By Cassandra Balentine
It is the season for community events. From farmer’s markets to music festivals, road races, and craft fairs, there is no doubt that outdoor activities are popular in the Spring, Summer, and Fall.
Gatherings like these often attract vendors from near and far to promote products, services, and brands. This is done with the help of printed graphics on functional and easy-to-assemble items like tabletop banners, tents, awnings, and tablecloths/table throws.
These products are generally used multiple times, so they must withstand storage, travel, packing, and unpacking. The possibility that they will be utilized for short-term outdoor use should be taken into account when selecting the materials, inks, and printing process.
Above: Beaver Paper’s TexStyles Soft Knit 701 is a polyester fabric, which is well suited for flat or contoured structures, decorative accents, overhead signage, and wall murals.
Textile Selection
Certain fabrics are well suited for promotional applications like printable tabletops and tents. Media selection depends on the ultimate end use.
Tabletops and tents are commonly used to present branding and messaging at events, some of which may be held outdoors. These purposeful graphics are typically reused for short spans of time. They should be durable enough to withstand travel, shipping, packaging, and repacking.
“The ideal fabric media for tabletops and tents depends on the environment. For outdoor settings, a polyester fabric treated with a durable water resistant (DWR) coating is recommended. This coating protects the fabric from rain by causing water to bead up on the surface instead of being absorbed into the fabric. This feature is especially useful for tents, as it ensures that people and items under the tent remain dry even during inclement weather. For stretch tabletops, the fabric’s stretch and recovery is a key characteristic to enable a tight fit around the frame and give a smooth, seamless appearance,” shares Sharon Roland, director of marketing, Fisher Textiles Inc.
For these applications, Ken Bach, business development director, Aberdeen Fabrics, Inc., recommends a lightweight fabric known as soft knit, which weighs approximately five ounces. He points out that tent fabric, sourced from China, may offer waterproofing but often lacks stretchability.
Tablecloths and table throws are another popular promotional printed fabric.
To protect tablecloths from spills during dining, Roland suggests selecting a fabric treated with DWR. However, if food and drinks are not involved, a polyester heavy knit fabric can be used instead, as it is typically less expensive and just as effective. “It is also helpful for tablecloths to have wrinkle-resistant qualities, which can eliminate the need for ironing or steaming,” she adds.
Bach points out that typically, table throws are designed for indoor use; however, the same fabric can also be used outdoors when necessary. “Printed fabric, especially, is well suited for short-term outdoor applications.”
For fabric-based, functional signage used outdoors withstanding the elements is a necessity.
“Fabric is ideal for short-term outdoor applications, particularly for durations under six months, as both the fabric itself and dye-sublimation (dye-sub) ink can be adversely affected by UV rays over prolonged exposure. Despite this limitation, using fabric outdoors offers numerous advantages, including ease of installation, reduced glare, sustainability, and efficient shipping,” explains Bach.
Reuse
One major benefit of textile-based signage is its ability to be reused. However, proper care and consideration must be taken into account for these items to live out their expected lifespan.
In terms of print processes, Jeff Mills, fabric product manager, Beaver Paper & Graphic Media Inc., points out that dye-sub printing is an excellent way to have the colors embedded in the fabric. “The fabric can easily be washed in case the tabletops get dirty without losing vibrancy or durability.”
Roland shares that DWR treatment typically lasts around 50 washings. “The print should last even longer if not used for long periods of time outdoors and stored inside a cool, dark place.”
Bach points out that when printing isn’t tailored to a specific event, displays can be reused for years. Fabric—being washable and foldable—is particularly resilient, minimizing the risk of damage during removal.
Tabletops used for trade shows or special occasions may have a use of two to three times before they are discarded, comments Mills.
Round Up
Many media manufacturers offer printable textiles that are well suited for promotional items like tabletop banners and tents, tablecloths, table throws, and awnings.
Aberdeen prides itself on offering a range of table throws that excel in both lightweight high opacity and snug, stretchy fits for various table styles. “What truly distinguishes us is our commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices,” shares Bach. “We revolutionized our processes to produce fabric without generating any wastewater or releasing microplastics into the water stream during manufacturing. This dedication to sustainability makes our fabric one of the most eco-friendly choices in the market.”
Aurora Specialty Textiles Group, Inc. offers Accent Soft Knit 5 FR, a medium weight 100 percent polyester warp knit fabric, commonly referred to as a celtic cloth. This fabric has a bright white shade, while demonstrating great wrinkle resistance and outstanding printability. Accent Soft Knit 5 FR is treated to meet the NFPA 701 small scale flammability standard. A UV and dye-sub transfer printable fabric, either side is compatible for printing.
