tabs are completely clear and less noticeable than metal grommets, allowing the banner's graphics to be visible through the tabs for a better appearance.
3. Bravo Tabs require no expensive tools or equipment for installation, unlike metal grommets which require a grommet press.
4. Bravo Tabs are economically competitive and can be installed just as quickly as grommets.  

VM Prints offers metal grommets standard, or Bravo Tabs as an upgraded option.

Everyone's needs vary, and we hope the information we have shared will help you to make an informed decision about which options are best in your situation.  We would love to build a beautiful banner for you!  Please let us know how we can help.