Most of us know what a banner is. Not the ones used on a website, but the signs hanging on sides of buildings, on fences, or across the stage at a conference. Roughly speaking, a banner is a large poster made of durable material that can be easily folded or rolled. We are used to seeing banners hung across the road during the fall fair, or to promote a worthy cause.

The best place to source for vinyl banners is on the internet. There are a number of companies which specialize in provide vinyl banners at low cost and with a fast turn around time. These specialty banner stores have excelled at the details of banner printing and can print up to thousands of banners in a month. They usually can offer the lowest price and quick delivery.

Not all of banner suppliers use the same methods or equipment for printing. Some use silk screening, while others use low end ink jet printers. The best suppliers use a higher end solvent digital printing. It is rather important to know the differences between the different methods, and it is likely that you can not tell the difference from the descriptions provided on the supplier’s website.

Silk screening has adapted some digital capabilities, but as far as actual printing comes, it is still an older, lower technical process. It still is an important printing method for certain prints which cannot be done digitally (eg. printing on unusual materials, or with special inks). For silk screening, setup costs are usually higher, turn around times longer, and printing in small qualities is not practical.

Low end ink jet printers are sometimes used to print on vinyl. But, basically, these prints are meant to be used indoors, or for short term outdoor use. They fade much quicker in the sun, and are prone to scratches and water damage.

When you order a vinyl banner for outside use, make sure to go with a true solvent ink process, in order to last a couple of years without fading. Especially if it doesn’t cost more.