To sew or not to sew?
Any indoor banners can be sewn, as they should prove durable no matter what kind of thread is used, given the lack of the sun’s UV rays, which can otherwise lead to thread breakdown.
Hems should be sewn, although for large outdoor banners, they should also be reinforced with seatbelt webbing. Back-to-back pole banners with sewn pockets should have webbing on the sides only.
A special sewing machine called a serger is recommended when sewing stretch fabrics, so the seams will stretch with the fabric. It is also known as an overlocking sewing machine.
With outdoor banners, it is important to be more careful about sewing options. A cotton or clear thread will not last more than a month. Multiple panels should never be sewn together to create one large banner; they should always be welded instead.
Sewing is reasonably inexpensive, fast and strong. Welding is stronger, but slower and more expensive. Tape requires no tools, but can be finicky and is only suitable for smaller banners.
To Weld or not to weld?
As suggested, when assembling a banner that has been printed on more than one panel, welding is a must. In this context, the process is referred to as banner seaming, banner joining or multi-panel banner finishing.
There are several different technologies available for welding banner material. Each has its pros and cons, depending on the specific material being printed (see Chart 1).
To reinforce or not to reinforce?
There are only a handful of banner finishes that can actually be reinforced—and not all of them really should. These scenarios include reinforced hem, pocket, grommet and corners.
Arash Ejtemaee is president and chief banner problem solver for Shomi! in Mississauga, Ont., which sells banner hardware and finishing services exclusively to resellers in the sign, marketing and visual graphics industries. This article is based on a series of pieces he wrote for the Shomi! website and on a ‘banner school’ seminar he presented at the Sign Association of Canada’s (SAC’s) 2013 CONSAC trade show and conference. For more information, visit www.shomi.ca.
