How To Save Money On Your Custom Printed Tent (A Beginner’s Guide): Part 2

Now that you understand Tip #1 discussed in Part 1, we can dive right into tips 2-6 on how to save on your next custom printed canopy.

Tip #2: When it Comes to Your Tent Logo, Keep It Simple

Have a simple version of your logo that is just 1 or 2 colors.  Small pieces of color in the logo, fades or drop shadows cannot be seen from a distance.  Why waste your marketing budget on tent details that won’t attract the eye of your potential customers?

 Tip #3: Color Choice Matters

Select a canopy fabric color that is the same as one of your logo colors. If your logo is a blue star with a red moon in the center, then you can go from a two-color print to a one-color print by selecting a red canopy top and only printing the blue star. Simply “drop out” to the red canopy fabric for the red moon  

 Tip #4: Know Where You’re Using

If you’re going to be using the canopy mostly indoors, or just a few times a year, tell your supplier. There are different levels of steel strength and aluminum. The assumption may be that you need the tent for consistent outdoor use.

 Tip # 5: Bundle Buy

If you’ll be using more than one printed tent over the course of the year, you should consider buying them at the same time - so everything is printed at once. The savings are significant! Because your artwork is already converted to print-ready format, take advantage and have your vendor quote you for additional products you’re considering, such as table covers, bow flags and banners. At the very least, you’ll have an understanding of other promotional items available.

Tip #6: Order Early

Avoid rush charges and overnight fees by ordering your custom tents at least 3 weeks before your event. The overnight fees charged by shipping companies are exorbitant on even small packages. Rush shipping a 70 lb. packaged tent? Not a way to save.

Tip #7: Ask for Help

Ask for advice before you design.  If you have a logo and an idea of what you’d like, call one of our design experts for advice.  They can quote you for a range of custom tent options and create a layout for no charge. If you’re thinking about purchasing a custom canopy tent, asking for help is the best place to begin!

MVP Visuals is a supplier of custom printed trade show table covers and displays.

How To Save Money On Your Custom Printed Tent (A Beginner’s Guide): Part 1

Custom printed canopy tents are super popular these days for events and trade shows and serve as an excellent branding opportunity. But are you overspending during the planning process? Let’s find out!

Here are a few pointers to save money on your next canopy tent order.         

Tip #1: Understand the Print Methods

Since the print is a large part of the overall cost, let’s discuss the print process first. Canopy tents can be printed in two different ways:

1.      Screen Printed

2.      Digitally Printed

Due to the advances in digital printing technology over the years, the pricing for 4 color process digital printing has come down significantly. However, a 1 or 2 color screen print could still be less expensive depending on your design. The bottom line: how you design your tent will impact the price.  

Screen Print

A screen print is when the printer is actually taking ink and pulling it over a screen with film of your logo cut out on it.  For a spot color screen print, you need to create a new screen for every color. For example: if you have a 2-color logo tent, two separate screens will be created. Once the screen is built, the cost of running the ink over the screen is small in comparison to the cost of building the screen. So if you have a 2-color logo, and would like two different sizes of that logo printed, the total number of screens created is 4. As a result, we’d recommend screen printing when using the same logo (at the same size) in as many locations as possible.

Digital Print

The digital process uses a formula of ink with the four colors Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK) to “build” the color.  Because the dots are printed right on the material, it’s necessary to start with a white substrate, or base material.  So any time you’d like your printed tent to be a color other than white (or our 22 stock colors), it requires “full coverage printing” – meaning the entire tent has to be dyed. We’d recommend asking in advance what stock colors are available. As a result, digital printing is more cost effective in two areas: when there are 2+ colors on more than 1 peak or valance or when there are 3+ colors anywhere.

We’ll always help you through the order process, but hopefully this gives you a head start. Now that we’ve covered the canopy tent print process, you’re ready for the additional tips in our next post!

MVP Visuals is a supplier of trade show table covers and 

Printing Round Table Covers

Printing on your round tablecloth can be a bit of a challenge. To keep your message in the viewable area you may need make some adjustments. Round table throws (drape style) are very popular because they can fit a variety of tables. However, unless you want to print on the table top, printing your logo on the side of a round table throw doesn’t work well as you can see below . The logo gets lost in the folds of the sides.

