Promotional perfection
Promotional work is certainly not a foreign concept for sign-makers and wide-format print businesses. Larger-format work such as banners and flags can be used for promotion and form a key part of many sign-makers’ service offering.
However, when it comes to smaller-format, more traditional promotional work, this area of the market is somewhat underutilised by sign-makers, with only a handful of sign businesses offering this sort of work.
From coffee mugs and bespoke printed pens and pencils, to notepads and fridge magnets, SignLink takes a closer look at the potential work on offer to sign-makers keen to expand out of their traditional markets.
Capitalise on opportunities
First up, Epson offers a range of equipment suitable for use in promotional printing work, including technologies across dye-sublimation, direct-to-garment and UV inks. For those starting out in promotional print, Phil McMullin, head of sales for commercial and industrial printing at Epson UK, singles out the SureColor SC-F100 dye-sub printer as a solid and low-cost option.
“This is an A4 device available at around £400 plus vat,” McMullin says, adding: “The F100 facilitates printing onto any small polyester coated product and is a perfect add on for any company making a move into promotional print.”
The Epson SureColor SC-F100 dye-sub printer allows for printing onto any small polyester coated products
As to why sign-makers should consider making the move into the market, McMullin points to the recent spike in demand for customisation and personalisation during the pandemic, explaining that sign-makers and wide-format printers are well positioned to take advantage of this trend as existing customers will likely be sourcing customised print items either now or in the future.
“The key is to make sure customers know you can provide the service and they don’t just source products randomly from the internet,” McMullin explains, adding: “Given that many areas of print are in decline, it is now critical that other branding opportunities within your customers are fully capitalised on.
“Customisation and personalisation cover a huge area and the limit is your imagination.”
Customisation and personalisation cover a huge area and the only limit is your imagination”
With this, McMullin again talks up the benefits of working with dye-sublimation technology, such as that available from Epson. He says dye-sub has historically driven this market, mainly due to improvements in print quality and the “staggering” array of print-ready products that are now available.
Epson says its dye-sub printers can be used to create a wide range of promotional products
“These include mugs, key rings, mouse mats, coasters, bottles, and cushions to name but a few,” McMullin says, adding: “3D objects can be printed using a vacuum oven or UV provides another option to explore. For cotton-based products, DTG ink technology gives outstanding results and has also seen huge growth during the last couple of years.”
Meeting specific needs
Leading on from this, The Magic Touch also has a range of solutions on offer to help those sign-makers considering a move into promotional printing. Jim Nicol, managing director of The Magic Touch, highlights direct-to-film (DTF) transfer technology as a key tool for producing work in this sector, saying it offers a number of core benefits.
The Magic Touch says direct-to-film print kit will allow companies of all sizes to access a wide range of promotional print work
“Having considered over the past year the great response and uptake of DTF technology, combined with the success of those using the process in production environments, we must ensure we offer the right solution for specific customer needs,” Nicol says.
“The advantages of DTF include no pre-treatment required, no cutting or weeding, no wait time for printed solvent-based transfer printed to de-gas before use, no application tape, low cost per transfer, clean, safe, easy to use, no waste, eco-friendly, and long shelf-life transfers.”
The Magic Touch now offers the Mutoh VJ628D as a desktop option for print companies and sign-makers, a model measuring just 60cm and is based on Mutoh’s Valuejet printer chassis and Epson industrial printhead technology.
O Factoid: Available from the Magic Touch, the Mutoh VJ628D measures just 60cm wide O
“The Mutoh VJ-628D printer fits onto an office desk and again prints directly to the coated PET film,” Nicol says, adding: “The printed image then has a powder adhesive applied manually and cured at up to 95°C for a minute using the unique desktop curing oven.
“DTF transfers work equally well on any colour textiles and allow users to choose between a matt or gloss finish, whilst requiring no pre-treatment, no cutting or weeding, and creating crisp and defined edges and images.”
Nicol goes on to say that such has been the success of DTF in the promotional print sector in recent times that he expects 2022 to be the year of DTF, with demand for this type of kit only set to increase as more companies move to the technology as a way of producing work at fast turnaround rates.
“The DTF process is simple; firstly, print the roll-fed 60cm-wide coated PET film using water-based pigment textile inks, then lightly coat the printed transfer with a unique hot-melt adhesive powder,” Nicol explains.
“The transfer is cured using either an automatic roll fed unit, curing oven, heat press or traditional dryer. The cured transfer can then be applied immediately to the garments or products using a traditional heat press, with no pre-treatment required to the garments.
“Over the coming years, we expect to see a serious migration of DTG users to DTF. It’s already happening, and we expect it to continue as more of the affordable DTG options diminish.”
Raising funds
Elsewhere and another new product in the promotional print sector comes in the form of dot matrix from Decal. Designed for digital print professionals to get ahead in promotional campaigns, the monomeric vinyl features an innovative adhesive that Decal says facilitates the elimination of wrinkles and air bubbles in indoor applications.
“This brand product self-adhesive by Digidelta stands out for its easy application, which dispenses with support material and can be done by less experienced employees or by customers themselves,” Decal says, adding: “It provides a complete solution that economises on both human resources and logistics.
The Decal dot matrix, the manufacturer says, makes visual communication more versatile in public and commercial spaces, with the possibility of repositioning the materials in the immediate hours after application. After the campaign, users are able to remove the vinyl quickly without leaving residue.
“White matte and clear glossy finishes mean this monomeric vinyl is ideal for mirrored applications,” Decal says, adding: “It has ecological assurance with the sustainability of the water-based adhesive and PE liner, which eliminates vinyl curling and reduces waste.”
Raising funds
Such is the scope of work in the promotional print sector that almost nothing is off the table when it comes to the type of jobs you can take on and applications you can produce for your customers. An excellent example of this comes from branding specialist Infinity Inc, which linked up with Premier League football club Brentford on a special campaign to helps raise funds for those impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Infinity produced a limited-edition t-shirt featuring the bee from Brentford’s club crest in the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag. The bespoke garment was produced at Infinity’s production facility in Leeds and worn by Brentford players in the warm-up ahead of their fixture against Burnley, before being launched as part of the club’s retail range.
Brentford’s Christian Eriksen wears the fundraising shirt designed and produced by Infinity Inc
All profits from the t-shirt sales are being donated to the Ukraine Appeal, while to help maximise donations, Infinity supplied the t-shirts at cost price. The t-shirts were turned around in just four days, with funds going directly to the Disasters Emergency Committee.
Darren Cohen, chief executive and founder of Infinity, comments: “We’ve been working with Brentford FC for two years and we’ve already done so much work with them, so it’s great to partner up on another project, especially when it’s raising money for such an important cause.
“Our team came up with a really effective design, which we think looked great on the pitch, and this has been reflected in the sales of the shirts. We recently supplied warm-up tees for World Down Syndrome Day and War Paint for Men too, so it’s great that clients are thinking of us for their charity events.”
There are clearly plenty of opportunities for sign-makers to spread their wings and move into the promotional print sector. Armed with the right kit, materials, and, perhaps most importantly knowledge, they can take advantage of the huge array of work on offer in this market.
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