A banner is not one product, and in a city with wind tunnels between towers the material choice is the difference between a season of service and a torn banner in the street.
13oz scrim vinyl
The default and usually correct. Scrim is the polyester mesh woven inside the vinyl, and it is what gives the material tear resistance. Weather resistant, takes ink well, folds for storage, most economical.
Use for grand openings, sales, events and sponsor banners lasting a season or two.
18oz blockout
Heavier vinyl with an opaque black layer in the middle. That center layer stops light passing through, so a double-sided banner does not show a ghost of the reverse. Order it whenever both sides print, when light comes from behind, or when you need longer outdoor life.
Mesh
Perforated vinyl that lets wind through. On a solid banner, wind load is what rips grommets out of the hem and pulls fencing down.
In Manhattan this matters more than most places: scaffolding, sidewalk sheds, rooftops and any banner on an avenue that funnels wind. You trade a little color density for a banner that stays attached.
Fabric
Polyester with a soft matte finish and no glare. Hangs in folds rather than curling, packs without permanent creases, and photographs far better under lights. Use for indoor events, stage banners and step and repeat walls.
Finishing
- Hemming: the edge folded and welded to double the material. Never order an unhemmed outdoor banner; the hem is what stops the grommet tearing out.
- Grommets: standard spacing every two feet with one in each corner. Closer on large or exposed banners.
- Pole pockets: sewn sleeves for a pole to slide through, for hanging banners and street pole sets.
- Wind slits: half-moon cuts letting gusts through. Useful on solid vinyl, though mesh is the better answer where wind is constant.
Artwork for large format does not need 300 DPI at full size. Build at 100 to 150 DPI at final size. What matters far more is that logos and text are vector, because vector scales to any size without softening.
Measure the thing you are attaching to
Not the wall behind it. Send a photo with a rough measurement and we will mock the banner to scale before you commit. See banners and signs.
Need this printed? We are at 40 Wall Street, and we deliver free anywhere in Manhattan.