When you produce banners, a lot of things are taken into consideration; content, media, size, banner weight, etc. We negotiate some of these things with the customer and others are determined by our level of equipment. It’s easy to get through the entire process without giving much thought to how you’re going to hang it. But the method of hanging your banner can have a big impact on its success or failure.
Don’t lynch your banners! Unless you’ve learned the hard way, you’re probably hanging banners with rope. That’s a crime. Rope is for bandits and cattle rustlers. Using rope to hang your banner is just as unkind and almost as lethal. The problem with rope is elasticity; rather, the lack thereof. If you hang a banner in a windy area with rope, all the force of that wind is channeled directly into the banner itself, putting stress on the hems or seams, and the scrim. If the wind is strong enough, or blows long enough, damage will occur.
What about venting? Sure you can cut vents in it, but that actually aggravates the problem. According to John Mahoney of Value Vinyl, cutting vents in a scrim banner “reduces its structural integrity”. It weakens the woven scrim that holds the banner together. In 10 ounce banners, it can also cause delamination. So taking a knife to your banner should be considered just as dangerous as hanging it with a rope.
Go bungee, Baby! The best way to reduce stress is to use stretchable material. Things like rubber cords or bungee cords will stretch with increases in atmospheric pressure (which causes wind) and keep all of that stress from being channeled into the seams or hems and scrim. The result is a longer, more productive outdoor life for your banner, more benefits for your customer, and more repeat business for you. Remember hanging with rope is for bandits and rustlers, not banners!
