Adler Display E-Newsletter - Volume 2 - Issue 2

Fabric Displays

The Problem | The Solution | Maximizing Your Budget | Fabric Display Samples

Pop-up fabric displays have become increasingly popular among trade show exhibitors, as they solve several issues that exhibitors used to face at a trade show. Innovations in the processes used to print on fabrics have progressed rapidly, allowing vivid, high-quality photographic images to be printed directly on a variety of fabrics. This technology progression has given way to display manufacturers to create lightweight, easy-to-assemble frames for not only quick installation, but real visual impact.

The Problem

Not so long ago, even a small 8- or 10-foot exhibit booth would ship to a show in several large boxes. If you were lucky, they would all arrive safely and be in your space in time for the show. However, if you did enough shows, you were bound to encounter the nightmare of having a box or two disappear somewhere in the convention center – or heaven forbid in an airport – sending you on a frantic race to locate them. Once you had all of your boxes, you and at least one other person were necessary to assemble the booth. Although pop-up frames have been around for quite some time, most pop-up booths have, until recently, featured heavy vinyl graphic panels and carpeted panels. Not a terribly time-consuming or difficult assembly, but as with any product, it could be improved.

In addition to the bulk and multi-person installation requirement of carpeted pop-up booths, changing graphic panels is an expensive proposition. Panels are generally 6- to 8-feet high, and 2- to 3-feet wide and printed on heavy vinyl. They are then backed with magnetic strips and grooves for hanging. The typical cost for one panel is around $600 (??). If your booth was a full graphic (4 panels), your cost for updating it was therefore around $2400. Not terrible, but not necessarily something you'd opt to do frequently.

The Solution

Take the concept of the pop-up frame and add the lightweight nature of Lycra-type fabrics, and you have the pop-up fabric display. Because of the weight and flexibility of the fabric, these displays generally fold down and fit into just one case – some even come in cases you can literally throw over your shoulder. If your show is local, you can literally place the case in your trunk and be on your way. If it's out of town, you will probably still need to check the case as luggage at the airport, but the chances of misplacing one case vs. several cases is significantly reduced.

Additionally, the advances in printing process and equipment has enabled the industry to lower the cost of booth graphics by using fabric instead of heavy vinyl panels. Costs to replace fabric panels are far less than vinyl panels, and it is even possible to use fabric panels on your old booth. To find out, contact your local trade show booth vendor, or click here to contact Adler Display for information.

How They Can Maximize Your Budget

One fabric display frame can be purchased, along with several different fabric panels. Instead of purchasing several different booths for different shows, different audiences, different products or marketing messages, you simply purchase different fabric panels.

Fabric display panels cost less than the older vinyl graphic panels to produce as well, and are far less expensive to ship. They last longer, too, as they will not get permanently bent or creased.

Fabric Displays in Action

Because fabric is soft, flexible, lightweight and cost effective, a creative fabric display has a wide range of possibilities. Below is a quick snapshot of some of the types of fabric displays out there today.


Fabrimural 10' Display		10' Pop-Up Display

10' Fabric Pop-Up Display		Tension Fabric Tower
10' Fabric Pop-Up Display		Fabric Banner Stands