Backlit Fabric Display Material
Backlighting makes colours pop and visuals zing, giving your retail or exhibition graphics the power to deliver their message more effectively. Yet it takes more than great graphic design to deliver that visual oomph. It needs quality in the backlit textile you choose too.
So what are the essential elements to consider when choosing your backlit fabric?
1. Even light diffusion
As the name suggests, backlit fabric displays use a light source behind the image to give it visual impact. That impact is delivered by light and textile working together to create an even wash of colour. The wrong fabric using the wrong light source can create hotspots and/or areas of shade that damage the intended effect. If you want an image to ‘glow’ in the right way, always look for a backlit fabric material that offers excellent light dissipation.
2. A quality material
Polyester isn’t the only option for fabric backlit displays, but it is a material that offers a great combination of properties that make it ideal for backlit applications. Polyester is strong, flexible, offers a smooth, crease-free ‘canvas’ for artwork and delivers the excellent light diffusion explored above, especially when…
3. Woven, not knitted
In terms of material construction (and broadly speaking) there are two options for backlit fabric banners. Knitted materials use a single continuous thread to manufacture the fabric sheet. Woven fabrics use multiple threads, interwoven in a lattice.
Either is a valid choice, but knitted materials offer added stretch. That may be valuable when you need the fabric to cover an unusually shaped frame, for example. But materials that stretch inevitably become thinner at certain points across the surface, with more pin-hole points of light appearing across the image. Woven, on the other hand, offers a tighter structure that eliminates light leakage.
So for a more consistent image, woven is the favourite option when your textile is backlit. Choose a coated fabric to ensure even greater protection against light escape.
4. Safety compliance
All backlit fabric banners to be used in public spaces should conform to EN 13501 flame resistance.
5. Print freedom
The greater the printability of a backlit textile, the more economical it will be for your print business. Choose a substrate that’s only suitable for dye sublimation print processes and you’ll need to stock an alternative fabric when you need the speed and simplicity of latex printing.
If you can, choose a backlit fabric material that supports the widest possible range of print options.
Talk to Soyang, backlit fabric specialists
Explore our range of backlit textiles. Then, for expert advice about the best choice for your application, talk to Soyang the UK’s most trusted backlit fabric suppliers.