Beaver Paper’s TexStyles Soft Knit polyester fabric is well suited for flat or contoured structures, decorative accents, overhead signage, and wall murals. Soft Knit is available for dye-sub transfer and direct to film. It is 100 percent polyester, offers vivid color reproduction, very stable with minimal shrinkage, and meets NFPA 701.
“Beaver Paper has always suggested Soft Knit to be used as a fabric for tabletops as a dye-sub solution. In the past two years we have suggested our TexStyles NatureSeries Soft Knit in alignment with our focus on sustainable fabrics,” shares Mills.
Because a tabletop (drape) typically has a limited number of times they are used before they are discarded in a landfill, Mills suggests its TexStyles NatureSeries Soft Knit fabric because of the enhanced biodegradability feature. “A typical polyester fabric will take hundreds of years to biodegrade in a landfill and our fabric will biodegrade at the same rate as a natural fiber like wool. This enhanced biodegradability is a result of an additive called CiCLO, which is added during the yarn manufacturing process.”
Mills adds that the fabric is not a waterproof product to be used for the outdoors.
For outdoor tents, Fisher Textiles offers GF 1010 Element, a bright white, 100 percent polyester fabric with a DWR treatment that is sturdy and excellent for outdoor banners. Stocked 125 inches wide, it weighs 8 ounces per square yard. Roland says a more sustainable option for table tops and tents is its ET 5351 Waterfall, made with 100 percent post-consumer recycled polyester and treated with DWR. It contains 48.7 (500 ml) recycled water bottles per linear yard. Stocked 125 inches wide, it weighs 7.7 ounces per square yard.
For tabletops, Fisher Textiles’ GF 5019 Symmetry features a nice stretch and contains ten percent Spandex. Stocked 126 inches wide, it is 5 ounces per square yard. “We also offer this fabric in black with no-bleed yarns that are 100 percent colorfast and won’t fade when washed,” shares Roland.
For tablecloths, Fisher Textiles’ GF 5355 Cascade is the softest waterproof product that the company offers. Stocked 122 inches wide, it weighs 6.9 ounces per square yard. A heavy knit option for tablecloths is GF 1708 Heavy Knit, it is wrinkle resistant and moderately opaque. Stocked 126 inches wide, it weighs 6.8 ounces per square yard. The company also offers this in a “green” version, ET 9708 Heavy Knit made with 100 percent post-consumer recycled polyester and contains 40 recycled water bottles per linear yard. “One thing that sets us apart from the competition is that we are very generous in our sample policy and want customers to test and approve fabrics before purchase,” adds Roland.
Now with the acquisition of Verseidag, Serge Ferrari Group has become a one-stop shop for nearly all textile print media. From indoor and outdoor advertising such as retail/point of purchase displays, wallcoverings and exhibits, to printable awnings and building facades membranes, Serge Ferrari offers a variety of options, including PVC and phthalate free, GreenGuard and OEKO-TEX certified, Reach compliant, and recyclability at the end of service life.
TVF is a leading supplier of outdoor print media fabric. Only attractive, consistent materials are selected for use. Quality vinyl print media fabrics make excellent frontlit displays due to strong, waterproof constructions. Mesh fabric has an open build to allow airflow, making it a smart choice for banners or building wraps in windy regions. Many of its lightweight polyester outdoor fabrics feature mildew- and UV-resistant properties optimal for flags and banners.
UFabrik Tent Textile is a heavyweight woven textile that is both water and airtight. It features a lotus-effect print face, making it the preeminent textile for gazebos, marquees, canopies, tents, and outdoor event graphics. It also boasts 80 percent plus opacity—highly advantageous to these types of applications. UFabrik Tent Textile is designed for direct or paper transfer without any ink offset when wet and can be stored without issues.
Ultraflex Systems Inc.’s VorTex Soft Stretch T222 is a 6.48 oz. knitted polyester fabric optimized for dye-sub transfer printing. It is more opaque than comparable stretch products on the market, which allows the product to be used in a range of applications; especially in installations where opacity is needed to hide frame and tubing structures. VorTex Soft Stretch T222 is fire resistant and available up to 126 inches wide.
Digitally Printed Textiles
Many textiles are utilized for functional signage like tabletops, awnings, and tablecloths. Depending on the intended end use, considerations for durability take into account packing and unpacking and potential weather when used short-term outdoors.
Jul2024, Digital Output
