Adorning creative and colorful banners are usually a great way to promote an area or event. It adds beauty and color to any location of interest. It’s also an effective advertisement tool since it has the power to draw attention and send any required message. They are quite popular in decoration of towns, resorts, hotels, real estate and several other locations that may need some form of promotion. It’s also a common sight at birthdays, weddings and several other events. Banners are usually made from a wide range of materials, mostly vinyl and fabric. Each of the different materials having its strength, flaws and ideal application. For your reading pleasure, we’ve tried to compare the two and also highlight their possible applications. The aim is not to show that vinyl is bad, or that fabric is good, instead, we say both vinyl and fabric are equally good and bad, solely depending on how and where you want to use them. Below, we’ve put together some things to consider before choosing vinyl or fabric as your banner material.
Price
If you have ever researched on event or advert banners, you’ll probably already know that fabric banners have a higher price tag than their vinyl counterparts. This is partly because of vinyl prints faster and requires much less ink than fabric. Also, the fabric itself as a material is costlier than wholesale vinyl. Cost of printing coupled with that of fabric material makes the fabric a costlier choice for banners. So, if you are running on a low budget or simply cash strapped, you might want to consider planning for vinyl banners. However, price shouldn’t be the ultimate consideration when deciding between vinyl and fabric. Always endeavor to strike a balance between price and value.
Maintenance And Cleaning
Both vinyl and fabric banners can be cleaned and reused, but each has its unique cleaning challenges. Vinyl banners are not entirely machine washable so you may need to manually use soap and water for cleaning. This could be quite a tedious process especially if you are dealing with stubborn stains on a huge vinyl banner. On the contrary fabric banners is machine washable. Most times, all it takes to clean a fabric banner is to take it off its frame and feed to a washing machine. If you’re planning to use a bannerless than once a week or about twice or so a month, then you might also consider vinyl in your list of choices. However, it’s advisable to be cautious about purchasing vinyl banners if you are hoping to use it constantly daily for a long period. Fabric banners are super great if you are planning frequent usage partly because they are quite easy to clean and very portable. If you need an easy to maintain banner, click here for great fabric banners.
Durability
Banners, especially those that are used outdoors are exposed to a considerable amount of wind, rainfall, and sunlight. When the wind gets intense, you can count on the thickness and toughness of vinyl banners to keep it safe. However, the same cannot be said of fabric banners, mostly made from nylons, satin, and polyester which are much less tough materials. And then there’s the issue of moisture which could push a banner towards a much faster deterioration. Though banners used outdoors are exposed to a huge amount of moisture, vinyl banners are much less susceptible to damages as a result of moisture as compared to fabric. Though it’s probably better to set up your banners away from the rain, sometimes it could be unavoidable. Vinyl banners can withstand most outdoor weather conditions much more than fabric. Similarly, text and pictures on banners can also easily fade out as a result of constant exposure to sunlight. While fabric banners could fade out easily when exposed to the sun, vinyl banners are generally more resistant to Ultraviolet rays.
Quality Finishes And Appearance
Top-notch! That’s the quality of work an average client needs form any banner designer. There is no straight and simple answer to which option offers the best quality between vinyl or fabric. Nonetheless, if you need a banner that will attract visitors during an event to take pictures in front of, fabric banners are usually the go-to option. Fabric banners are especially good at absorbing light and looking greatly appealing making them a picturesque spot for taking pictures. During any photo ops, fabric banners will absorb lights and camera flashes, leaving the banner looking top-notch and forestalling any form unattractive reflections. Vinyl banners, on the other hand, aren’t particularly the best for photo ops since they reflect light and can significantly affect the quality of photos taken. For the best quality finishes and appearance, click here for great fabric banners.
All in all, vinyl banners are generally much more durable and last longer. They are better for outdoor displays and cheaper in price. Similarly, fabric banners are good for photo ops and especially when you need the best possible indoor appearance you can get from a banner. They are easier to maintain and much more visually appealing.