Plastic Roll Banners: The Ultimate Buyers Guide
Plastic roll banners have so many uses and can be utilized across industries. We’ve done the legwork to collect all the most important information and answers to burning questions about these great roll banners!
What are plastic roll banners?
First things first! Plastic roll banners go by many different names:
- plastic banner rolls
- disposable roll banners
- perforated plastic roll banners
- perf banners
- tearaway banners
- wraparound banners
Yet they all refer to the same amazing product! These banners are the perfect solution for anyone looking to cover an event with a logo or branding message, while adhering to a budget.
These banners are multi-purpose and even recyclable! You can cut or perforate roll banners and distribute sections to be used as a sun shade, mat, memento, or sign.
How much do roll banners cost?
The great news is that plastic roll banners are quite affordable! Because there are just two main factors that affect cost, it is easy to work out your ideas and still fit a budget.
The Two Main Cost Factors:
- The number of colors in your artwork
Each color requires one printing plate. For example, the KNBR logo pictured below is white on a blue background. Since white does not count as a print color, this specific logo required three (not four) plates: red, blue, and yellow.
- The length of the banner (print run)
How many feet do you need to cover for your event? A 2,000 foot run might cover one event, but if you host several events a year, you may opt to put in a larger purchase order at once. The cost savings go up as your order size increases, because once a print run is started it is easiest to just keep it running at that time.
There is one more, smaller consideration regarding banner roll pricing: size (height) of the roll.
Typically, banners come in sizes 18″, 24″, and 36″. Make sure you think about what your needs are and order accordingly!
Overall, plastic roll banners are an incredibly cost-effective choice. How cost effective are they? In most cases, plastic roll banners are just 1/10th the cost of traditional vinyl and screen-printed banners. Sometimes even less!
So you can expect to pay anywhere from about $0.20 cents per linear foot to $0.30 cents per linear foot, depending on the order size. Oftentimes we can deliver plastic roll banners for less than $0.15 per square foot!
How can I get cheap banners?
If your budget is really tight, here are some tips to make your purchase more affordable:
- Simplify your artwork to minimize colors
- Opt for digitally printed roll banners
Since the number of colors greatly impacts printing costs, simplifying your artwork can be a money-saver. For example, if your artwork has color gradients, simplifying it to fewer colors can make a big difference.
However, if the color variety in your artwork is very important, you may want to consider digitally printed plastic roll banners. There are two main benefits to this product:
- No cost difference based on number of colors
- Significantly less expensive when ordering in small sizes
For example, when ordering the traditionally printed roll banners (Flexographic print plates), the minimum order is 4 rolls at 500 feet each. However, the minimum order for digitally printed banners is just 1 roll at 250 feet. If you’re uncertain what length you should order to meet your needs, please reach out to our team of experts for guidance!
*Note: Unless your artwork is REALLY complicated and uses a lot of colors, the most cost-effective choice if you need to make a bulk purchase is still the traditional Flexographic-printed roll banners.
I need a rush order. How fast can I get my plastic roll banner?
The typical chip time for standard orders is 2-4 weeks for 4 or more rolls. The timeline is based on the time to make the Flexographic print plates and then ship them to the printer, then printing time, and finally the shipping to the customer.
We can oftentimes move faster than the 4 week window, but if you are planning for an event it’s best to get your design in with extra time.
Digitally printed roll banners have a quicker turnaround time of about 1-2 weeks.
The FASTEST option, if you are truly in a bind, is to order a vinyl roll banner. The benefit is that this option is absolutely the fastesr, however since they are much heavier the shipping costs will go up. Because of the weight of the vinyl, the longest cut we provide is 50 feet.
Drop us a line if you have a specific, quick turnaround need! We are happy to work with you to find a solution with the best product, price, and shipping method.
How much do roll banners weigh?
It’s super easy to remember how much plastic roll banners weigh! An 18 inch high, 500 foot long roll will weigh 18 pounds. A 24 inch roll would weigh 24 pounds, and a 36 inch roll would weigh 36 pounds. Just keep in mind that the weight (per 500 foot roll) will be equal to the height of the banner in inches.
How much does it cost to ship roll banners?
Shipping costs for plastic roll banners depend on weight of product ordered, distance being shipped, and how fast you need it. We use UPS to ship, so faster shipping times will be more expensive.
Is my artwork in high resolution for my banner?
Digital images are stored as vector or raster files.
The best logos and art files are vector images. For example, PDF, AI, and EPS files. These can be any size without losing quality, since the computer just scales the image based on existing information.
Raster images can be trickier to adapt, and thus cannot be used for plastic roll banner printing. These include JPEG, PNG, PSD, and PSB files.
However, if your logo or artwork is currently in one of these formats, don’t despair! One of our talented designers can help get your logo modified to a usable file.
Can I perforate my roll banners?
We can perforate plastic roll banners so that each banner piece can be torn off like a paper towel or a check from a checkbook.
Some details about perforated roll banners:
- A skip perf is when your banner perforations skip over banner instances. In other words, the perforations occur every two, four, six etc. banner instances.
- Skip perfs must occur in even multiples and can be as long as 120 inches.
Perforations are helpful if you plan to tear many small segments of the banners to give away as mementos, signs, or for decoration. If you plan to wrap a large area, such as fencing, you may not need perforation.
While these perforations can be helpful, keep in mind that the perforation increases the odds of tearing. For example, if you plan to put your banner up in a very windy outdoor space, or plan to stretch it around a broad area, it is slightly more apt to tear at the perforated edge.
If you’re uncertain about adding perforation, keep in mind that it’s very easy to cut the roll banners into smaller sections with any ordinary pair of scissors.
Plastic roll banners have so many uses and applications. From nonprofit marketing, to large outdoor events, and more, these banners can be the perfect addition to wow your crowd.