The best style of round tablecloth for branding is the “barrel style”. Barrel style table covers do not pleat so you can keep your message seen clearly as viewer walks around the table.

If you need to have your message seen in the front of the tablecloth try manipulating your logo or maybe trying a step and repeat pattern so your full logo will be seen from all sides of the tablecloth.

MVP Visuals offers a variety of table cover styles and print methods. Fabrics such as basic polyester ; flame retardant fabric, recycled fabric, water repellent; can be printed and made to fit almost any size table cover so just give us your dimensions and logo and we’ll do a free layout. http://www.mvpvisuals.com/. (800) 980-6871

The best style of round tablecloth for branding is the “barrel style”. Barrel style table covers do not pleat so you can keep your message seen clearly as viewer walks around the table.

Is Your Art Good to Print?

In the large format print business we have the same issue every day. Customers come to us with a low res jpg or gif file, often something they took from their website, and ask us to blow it up and print it on a tablecloth or banner. Generally they have already been to a few printers already that told them, “Sorry, we need vector art!”

MVP Visuals can help with most issues so you don’t have to miss out on having your favorite image printed on your trade show table cover, carpet, banner or any other large format display.

Low res jpgs and gifs are called “raster or bitmap” files. These files are made of little pixels. Pixels are little dots (more like squares) like you see below. The quality of the image depends on the number of these pixels per inch (dpi – dots per inch) When a low res file is kept small it looks just fine. But when they are enlarged, each pixel gets blown up and gives the image a fuzzy (pixelating) look.

Vector files are made of paths (lines and anchor points) that are more like an engineering CAD Drawing. When this type of file is enlarged, each line is mathematically enlarged in exact proportion so there is no pixelating or distorting. This makes vector files ideal for printers.

Unless you have a high resolution a file (this is where there are many more dots per inch in the image file so each pixel doesn’t blow up to distort the image), we would need to recreate your image into vector format. If your image is a photograph then generally it will not recreate well into vector so we would need a hi res file. You can send us your photo and we can tell you.

Vector files are most frequently .ai, .eps or even .pdf. YOU CANNOT JUST SAVE A LOW RES JPG WITH AN .AI OR .EPS EXTENSION TO MAKE IT VECTOR. MVP Visuals offers vector recreation services and most files can be converted in 24 hours!

by Mary Dykas. MVP Visuals is a supplier of custom imprinted tablecloths, banners, tents, carpets and trade show displays.

MVP Visuals Gets Selected Once Again!

MVP Visuals will be producing more of Artist Dale Zheutlins work this fall. Last fall the New Rochelle Public selected the artwork of Dale Zheutlin to adding a finishing touch to the lobby “refresh project”. The colorful fabric banners have been installed in the lobby’s atrium, the result of a competition sponsored by the NRPLF and the New Rochelle Council on the Arts. The winning designs were submitted by artist Dale Zheutlin, and the fabric banners created from her designs were installed last week and produced by MVP Visuals.

Ms. Zheutlin’s banner design consists of three double-sided satin fabric banners, with six different “faces”; Ms. Zheutlin’s submissions“

Freedom” and “Community”, each consisting of three panels. Each of Ms. Zheutlin’s banners bears one of three different messages: “A library is a place to exchange ideas”,

“A library is a gathering place for seekers of knowledge” and “A library is a window on the world.”

“I am delighted that the banners were chosen to enhance the library experience,” says Zheutlin. “These banners explore how art,design, and craftsmanship intersect in the visual arts. My paintings’ transformation — from paint on paper, to a digital image,to a site-specific installation — celebrates the limitless potential of materials and techniques.”

Zheutlin says that libraries have become “so much more than a collection of books, but more a multi-faceted portal to human expression and knowledge.

MVP Visuals is a supplier of fabric banners, displays and trade show table covers.

