This story is an excerpt from an article which appeared in Sign Builder Illustrated magazine in 2006.
Although digitally-printed textiles currently represent a very small segment of the signage market, manufacturers see the potential of this fast growing market and have invested in developing top coated fabrics for solvent, ecosolvent and UV inkjet printers. While many of these textile substrates are more expensive than vinyl banners, printed fabric banners project an upscale appearance that warrants its higher price.
By adding printed fabric banners to your portfolio of products and services, you make the most of your printer investment, because your equipment can be printing on these additional substrates rather than sitting idle.
Use of fabric media at this time is not widespread. Because very few sign shops are fabricating fabric banners, printing on these textiles provides you with a way to differentiate yourself from other sign shops. By being more flexible in your product offerings, you can provide your customers some unique and creative solutions for their graphics requirements. Because the media is new and unique, profit margins are typically higher for fabric banners than for vinyl banners. Read more »