Shoppers judge a brand partly by the state of its displays. A faded header card, a scuffed floor-standing unit or a wall graphic with a peeling corner sends the wrong message, however good the product on the shelf. Retail print has a hard life: it is installed in a hurry, brushed by trolleys and coats, cleaned by staff and lit for long hours. Choosing the right material and finish helps it stay presentable for the full length of a campaign.
Protecting printed displays
Landor Liquid Lamination is widely used on promotional and retail display prints. The added protective layer improves durability and lightfastness, so graphics last longer and cope better with a demanding environment. Colourjet, the solvent coating, helps the print resist:
- Abrasion from customers, stock movement and fixtures being refitted
- Water and chemicals, so displays can be wiped down during routine cleaning
- Premature fading, through its integrated UV inhibitors, which matters near shopfronts and skylights
Because the coating is applied as a liquid, it can be used on a range of rigid and flexible substrates printed on latex, UV and eco-solvent machines. Not every substrate or ink accepts a solvent coating well, so test a sample of the actual board or film before a rollout.
Graphics that change with the season
Many retail graphics are only meant to stay up for weeks. For walls, columns and fixtures that change with every promotion, Phototex is worth a look. It is a printable self-adhesive woven fabric that can be repositioned during fitting and removed in one piece without damaging paint or fixtures underneath. It does not suffer from edge curl or peeling, and store staff or a visual merchandising team can install it without specialist installers, which simplifies multi-site rollouts.
Questions to ask at the brief stage
- How long will the display be in place, and will it be reused?
- Is it within reach of customers, or above head height?
- Will it be cleaned, and with what?
- Does it face a window or sit under strong store lighting?
- Who will install it, and will it need to come down without leaving marks?
The answers usually point clearly towards a coated rigid display, a coated flexible graphic, or a removable Phototex print. If cleaning products are involved, coat a sample and try them on it before production.
For high-volume POS producers
Producing retail work at scale calls for consistency between batches. Liquid lamination machines give an even, repeatable coat, and the Kala Applikator flatbed laminator is also available. Browse the equipment range to compare.
Working on a retail rollout? Give us a call on 01252 624 411 and we can help you match materials to each part of the scheme.