Hemming: Gaining an Edge of Banner Production

Banner printing is a booming business for in-plants; 93% of those with wide-format printing equipment are producing them, according to new IPI research.

Printing the banner is only part of the process, though. Most banners require finishing, including hemming to reinforce the edges and extend their durability. Without this step, wind, rain, and other stresses will tear or unravel the edges, shortening a banner’s lifespan. Also, if grommets are used on a hemmed banner, they will bite into double layers of vinyl, creating a stronger grip. Hemmed banners also look straighter and won’t crumple or curl.

Three methods for hemming are commonly used today: hem tape, sewing, and welding. We spoke with in-plants using each of these methods to learn about their pros and cons.

Solution 1: Double-Sided Tape

“We’re currently using hem tape,” says Sara LaRosa, senior printing coordinator at Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff, Arizona, who focuses on wide-format applications. “We have explored the option of a banner welder and a sewing machine … the volume doesn’t justify the investment.” Hem tape is the least expensive banner finishing solution, but also the slowest. For LaRosa, that makes sense for now.

The banners produced by the shop, LaRosa says, are mostly for campus events, and are printed on the in-plant’s HP Latex 356 printer onto 13-oz. banner material. Banners produced by the shop are usually 3x8΄, and many are hung on structures intended for banner placement. Changes are coming, though: the shop will switch to a PVC-free banner material and phase in a new EFI Pro 16H hybrid flatbed UV-based printer.

To hem its banners, LaRosa uses Orabond 1397PP double-sided tape, placed within a one-inch hem. She says it takes about 15 minutes for her to manually hem a standard-sized banner. The corners are then grommeted using a Hiker #2 grommet punch. With grommets, banners can be easily hung, often using zip-ties. For banners that will be hung outside and displayed for an extended period, wind-slits are added to prevent them from ripping in heavy wind.

Sara LaRosa uses double sided tape to hem the edges of a small banner — a low-cost, low-volume solution. | Credit: Northern Arizona University

The tools used to finish banners at NAU are simple — hemming tape, a squeegee, and a pair of scissors — inexpensive and effective. If the hemming is done carefully, LaRosa expects the tape to hold up for six months, which is more than enough for an event-focused placement. To seam banner segments together, a more aggressive tape is used.

For shops just getting started in banner production, LaRosa says hemming tape is a great way to start. From there, she says, the volume of banners produced is the metric that should be used to justify the purchase of a mechanized hemming unit.

Solution 2: Industrial Sewing Machine

“We’re using a Juki double-stitch sewing machine,” says Donna Horbelt, director of Repro Graphics at University of California, Davis. “It’s beautiful and super heavy-duty.”

Ian Reynolds, customer service supervisor, who also focuses on the in-plant’s wide-format applications, says the shop started out using hemming tape, and ventured briefly into a welding system before settling on sewing to hem its banners.

Donna Horbelt (right) watches Lana Johnson hem banner edges with a double-stitch sewing machine. | Credit: University of California, Davis

“I think it’s the best way,” Horbelt says. “It’s a more professional look.”

While the banners produced by the shop are usually 3x8΄, sizes can vary and are usually specified by the design. Horbelt says the shop has made banners as large as 5x100΄.

To produce its banners, the in-plant uses an HP Latex 700 printer or a Mimaki JVC 300-160 UV printer to print on either 15- or 16-oz. banner material or vinyl mesh. While most banners are temporary, Reynolds says, some are expected to stay in place and intact for up to two years.

The main reason banners need to be hemmed, Reynolds says, is to provide stability and sturdiness, particularly when grommets are used.

“With a single layer [of banner material],” he says, “the grommet can rip out. The folded over part strengthens it.”

While some banners are hung indoors, the shop produces them in the same way it would produce an outdoor banner, with sewn hems and grommets.

Repro Graphics’ investment in its sewing machine was roughly $4,500 and has been worth every penny, Horbelt says.

“It’s been a real lifesaver,” she adds. The machine provides an exact, parallel stitch. She estimates using the sewing machine is 2.5 times faster than using hemming tape.

For shops considering a banner hemming solution, Horbelt says a lot depends on what the banners are for and how many are being produced.

“At lower volumes,” she says, “you can use tape.” Weather must also be considered.
“If it will be in the wind, you really need that extra durability of the stitching and the grommets,” she maintains. “And it just looks better.”

Solution 3: Vinyl Welding System

Just a 15-minute drive away, Sacramento State University has gone a different direction with its banner hemming.

Brian Geimer

“We’re using a vinyl welding system,” explains Brian Geimer, supervisor of University Print & Mail. “A Miller Weldmaster T3 Extreme.”

Though the shop started its banner finishing activity with hemming tape, Geimer was attracted to an automated system because it saved time.

“For a 30΄ banner, tape would take two hours,” he says. “Now it takes 15 minutes.”

The welding unit originally cost around $15,000, he says, and the in-plant has had it in place since 2015.

Banners produced by the shop are typically 36΄ in height and most commonly 10΄ long. The in-plant has produced banners as long at 23΄. All banners are printed onto either 13-oz. banner material or vinyl scrim material using an HP Latex 360 printer. Banners are also grommeted using an automated, hand-held grommet press. Geimer says some banners may hang outside for as long as three or four years. Durability depends on the application.

Training for the welding machine was provided by Miller-Weldmaster when the unit was installed. Geimer says the primary person running the machine today was on hand for that initial training. ROI on the unit is difficult to quantify, he adds, “because it doesn’t produce a tangible item. The savings are in time.” The result, however, is that the shop can produce banners faster, and banner requests are rising. Geimer feels wide-format printing is currently the in-plant’s biggest opportunity for growth.

For other in-plants considering banner production, Geimer recommends that, if volumes are low, they should use tape until they can justify an investment in welding equipment. Also, he urges shops to pay close attention to the amount of space required for the machine, and to learn about power requirements in advance. He was unaware the welding machine needed compressed air, so a compressor had to be installed. That surprise aside, he has no regrets about pursuing the banner opportunity.

“Just go for it,” he urges. “It’s a great revenue stream.”