By Melissa Donovan
An increased interest in lighter weight media is apparent as print service providers (PSPs) look to reduce shipping costs, simplify handling, and improve overall logistics. Fabric continues to be a consideration for many when it comes to trade show graphics, point of purchase displays, and other applications that may be reused and sent to various locations.
Above: Berger Textiles’ Samba is used for impressive advertising and brilliant backlit displays. Its ease of handling and excellent display of contrasting colors have made countless good impressions.
Active Drive
PSPs turn to lighter weight materials like fabric not only because customers are asking for them, but they themselves realize the intrinsic benefits of using fabric in signage applications.
Graphics continue to get larger, points out Larry Ulfig, Berger Textiles channel manager, Brand Management Group. “PSPs and their customers recognize the advantages of materials that are easier to handle and install. In many cases, PSPs recommend lighter weight materials because of these benefits.”
According to Ken Bach, business development director, Aberdeen Fabrics, Inc., freight and handling costs are pushing the use. This is “especially for companies producing graphics for trade shows, retail programs, events, and installations that are shipped repeatedly or distributed to multiple locations.”
“PSPs who ask for lighter weight materials often do so for shipping weight considerations and—depending on their use case, let’s use banner and billboard materials as an example—fabrics can weigh about half of what other materials weigh. Fabric is great, because you can often fold and ship it, saving some of the expenses you’d incur from wider rolls,” explains Leif Kristensen, print media sales, TVF.
Also, fabric is more accepted as a premium display medium than ever before, notes Bach. “Today’s printing technology can produce excellent color, resolution, and consistency on fabric, while the finished graphic is considerably lighter and easier to handle than many traditional rigid or heavier roll materials.”
PSPs and customers recognize the advantages presented by fabric. Bach sees demand coming from both directions. “Some end users are specifically asking for lighter, more sustainable display solutions, while knowledgeable PSPs are also recommending fabric because they recognize the advantages in shipping, storage, installation, appearance, and reuse.”
This also ties into sustainability. “Lightweight materials can contribute not only to lower freight costs but also to reducing the overall environmental footprint of a graphics program,” says Bach. Aberdeen continues to invest in manufacturing efficiencies, including its CleanRTex process, closed-loop production, reduced water consumption, solar energy, and programs focused on recycling end-of-life printed fabrics.
“For many applications, the conversation is no longer simply about the cost per square foot of the media. PSPs and their customers are increasingly looking at the total cost of producing, transporting, installing, storing, and potentially reusing the graphic,” states Bach.
Shipping and Handling
Media weight influences shipping and freight costs, which means print providers turn to lighter weight materials to help combat increasing prices. While fabric costs more per square foot than other printable materials, PSPs can offset that expense with the potential savings in shipping and handling.
Material weight determines how many rolls can be placed on a single skid. “Heavier materials can require additional skids, which increase freight costs. PSPs are increasingly aware that freight is a significant component of the overall cost of a project. As a result, they look beyond the initial media price and consider the total cost, including shipping, handling, and installation,” suggests Ulfig.
Kristensen points out that it’s important to consider weight in relation to a PSP’s in-house printer. “One key factor PSPs must consider is the material weight their printers can handle. If a printer can handle larger rolls, you can fit more fabric onto a pallet and save on freight costs. A lot of people want longer rolls because change outs mean shut downs and then people have to move it around. It’s more room for problems happening to the material. But again, it is printer dependent. A more robust printer can handle the weight.”
Dimension also helps reduce costs. “A fabric graphic can often be folded and packed into a relatively small box rather than shipped on a large roll or in an oversized container. This can reduce not only the actual shipment weight but, just as importantly, the dimensional size of the package. With UPS, FedEx, air freight, and many other carriers using dimensional weight calculations, reducing package size can sometimes be just as valuable as reducing the actual weight,” suggests Bach.
“Shipping costs are also contingent on width. When you can fold lighter weight materials, you save width, which means you conserve on shipping in addition to saving on freight,” adds Kristensen.
Savings multiplies when the digitally printed fabric graphics are shipped repeatedly. Bach gives the example of moving from one trade show to another—or when a national retailer is sending graphics to dozens or hundreds of locations.
