Shake things up with Soft Signage!

You don’t have to look very far these days to notice just how much soft signage has become part of our lives; from the flags on forecourts of car showrooms to the backlit light boxes in retail outlets. Printed textile is everywhere and with good reason.

Firstly, soft signage looks terrific! The combination of new textile technology and the print quality that’s out there means that lightboxes, such as those creating the twinkly and alluring point of sale graphics in department stores or duty free shops at airports, are vibrant, punchy and stand up to close scrutiny. They’re tactile too, giving texture that you simply don’t get from flat boards or posters. Don’t forget that flags are out in the elements, responding to the breeze and this movement is eye-catching which is what signage and advertising is all about.

Secondly, there are the green credentials. Many big retail brands are looking for the more environmentally friendly options and printed textile graphics can provide that with recyclable polyester substrates, some of which are made from recycled material, and if dye-sublimation is your print technology of choice you have the added sales point of aqueous inks.

Printed textile has many logistical benefits. It’s lightweight, economical to transport and it can be folded up without the risk of it being damaged. Textile graphics and soft signage are easy to install and can be taken down and reused again, which again reduce carbon footprint.

The advancements in material technology also mean that a variety of different ink types are suited to soft signage production and textile printing. There are still variations in the finish achievable with each ink type, but for the purposes of sign and graphics applications you’ve got dye sublimation, UV and solvent inks meaning textile printing can be added to many print providers within their existing setup.