Creating a high impact graphic can be a challenge. How do you support the image, how do you produce the image, and most importantly, how do you ship something that BIG?

Almost all of today’s aluminum extrusion makers (Octanorm, AGAM, etc.) have a gasketed graphic retainer. This is a small groove in the extrusion that accepts a silicone rubber gasket. The gasket is sewn into the perimeter of a fabric graphic which can then be inserted into the extrusion retainer. Kind of like making a window screen, or for you old-timers, me included, like stretching a screen for screen printing.

The beauty to this system is that it breaks down for shipping, and your graphic ships folded in a small package vs rolled onto a long tube. “But it will wrinkle!” you say. All the fabrics used in this process must have a small amount of stretch to make the system work. Wrinkles, if any, will fall out in a few hours after installation.  The graphic shown here shipped folded in a box that was 24″x18″x18″. It took 2 men 1/2 hour to install it, and that was mostly being moved around, up and down on a forklift. (3 men if you count the forklift driver).

Don’t shy away from gigantic images and don’t think that printing on fabric is less than desirable. Fabric ROCKS! The advances in fabric printing have been outstanding. Look to your vendors for samples of the latest fabrics and printing techniques.

Happy graphicing!