What is the difference between banner and flex

Banner printing is an outdoor digital printing material mainly used to advertise a product, business or event, these banners come in different materials, thicknesses and qualities.

We are all familiar with banner advertising and have seen all kinds of printed banners around the city, we have also heard the names of banner and flex, but many people do not know that these two materials are different. Now the question that arises is what is the difference between banner and flex? To know the difference between banner and flex, we need to get acquainted with the definition of each of these types of outdoor printing.

What is banner printing?

If you're looking to promote your event or organization, you've no doubt considered using banners and signs. Banner printing must be done using a banner printing machine, you cannot load standard printers with PVC material and hope it will print. Banners can be used for a variety of purposes, from promoting a product to celebrating and informing. In general, banners can be considered as a way to transfer images or text in large sizes and in open space, the materials of banners can be different, the types of banner printing materials are:

•    Vinyl Banner

•    PVC Banner

•    Mesh Banner

•    Fabric Banner

•    Canvas Banner

•    Paper Banner

Banner printing generally uses different types of banners that are much larger in size than conventional printing, may be single-sided or double-sided, and can be produced for indoor or outdoor use. There are different types of banners that are used for different applications and each type has its own advantages and disadvantages; The most popular and common of them is vinyl. One of the main benefits of using vinyl banners is their affordability, which is less expensive than other types of signage such as billboards or metal signs, making them a great option for small businesses or people on a budget.

What is flex printing?

Flex printing is actually a subset of banner printing that is done on PVC material with more flexibility than vinyl. Flex printing is a cost-effective way to promote your brand, especially outdoor advertising, for a longer period of time. Flexographic printing requires the use of specialized banner printing machines, these printers basically work like any other inkjet mechanism, but the printers are specifically designed to accept flex materials; Also, the ink used in this type of printing is also different. At first glance, flex printing and vinyl printing can look very similar, but they have different uses in general, and you'll notice the difference with a closer look.

In general, flex can be considered a kind of banner, which has high flexibility and can pass light through itself, and is usually installed in places where the light source is placed behind it. The round flex frame is like a compartment that has a lighting system and makes it very suitable for night vision; You have seen this type of outdoor print in the front of the shops a lot. The strength of flex printing is higher than other types of banners, including vinyl, which, of course, directly depends on the quality of the material used. For example, there are different types of Korean and Chinese flakes available in the Iranian market, which have different qualities.

What are the types of flex printing?

Flex, or more correctly Flex face, is a material that is used for signs at the front of shops, stores, pedestrian signs, some billboards, and briefly for signs that have moonlight lamps. The types of flex printing are:

✓  Normal Flex: It is the cheapest type of flex printing that is done through salon printers used in shops or in exhibitions

✓  Star Flex: Star Flex prints are made of thicker material that is better quality and more durable than regular flex

✓  Eco-Solvent Flex: When flex is printed through eco-solvent printing machines and eco-solvent ink, it is called as eco-solvent flex. This type of printing is environmentally safe and is mainly used for indoor applications such as in-store displays, exhibitions, etc.

✓  Latex Flex or Digital Flex: Digital Flex is printed through latex printers and the print quality is significantly better than others.

The difference between banner and flex

Flexi material refers to a material that allows light to pass through itself, while a banner does not have this ability and usually light shines on it from the front. As mentioned, flexi or flex has two types, Chinese and Korean, the Chinese type is usually 18 ounces and the Korean type is 20 ounces (each ounce is about 34 grams).

Like flexi, the banner has two types, Chinese and Korean, and both types have a heat density between 8 ounces and 13 ounces. The difference between a Chinese banner and a Korean banner is in the print quality and resistance of the banner. A Korean banner is of high print quality and also It has a higher resistance than the Chinese banner. Banners that are for normal use are usually printed at ten ounces, but if you are using the banner for headboards in the store that are supposed to have light from the front, it is recommended to use a thirteen-ounce banner, of course, you can in this case with Consult your board maker.

In fact, flex is a type of banner, but since vinyl is the most common type of banner for printing, the general public considers vinyl printing to be the same as banner printing, so we will discuss the differences between flex and banner or vinyl in the following:

1) Flex is softer and more flexible than vinyl banner and it can be printed using specialized industrial printing machines.

2) Flex printing is a safe choice for printing your desired design on outdoor signs due to its high resistance to weather conditions, but with this, the vinyl banner is stronger than flex.

3) On the other hand, if you are looking for an affordable option, flex printing may be a better solution, and flex banner printing is more affordable compared to fabric banners.

4) For printing on flex, there are a variety of printing inks, such as solvent ink, Eco solvent ink, and even UV ink.

5) Keep in mind that the flexi is usually printed a little darker than the banner, the reason is because of the lamp inside the board, if the flexi is printed like a banner during the night when the moonlight inside the board is lit, your printed work will be It will be very dull and dull.

6) Flex banners have a lower resolution print due to their mesh texture, while vinyl offers high quality print with vivid colors.

Choosing between flex banner printing or vinyl banner printing depends on each individual's specific needs for size requirements, budget constraints, print quality requirements, etc. The type of printing machine also plays a very important role in the high quality of banner and flex printing, which means that if you use a Korean banner for your printing, but the machine you print with has a low print quality, your work will be of low quality. It will not be high.