Looking at the weight of the fabric and how it reduces shipping costs is one of the ways Bach recommends PSPs consider the complete cost of a job rather than comparing media prices. “A fabric that costs slightly more per square foot may ultimately be the less expensive solution when reductions in freight, packaging, labor, storage, and installation are included.”
Simplify It All
Beyond shipping and handling costs, lightweight materials like fabric can also simplify handling, storage, and installation.
One of the biggest advantages of fabric is its ease in handling. “Large fabric graphics can be handled by one person where a comparable rigid graphic or heavy roll material might require two people,” says Bach. “Less weight reduces the physical effort required by production and installation personnel.”
“When dealing with larger graphic panels, lightweight fabrics are significantly easier for installers to handle and position. This can simplify the installation process, reduce the physical effort required, and make handling large format graphics more manageable,” adds Ulfig.
Other operational advantages include minimized storage requirements, less complicated transportation, quicker installation and change out between jobs, reduced risk of damage, and reuse of the fabric material, lists Bach.
“These benefits can become substantial when print providers are managing large retail rollouts, exhibits, or frequently changing graphics,” adds Bach.
Just because a fabric is lightweight, doesn’t mean it isn’t durable. “There’s still this misconception out there that lightweight fabrics aren’t as strong as heavyweight fabrics, but you have to take it case by case. You can have a 7 oz. material that’s a 1,000×1,000 denier, or you can have an 18 oz. that has no scrim in there and it’s going to rip in half,” notes Kristensen.
Fabric Preferred
Fabric is particularly attractive as a lightweight media. While certain fabrics are lighter in weight than others, the best fabric for the job is based on the intended application and its specific requirements.
“The preferred fabric depends on the application, because the goal is not necessarily to use the lightest fabric available but to use the lightest fabric that still provides the required print quality, opacity, durability, stretch, and appearance,” attests Bach.
For applications such as tension-frame graphics and silicone edge graphics displays, lightweight knitted polyester fabrics are popular alternatives because they combine low weight with good stretch, high print quality, and ease of installation, recommends Bach.
For backlit applications, the fabric must also provide the appropriate light diffusion and color saturation, so the construction may be somewhat heavier than a basic display knit, cites Bach.
“Backlit panels are also often produced in smaller sections, which make them easier to handle and less costly to ship. The combination of lightweight construction and ease of handling can make fabric an attractive alternative for many large format applications,” says Ulfig.
For flag applications, a lightweight material is highly desirable because it allows the fabric to flow and move naturally, which helps attract attention and creates a more dynamic visual presentation, shares Ulfig.
For those applications requiring opacity or blockout performance, a coated or blackback fabric weighs more than a standard knit, but it still offers significant handling and shipping advantages compared with many traditional rigid substrates, notes Bach.
Grayback fabrics are becoming popular, admits Kristensen. “In some ways, they’re easier to work with than traditional blackbacks. With blackbacks, smells and odors are terrible, as you’re burning rubber at 390 degrees. Grayback on the other hand has no odors, are easier to slide on a platen, and just better for the planet. And the grayback can be folded easier than blackback can, so it saves on shipping in smaller packages. The rubber backing of blackbacks can come off on the corners if folded and the corners get rubbed against.”
Providing choice between types of fabric is an important service goal, however, it is one that Bach believes should focus on the intended application and not the material specifications.
“One of Aberdeen’s goals is to help the PSP match the fabric construction to the actual application rather than overspecifying the material. Using the appropriate fabric weight can reduce material consumption, freight, and handling while still delivering the performance the customer requires,” says Bach.
Strength of Fabric
Heaver materials increase freight expenses and make installation more challenging, driving demand for lighter weight alternatives that maintain durability and print performance. As shipping costs continue to rise, lightweight media, like fabric, is becoming an important factor in purchasing decisions.
Despite this, PSPs need to remain aware that just because a lighter weight fabric may save in shipping and freight costs, it doesn’t mean that it is the right material for the job. Always consider the intended application.
Nov2026, Digital Output