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MVP supplies a wide range of custom printed materials for events and shows. Visit http://www.mvpvisuals.com to view our custom printed products such as: blade banners, light pole banners, canopy tents, table coverings, carpet, banners and flags and trade show table covers

Add Glitter and Shine on a Dime!

When it comes to trade shows and events you have two goals: look fabulous and keep within budget... Not Easy!! But there are some things you can do that are easy and won’t push you over budget.

You can add glitter and shine by adding low cost overlays to your standard tablecloths. Three fabrics can give your standard look some glitz and glamor! You can get a 54”x54” overlay for any of the fabrics below for about $15!

1) Tissue Lame: Lame is all glamor and shine. This gleaming metallic will make your low budget look like big time sophistication. You may not know that this beautiful metallic fabric is very affordable.

Lame is a combination of metallic yarns and synthetic fibers. The fabrics metallic yarns shimmer by catching and reflecting light. Silver and gold are the most popular colors check out the dazzling colors for a unique look. Great for accent bows! This is a difficult fabric to clean so only use this in situations where it won’t get grease on it.

2) Sparkling Organza: Sparkling organza fabric is a soft, sheer fabric which is perfect way to scatter a cloud of sparkles over your table. Sparkling Organza with its tiny metallic flecks can also be used for sheer curtains to bring starlight to your walls. The transparent fabric works well with mixing and matching colors the sheer colors. Organza is fabric is soft enough to tie and stiff enough to be used for bows.

3) Duchess Satin: This satin has a beautiful low luster sheen it has a soft hand and drapes. Duchess Satin has a soft sexy draping appeal and works both as an overlay or even as a full length tablecloth cloth accented by Organza overlay. Duchess Satin is 100% Brushed polyester and is machine washable and easy to care for and comes in a wide assortment of colors.

MVP Visuals is a supplier of event and Trade show table covers.
by: Mary Dykas http://www.mvpvisuals.com

5 Myths about your Trade Show Table Covers

5 MYTHS ABOUT YOUR TRADE SHOW TABLE COVERS

Full Color Prints are more expensive than screen printing:

MYTH: Not any more! Years ago full color printing was very expensive but today the technology has improved where full color prints are more economical than ever and often more economical that screen printing 1 color prints! Companies are now able to advertise with full color high resolution product photos on their trade show table covers promoting their products. Full color front panel printed 6’ tablecloths are $159 ($141 for 1 c prints) and 6’ Full printed table wraps are $120! Full coverage all over prints which are table covers that are printed on the entire table covers are as low as $240.

Printed tablecloths must be dry cleaned:

MYTH: The chemicals used in dry cleaning are not good for printed table covers and spandex table covers. The best is the lowest cost option of just cold water wash with a low temp tumble dry!

I need to buy multiple tablecloths to fit various trade show tables:

MYTH: Trade shows can bring you to different venues with a variety of table sizes. There are products out on the market today that offer tablecloths that they call “adjustable” but actually are just 6’ drape style trade show table covers that end up being too short on the sides and back when used on an 8’ table. That’s not adjustable! MVP Visuals offers truly adjustable options. First, we offer a truly adjustable trade show table cover that has Velcro™ under the table top and allow the table cover to achieve a fitted look when used on a 6’ table and open up to a drape style when used on an 8’ table. Secondly, we offer new table wraps. Table wraps work just like skirting with a full bleed print. The printed tablecloth will wrap around the table using skirt clips so now your tablecloth will fit any size table!

Screen Print lasts longer the Dye Sub Print:

MYTH: Dye sub full color print process is actually dyed into the fabric. Screen printing process stays on top of the fabric. Screen printing inks have improved and are more flexible so are now less likely to crack but dye sub prints never crack because it is actually dyed into the fabric so lasts longer.

I can’t get my tablecloth printed because I only have low res artwork:

MYTH: Graphic software has improved to the point where most logos and be recreated into vector format so you can get your logo recreated into vector format which is the best for printing quickly and at a low cost.

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MVP supplies a wide range of custom printed materials for events and trade shows. Visit http://www.mvpvisuals.com to view our custom printed products such as: blade banners, light pole banners, canopy tents, table coverings, carpet, banners and flags.