We know how modern canopy tent manufacturers cater to individual tastes by tailoring their products for their customers. One key feature that comes with a custom canopy tent is custom graphics. Whether it’s brand owners wanting to put their logos on their tents, or people looking for a standout accessory for an outdoor event, tent manufacturers are flooded with all sorts of requests.
Tent manufacturers utilize different techniques to print graphics on custom canopy tents. The most popular techniques are –
Ø Sublimation printing
Ø Thermal transfer foil printing
Ø Screen printing
Ø UV printing
While all the techniques mentioned in the list are equally popular, the last entry – UV printing – is seeing a surge in popularity of late. Let’s understand why.
What is UV printing?
As you already know, UV refers to Ultraviolet rays. Simply put, UV printing entails two steps.
Step 1: A printer distributes ink on the medium to be printed on. In our case, it’s a tent canopy.
Step 2: An array of UV emitting LEDs follows the printer-jet and casts UV light on the wet ink. This ‘cures’ or dries the ink instantly, leaving your printed canopy tent with a stunning artwork to boast about!
Why is UV printing better than other techniques?
We are not saying that other popular techniques are not worth your time or money! It’s just that UV printing does score quite a few extra points when it comes to the following aspects.
- UV LEDs are cool: UV LEDs don’t produce heat. This makes them appropriate for all kinds of medium, from heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheets to highly durable PVC sheets for your canopy tent.
- Quick delivery: The process of printing and curing in UV printing takes much less time than in other printing techniques. This helps businesses to respond better to rush orders.
- High resolution images: Vibrant colours and high resolution are the hallmarks of this cutting-edge printing technique. This is why more and more tent makers are leaning towards UV printing.
- Environment friendly and safe: UV printing does away with volatile solvents that are environmentally hazardous too.
- Cost-effective: A reduced printing time means you can have more paraphernalia printed in a given amount of time, than with other printing methods. This saves tent manufacturers a lot of money, which ultimately reflects on the price of finished products.
To sum it up, UV printing is clean, green, fast and versatile.
Why UV printing works well with Polyester and PVC tent canopies?
Polyester and PVC are both durable and waterproof materials. And they block UV radiations in sunlight. You can print stunning graphics on both materials, and thus use them for brand promotion. All this means, they are preferred by tent makers over other more traditional materials like canvas.
Because UV printing doesn’t involve heat, there’s no possibility of the substrate or medium being damaged at the time of printing. Hence, it is safe for your Polyester or PVC canopy too. Besides, the high resolution prints you can create with UV printing look best on Polyester and PVC substrates. All the more reason to choose this cutting-edge method!
Tips to create stunning graphics on your custom canopy tent
Now that you know why UV printing is so effective, let us help you with some essential tips to create stunning graphics on your tent.
Avoid complicated graphics
Graphics make for one of the most effective mediums of expression. What you print on your tent reflects your persona and brand values, in case you are a brand owner. Try to avoid cluttered, overtly complicated graphic designs if you are planning to entice people with your aesthetic preferences. And please avoid printing anything that people generally find offensive!
Bold colours are cool, but…
Yes, you can use bold colours on your commercial canopy tent. But remember, the colours you choose should go with your business niche. Let us explain this further. Suppose you are into selling exciting products or services, like retailing or renting out adventure bikes, for instance. Your pavilion in a trade show needs to be loud and funky. Because that’s what your target customers want! Go ahead and use bold colours. But will the same loud colour scheme work if you are a realtor? We leave you to ponder.
Choice of fonts is important
Choices you make for your tent graphics’ colour scheme go in tandem with your font selection. Funky fonts and playful text alignments work well with informal and loud graphics. But graphics for formal businesses demand the use of more conventional fonts and text alignments to go with them.
Remember to use legible fonts only. They should be visible from afar. This is particularly true for your brand name and slogan, if any. Avoid using too many typefaces and space out your letters evenly to occupy the available space. Think of your tent canopy as a canvas for your artwork, graffiti, or message.
Endnote
A canopy tent does so much for you. It protects you from the elements and helps promote your brand in tradeshows. That’s why it’s necessary to buy a product that can last you a very long time.
Treat it as an investment. Make sure to connect with your tent maker and help them understand your design preferences. This way you can own a custom tent that reflects your individual persona.
