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Exhibitionist Tendencies: Fabric Images

An Elgin, IL-based exhibit-graphics fabricator discusses trends and methods.

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Elgin, IL-based Fabric Images, which also operates production facilities in Mexico and Italy, opened its doors in 1992 as a banner appliqué, exhibit-graphics producer. Marco Alvarez, the company’s president, said the company converted to exclusive, dye-sublimation fabrication in 2001. Fabric Images, which operates a 100,000-sq.-ft. facility (with a pending, 45,000-sq.-ft. expansion) in the U.S. and approximately 35,000 sq. ft. at each of its international facilities, also maintains an inhouse metal shop, which enables it to produce custom aluminum and steel hardware.

“After research and experimentation, we discovered that dye-sublimation printing offered us the best color saturation and the greatest versatility with fabrics and support structures,” Alvarez said.

Fabric Images, which runs 24 hours a day at approximately 70% capacity, operates nine printers – four HP Scitex XLs, three Mimaki USA and two Keundos. Alvarez notes that optimizing efficiency has become a primary company focus.

Tradeshow graphics represent approximately 70% of Fabric Images’ business, with retail, corporate and museum graphics entailing much of the remaining workload. Alvarez said the company primarily operates as a subcontractor for various clients; architectural firms, ad agencies and exhibit designers are among those who hire it.

Specifying fabrics for a job means carefully matching the job’s and customer’s needs: “A graphic that will be taken down and reassembled several times a year requires a material that’s durable and easily cleaned. However, if the client wants to convey an elegant image, or translucent graphics, a thin denier fabric or linen may suffice. We’re seeing greater demand for more tactile or rugged-looking graphics, which might include a crush velour, canvas or even burlap. We inventory hundreds of materials, and we’re always looking for more.”

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Alvarez also views his company as a brand consultant: “It’s our job to help customers ‘dress’ their brand. We discuss the image they want to convey in their booth space and spec fabrics according to that. One technique we’re increasingly using is creating a layered look with diverse fabrics, which can create a lenticular appearance.”

Fire codes are a common compliance concern for tradeshow graphics. According to Alvarez, the company produces all of its domestic projects to conform to the NFPA 701 Code, which he said imposes the most stringent nationwide standard.

Although he’s well aware of customer demand for greener exhibit graphics, Alvarez said providing truly eco-friendly business practices requires due diligence. He said, “There’s been a lot of talk about bamboo as a ‘green’ material, but the process of converting it to fabric often requires chemicals and is very labor-intensive. To help do our part, we’ve contracted with a company that hauls away our polyethylene scrap and melts it down to create new plastic-pellet resins. I applaud the efforts of SGIA, IFAI and other organizations to get mills on board to produce more recycled and greener material.”

Value engineering and tighter turnaround times have become common trends, Alvarez observes. Specs for cost-effective dimensions, such as reducing a 22-ft.-long exhibit to 20 ft. (a stock size) cuts seaming, material and labor expenditures. Turnaround times have also shrunk in recent years. Whereas the standard turnaround times earlier this decade was three weeks, he said the average has now shrunk to six days.

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