Hemming Extends The Life Of Your Banner
Hemmed banners are much less likely to be torn or have a grommet rip out, and overall are much stronger signs better suited for extended and outdoor use. If you have ever hemmed a skirt or a pair of pants,the concept is very much the same: you fold up the edge of the fabric and sew it. In the case of clothing, hemming is done to prevent the fabric from unraveling. In banner production, hemming is done for the same basic reason, except that the edges are heat welded together as opposed to being sewn. Hemming is the process of folding and bonding together approximately 1 inch of extra material around the edges of the banner on all 4 sides. This fold uses additional, extra material outside of the actual print dimensions and does not compromise or reduce the size of the banner.
Hemming bonds together 2 layers of vinyl, creating a one inch edge that is double thick and double strong, dramatically improving sustainability of the sign to the elements - wind, stress, uv and torn resistance. Hemming reinforces the edges, which is very important if you will be adding Grommets to the edge (a grommet is a small metal ring affixed in a hole punched in the edge of a banner for easy hanging and at the same time gives it a smooth, professionally finished look.
The combination of hem and grommet protects the banner from fraying and extends the lifetime of the banner. It is advisable to use this finishing method on all outdoor banners and some long term indoor banners. Hemming can also be performed to add pockets for poles, banner stands, or other hardware that will be used to hang or display the banner.
Advantages Of Hemmed Banners
One of the easiest ways to display your customized banners is to hang them using bungee cables. In order to do that, order your banners from Printastic with grommets positioned an even 12 or 24 inches apart across the top edge of the media. In most situations, large ceiling banners are suspended from one of two common ceiling types:
- Much stronger banners that are less likely torn apart
- The edges are double thick and won’t tear off
- Grommets bite into double layers of vinyl creating much stronger grip
- Banner is more dimensionally stable and will look much flatter and won’t curl
- We use heat welded hems only
Printastic Uses A Modern Heat Welding Process
At Printastic, we use the heat welding process for hemming. This is a process that has been used for years and is very fast and dependable, quickly heating the vinyl to a melting temperature and bonding the two pieces of vinyl together to form a connection that, if done properly, cannot be torn apart under normal conditions.
Heat welding provides the strongest hold, helping your banner withstand wear, pressure and poor weather better than alternatives. This is because the materials are actually fused together into one, making it virtually inseparable and actually twice as strong as the vinyl it began with as opposed to being bound by tape, thread or glue. For this reason, hot-air welding works well for signs that require long longevity and heavy use, or banners that will be placed outdoors.
Heat welding provides significant advantages compared to other common hemming methods:
- Stitching—If one part of the stitch breaks, the entire seam will unravel
- Tape—Can easily peel or rip, especially in harsh conditions
- Glue—Deteriorates and comes apart with stress and age.
The edges are folded to the back of the banner leaving the front not affected. Additional benefits of heat welding include leaving no visible marks, stitches or other implications on the print side of the banner, and not making the printed dimensions any smaller than intended. The combination of heat, speed and pressure fuse the materials together so strongly that seams are almost unrecognizable. This gives your banners a clean and professional look with no stitching, tape or glue to ruin the design.
The enhanced durability of welding means less maintenance will be required to keep your banner in top shape. As a result, you’ll save time and money by avoiding the need for repairs or reprints.