Fabric Printing
Digitally printed polyester and silk by sublimation, for soft signage, flags, scarves and fabric graphics.
Fabric printing here is digital sublimation onto polyester or silk: the dye is driven into the fibre by heat rather than sitting on the surface, so the colour does not crack, peel or stiffen the handle. That makes it suitable for anything that will be folded, hung, washed or worn, from tension banners and flags to printed scarves and lining fabric. Because the print is digital there is no screen or plate, so repeat patterns, photographic images and per-metre variation all cost the same to run. The buyer decides the base fabric and its weight, whether the finished item is cut and sewn or supplied as printed yardage, and how the edges are finished.
All 1 Products in Fabric Printing
What This Solves and Who Buys It
Problems It Solves
- Screen printing a multi-colour repeat pattern needs a screen per colour, which prices short runs out; digital sublimation removes the screen cost entirely.
- Surface-printed fabric cracks along the folds of a banner packed and reused; sublimated dye sits in the fibre and survives folding.
- Photographic images and gradients break up in screen printing but reproduce continuously on a digital fabric press.
- Soft signage is far lighter and cheaper to ship than rigid boards, and folds into a case instead of a crate.
- Colour on fabric reads differently from the same file on paper, so proofs are issued and checked against the approved artwork before the run.
Who Buys It
- Exhibition contractors printing tension fabric backdrops and hanging banners
- Retail brands fitting out stores with soft signage and window graphics
- Event organisers buying flags, table throws and stage drapes
- Fashion and accessory brands printing silk scarves or lining fabric to their own design
- Interior and soft furnishing suppliers ordering printed yardage for cushions and blinds
Where It Is Used
- A tension fabric backwall on an exhibition stand
- Hanging ceiling banners in a retail store promotion
- Printed silk scarves as a corporate or retail gift
- Flags and table throws for an outdoor sponsorship event
- Printed polyester yardage for cushions, blinds or soft furnishings
Why Order It Here
- Fabric graphics can be produced alongside the paper and board items for the same campaign, so a banner and a brochure carry the same colour.
- Digital printing means no screen charge, so a short run of printed metres is viable and a sample can be turned round in 1-2 working days.
- Laser cutting is available in house for clean cut edges on synthetic fabric that would otherwise fray.
- Artwork is preflighted for design discrepancies before production, which catches resolution problems that only show up at banner scale.
- Every finished piece is checked by hand for colour match, quantity and material quality before it ships.
Decisions to Make Before You Order
Polyester or Silk
Polyester is the workhorse for signage, flags and throws: durable, washable and available in weights from light voile to blockout. Silk is for garments and gifts where the drape and the hand matter more than the wear. Sublimation works on both.
Fabric Weight and Opacity
A backlit or double-sided banner needs a blockout or heavier weight so the reverse image does not show through. A hanging drape can be much lighter. Tell us how the fabric will be lit and hung before the base is chosen.
Yardage or Finished Item
Decide whether you want printed metres to convert yourself, or a finished item cut, hemmed and sewn with pockets, eyelets or a silicone edge strip. Finishing has to be quoted with the print, not bolted on later.
Artwork at Scale
Supply PDF, AI, PSD or JPEG with fonts outlined. For large formats, artwork can be built at a reduced scale as long as the effective resolution at final size holds up; send the intended finished dimensions with the file.
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Fabric Printing Questions
Will the printed fabric fade or wash out?
Sublimation drives the dye into the polyester fibre rather than laying ink on the surface, so the colour does not crack or peel and survives washing far better than a surface print.
Can you print a photographic image across a full width of fabric?
Yes. Digital printing reproduces continuous tone and gradients without separating them into screens, which is exactly where screen printing struggles.
Do you supply the fabric hemmed and ready to hang?
Finishing such as hemming, eyelets and sewn pockets is quoted with the print. Say how the piece will be hung or mounted at enquiry so the right edge treatment is specified.
Can I get a strip of printed fabric before committing?
Yes. A digital sample can be produced in 1-2 working days. Stock samples are free and the cost of a custom sample is refunded once the bulk order is confirmed.
Does sublimation work on cotton?
Sublimation bonds with polyester fibre, so the colour results here are quoted on polyester and silk. For cotton garments we would use a different decoration route, so tell us the base fabric at enquiry.
Get a Price for Fabric Printing
Send the size, quantity, material and finish you have in mind. If you are not sure, send the product you want to match.