Soft Signage
What is soft signage?
Soft signage is a printing industry term used to describe digitally printed fabric signs. The term is not often used outside of the printing industry itself however it refers to printed fabrics such as Silicone Edge Graphics (SEG), dye sublimation, and textile printing for items such as backlit displays, tents, table coverings, Point of Purchase (POP) displays and backdrops for events or trade show use. Basically any object that can be made of or covered by fabric has the potential to be used as a soft sign to help promote your business services and products.
Why choose soft signage?
The benefit of printing on soft fabrics rather than hard rigid materials may not immediately be obvious, but there are several reasons one might choose a soft sign for use in a variety of situations. One of the best reasons to utilize soft signs is that they are environmentally friendly. Printed cotton signs are sustainable and fabric can last much longer than plastic banners. Printed soft sign fabric makes a perfect backlit display or block out to create a coordinated effect at a trade show booth. Thick fabrics work very well to block out light in open air shows especially when printed with dark colors. Alternately, using thin fabric with light colors creates eye-catching backlit displays for indoor events and trade shows. And again unlike rigid plastic materials fabrics have superior durability and will not warp or risk breakage during transport. Soft signage printed fabrics include sewn or silicon edge finishes further strengthening the signs. Often printed on a polyester–based textile or natural fiber such as cotton or cotton blends, soft signage options allow a great deal of customization for the discerning customer. Soft signage has evolved to encompass a wide range of applications, including:
- Backlit displays
- Trade show graphics
- Retail store decorative elements
- Banners
- Flags
Soft signage printed fabrics display vibrant color to good effect and create beautiful artistic prints that can be used as wall dividers for offices or trade show booths. Gallery wraps and canvas printed custom art will liven up any wall and even furniture can be wrapped in custom printed graphics. Bring in any bolt of fabric to your local SpeedPro location and we can print whatever graphics your heart desires on it to fully customize your home or office interior décor. The only limit to what can be displayed on soft signage printed textiles is your imagination.
Silicone Edge Graphics (SEG) are fabrics which are dye sublimated with a thin silicon strip finishing sewn directly into the graphic. The entire piece is then placed inside a special frame with flexible strips to create a snug display. SEG graphics are a type of soft signage that offers wrinkle free solution for fabric displays using applied tension. SEG displays produce photo-quality images and can be backlit for good effect to catch the eye of passersby. Dye-sublimation uses heat to transfer the ink directly onto fabric giving it a larger than life finish. Dye-sublimation is the technology leader for printing soft signage and textiles. Formerly a two-step process of printing on paper and then transferring to fabric was the norm, however the technology has advanced to the point where textiles can be directly printed and the images are sublimated deep into the weave of the fabric.
