Create impressive visuals with our 5-meter textile range!
(By Floris Jan van den Heuvel, Texo Trade Services | TTS)
Everything starts with an image, but to showcase it perfectly in a lightbox, the right textile is crucial. It's all about the interplay of image, light, and material. The appropriate textile ensures even light distribution and reveals the true power of colors. Another important aspect is whether the fabric is foldable and if wrinkles and fold lines can be smoothed out afterward. Which lightbox textile delivers the greatest visual impact in retail, trade shows, and various interior applications? And what about different printing techniques, durability, and other key factors? These are questions we frequently receive from our customers. We are pleased to share our expertise on this subject.
It's important to understand the difference between woven and knitted fabrics, as well as their advantages and disadvantages. Both types have unique properties. Knitted fabrics usually have more stretch, are easy to cold-cut, and do not fray. They are widely used for soft signage, such as silicone edge graphics and flags. Woven fabrics are generally more stable, have fewer holes, and are ideal as a base for coatings. Uncoated wovens may fray after cutting, but this can be resolved with laser cutting or overlocking during confection. Due to their construction, wovens have limited elasticity, but this can be addressed by adding elastic yarns.
For printing textiles for soft signage applications, there are four printing techniques: UV, sublimation, latex, and solvent. However, for lightbox applications, we advise against solvent and latex inks, as they often do not deliver the desired color intensity.
UV printing offers flexibility as you lose minimal material during in- and output, and it doesn't require fixation. In theory, it can print on uncoated fabric, but for optimal results, we recommend a coating on the print side of the fabric. The coating ensures better ink adhesion and more intense colors.
Sublimation, whether direct or via transfer, provides excellent results in a lightbox. Sublimation achieves deep ink penetration and intense color reproduction, but only if the fabric is suitable and printed correctly. Sublimation requires attention to details like shrinkage and ink migration, which can negatively affect the final result. Therefore, knowledge of the fabric and print settings is essential.
Direct dye sublimation is the preferred printing technique for those seeking a lightbox with the most intense colors and a fabric that can be easily folded for shipping. In this process, the ink is printed directly onto the polyester fabric without transfer paper. However, there are some considerations.
Drying process: To achieve a powerful result, the amount of ink must be increased, making drying more challenging. If the ink isn't fully dry and the fabric is rolled up, the ink can transfer to the back of the roll, which is unforgivingly visible in a lightbox.
Shrinkage: When sublimating—directly or via transfer—always account for fabric shrinkage. Polyester will shrink slightly due to the heat needed to fix the ink. Therefore, it's important to adjust the print file accordingly to ensure the final dimensions are correct.
Ink migration: Ink migration occurs more frequently with coated fabrics, as the coating acts as a catalyst for the ink. It rarely occurs with uncoated fabrics. A PVC silicone edge can also enhance this effect, especially if it comes into contact with the fabric during storage or transport. Whether ink migration occurs depends on multiple factors: the type of ink, fixation, the composition of the silicone edge, and how the fabric is stored. To determine if ink migration occurs, we recommend always testing with the finishing materials and folding methods to be used. Ink migration can be prevented by using alternative finishing materials.
It's important not to take textile directly from storage and start printing. A roll should acclimatize at room temperature for at least 24 hours before printing. A roll taken directly from a cold storage area can cause condensation and/or printing issues.
Drying of ink, shrinkage, and ink migration are not issues with UV printing, making it much simpler. However, ink adhesion is a factor. Using a coated textile ensures ink adhesion. The coating on the fabric also prevents fraying. Color strength with UV inks is particularly good, and another advantage is that you lose relatively little material during startup. UV printers often require fewer meters for tensioning the textile compared to the sublimation process. The main disadvantage is that UV inks make the fabric stiffer, and the ink is more prone to cracking when the fabric is folded. We therefore recommend folding loosely and carefully.
Our coatings are water-based, made from polyurethane (PU) or polyacrylate (PA). Sometimes the coating consists of a single layer, but for specific applications, multiple layers are applied. A print coating is located on the print side of the fabric and is suitable for printing techniques such as UV, latex, or solvent. The print coating also ensures light diffusion, making it essentially 2-in-1. For fabrics intended for sublimation, the coating is on the back. Here, the coating is applied solely to improve the fabric's light diffusion. In that case, you print on the (uncoated) polyester side of the fabric. The downside of any form of coating on textile is that it makes the fabric stiffer and less resilient to wrinkles and folds. For UV inks, a coating on the print side is essential to achieve deep colors and ensure ink adhesion. For sublimation, a coating on the print side is undesirable because polyester is needed for the sublimation inks. For good light diffusion, you can apply a coating on the back. Alternatively, you can achieve good light diffusion by using a textile that is tightly knitted or woven. An additional advantage of a sublimation fabric without coating is that the risk of ink migration is significantly lower.
We offer suitable textiles for every printing method. For UV printing, we have Pearl Lightbox and Mercury NQ (both woven, coated), Lightbox Soft Knitted (knitted, coated), all three available up to 5 meters wide. For direct sublimation, we offer Polaris Stretch (woven, stretch in length and width, no coating) and Saturn Supreme (knitted, no coating), and for sublimation transfer, Altimis (woven, coated). Many of our textiles are also available in recycled yarns.
After the textile is printed, it can make a strong impression in the lightbox at its destination. Textile prints offer significant advantages in terms of transport. They can be folded into a box instead of rolled onto a tube, saving costs and CO₂ emissions. However, it's important to consider wrinkles. These are more visible in a lightbox than in frontlit banners. The right combination of fabric, printing technique, and ink prevents this. With UV printing, caution is advised, as folding can cause the ink to crack. With sublimation, it's important to be alert to the risk of ink migration.
As you can see, a lightbox with impact is no coincidence but the result of thoughtful choices. We combine our technical expertise with a wide range of high-quality textiles. Whether it's about intense colors, perfect light diffusion, or sustainable solutions, we are happy to assist you in finding the ideal combination of fabric and printing technique for the perfect image.
Want to know more? Visit http://www.texo-trade.com or contact our specialists.
