Silk Printed Webbing
Screen printed words and patterns applied after weaving, the economical route to branded tape when a jacquard plate cannot be justified.
Every Printed Tape Reference We Weave
Once a ribbon has been woven you can screen various words or patterns onto it, and that is generally cheaper than weaving the same detail directly. For short runs, seasonal artwork and text heavy designs, printing is simply the right answer.
Problems This Range Solves
- A jacquard plate that cannot be justified for a short seasonal run
- Artwork with fine text that would thicken if it were woven
- Campaign branding that changes faster than tooling can be made
- Budget pressure on promotional straps and event lanyards
Who Specifies It
- Event and promotional suppliers with short lead times
- Brands testing artwork before committing to a woven plate
- Packaging converters printing seasonal messages on ribbon
- Anyone whose design is mostly text rather than pattern
Where It Is Used
- Event lanyards and wristband tape
- Promotional bag handles and pulls
- Seasonal gift and packaging ribbon
- Care and size information tape
- Retail branding on short production runs
- Bookbinding tape carrying an imprint
Why This Construction
- Lower set-up cost than a jacquard plate for the same artwork
- Fine text and flat shapes print sharper than they would weave at narrow widths
- Printed onto polyester, cotton or polypropylene tape woven in the same mill
- Artwork changes between runs without new tooling
- Can be combined with a woven jacquard ground for a two-technique tape
- Pantone matched ground and print colours
Materials We Weave It From
- Polyester tape ground for the sharpest print edges
- Cotton tape ground where a matt natural look is wanted
- Polypropylene tape ground for the lowest cost promotional work
What You Can Change
- One or several print colours on a dyed or natural ground
- Repeat pitch set so the artwork lands centred on your cut length
- Printing applied over a jacquard woven ground
- Any tape width and thickness from 0.65 mm to 2.5 mm
- Roll and carton packing to your specification
How A Printed Tape Order Runs
- Artwork and screen preparation
- Ground tape weaving and dyeing
- Screen printing
- Curing and fixing
- Rub and wash check
- Rolling, measuring and packing
How It Compares
Weaving survives washing and abrasion far better because the mark is structural. Printing costs less to set up and holds finer text, which is why we recommend it for short runs and text heavy artwork.
Transfers sit on the surface as a film and can stiffen a narrow tape. Screen printing lays ink into the face and keeps more of the original hand.
Plain tape is always cheaper. Printing earns its cost when the strap is doing identification work as well as load work.
Quality Control On This Range
- Print registration checked at the start, middle and end of each roll
- Cured print rub tested before the roll is passed
- Ground shade approved separately from the print colour
- SGS testing arranged on request before shipment
Using It Well
- Send vector artwork and state the finished cut length so the repeat lands correctly
- Avoid very fine reversed-out text on dark grounds at narrow widths
- Allow the print to cure fully before high temperature pressing downstream
- Ask for a printed sample before bulk; ink behaves differently on each ground fibre
Industries
Background Reading
Orders That Ran Through This Range
Questions Buyers Ask About Silk Printed Webbing
Is printing cheaper than weaving my logo into the tape
For most short runs, yes. After the ribbon is woven you can screen words or patterns onto it, which is generally cheaper than weaving the same detail directly. Jacquard becomes worthwhile when the mark must survive heavy washing and abrasion.
How well does the print survive washing
A properly cured screen print holds up well to normal use, but it will never match a woven jacquard mark for abrasion life. If the product is laundered industrially, weave the branding instead.
Can you print onto webbing I already have
We print onto tape woven here so we can control the ground and the cure together. Printing onto material from elsewhere is something we would need to discuss case by case.
What is the minimum order for printed webbing
1000 metres per artwork and width for standard production, with printed samples in 3 to 7 days so you can check the ink on your chosen ground.
Quote Us A Width And We Will Quote You A Date
Silk Printed Webbing is made to order. Send the width, the thickness and a colour reference and the quotation comes back with a delivery date attached.