How To Deliver Wrinkle-Free Textile Graphic Installations Every Time

The print is perfect. The colours pop. The seams are seamless. And then you install your textile media in its frame and find wrinkles, ripples and puckering ruining the impact. Every printer knows that sinking feeling of a great project undone by the installation. Worse still, no matter how brilliant the print, the imperfections are the first thing the customer focuses on – and once they’ve spotted them they’re the only things they see.

In this post, we’ll explore how to reduce the risk of wrinkles in your textile print media and how to smooth those creases if they do appear …

1. Installation isn’t when you think it is

When does ‘installation’ take place? For lots of print shops, it’s the point when the installation team arrives on site. But if you haven’t considered what the team will need ahead of that point, you’ll make their lives harder and you’ll increase the risk of a wrinkled finish.

That’s why good wrinkle management starts in the print room:

• Make sure graphics are completely dry and cured before packing
• Don’t fold or compress fabrics too tightly
• Keep projects clean and make sure they’re protected from dust, moisture and dirt
• Label and organise graphics so the installation team doesn’t need to keep unfolding and refolding them on site
• Use packaging that’s (ideally) breathable, rigid enough to prevent crushing and big enough to avoid cramming large textiles into small tubes/boxes 

2. Fold or roll?

You never want to create a crease you wouldn’t want to see on a finished display – but when substrate respond differently it can be hard to know which option is best.

So, as a general rule of thumb:

• Remember, the tighter a fold and the longer a textile remains folded, the harder it will be to remove a crease.
• Rolling is often the better option, especially for larger prints, BUT it’s essential to ensure that a product is crease free when rolled, otherwise you’ll effectively be pressing wrinkles in place before the project even leaves the print shop.
• Where you have to fold, do it with a light touch. 

3. The van is a pinch (and crease) point

How you transport textile print materials can have a big impact on the end result. No matter how gently you fold a banner, for example, if you then wrap it in a light bag that offers no real protection against anything stacked on top of it, it’s likely to arrive at site with creases pressed in.

Talk to your installation/despatch teams about:

• Treating products with care (i.e. not throwing them around or stacking toolboxes on them)
• Not keeping fabric media in vans for extended periods (where damp or heat may affect them)
• Keeping them clear of sharp objects that may snag, pull or mark the textile

4. Let the fabric relax

Time is always tight so the pressure is always there to get an installation completed fast. But you’ll always get a better end result if you can unpack the graphic and give it time to hang so the fabric will relax and light creases will drop out.

5. Make sure the frame is square 

If the frame isn’t level with corners at right angles, you’re giving your textile banner a big uphill task in asking it to compensate. That’s especially true for silicon-edge graphics (see 6 below) where a frame that’s even slightly off kilter can leave you with  a puckered or rippled graphic. In addition to the basic shape of the frame being right, make sure that:

• Each section is properly connected
• Channels are clear of dirt
• You’re using the right hardware for the right frame
• There’s nothing that will obstruct the frame once the textile print is in place

6. Get the tension right

Tension is especially important for silicon-edge graphics. Too little and you get sagging; too much and you get puckering.

To achieve the right tension, start at the corners, get them positioned correctly, then work round the frame in one direction, stopping to address any wrinkles as they appear.

By working methodically, you won’t just reduce the risk of wrinkles, you’ll also improve your chances of fixing any that do appear.

How to fix a wrinkle – a troubleshooting guide

 Problem: Wrinkle in the middle of the graphic

 Likely causes:

• Graphic hasn’t had time to relax
• Fabric has been tightly folded or compressed
• Uneven installation tension
• Frame isn’t square

Try:

• Removing the graphic and giving it time to relax
• Checking the frame
• Reinstalling gradually, working tension evenly across the graphic (see 6 above).

Problem: Puckering around the edges

Likely causes:

• Uneven tension
• Incorrect silicone insertion
• Stitching or finishing issues
• Graphic is being pulled in one area

Try:

• Checking that the silicone is properly seated
• Working around the frame rather than forcing individual sections

Problem: Creases that won’t disappear

Likely causes:

• Graphic has been tightly folded for too long
• Fabric has been compressed during transport
• Heat or moisture has affected the textile

Try:

• Hanging the graphic and allowing it to relax
• Steaming the fabric – you’ll need to check instructions as to whether and how best to do this. Remember, never introduce heat without knowing how the specific textile you’re working with will react.

Problem: One side looks perfect, the other doesn’t

Likely causes:

• Tension is uneven
• Installation started from one side and worked across (rather than resolving corners then working around the frame)
• Frame is slightly out of square

Try:

• Checking the frame dimensions and alignment
• Re-seating sections progressively to correctly distribute tension

Talk to Soyang

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