How to Finish Your Banner

There’s a lot of different options for banners. Hems types, grommet color & spacing, wind slits & flaps, etc. We’re going to break down these options so you can see why they’re used, and more importantly, which options are right for you!

1. Hem Types

Hem types are the way that the banner is hemmed. It can affect how long the banner lasts as well as how it is hung.

The different ways the hem is held together.

Taped Hems: This is the most popular and most commonly used hem type. The hem is made by using 1” double sided banner tape that is placed on the edge of the banner, then folded over creating a 1” space around the banner that is twice as thick. This adds to the durability of the edges.

Sewn Hems: This is another popular option, especially when the banner needs to last a long time or is going in a harsher environment. Sewn hems are the same as taped hems, except that after it’s taped it is then double stitched with heavy duty thread. This holds the hem together adding to the durability of the hems. Sewing is required by most cities for street banners.

The different hems for hanging.

Standard 1” Hems: The most common hem type for a banner is the 1” hem around all four sides. The hem is then grommeted, and the banner is hung using the grommets.

Pole Pocket Hems: Pole pocket hems are hems that are folded over and placed lower on the banner to create an opening at the top, bottom, or sides of the banner. This is done to hang the banner from a pole, rod, or stake.

Rope Hems: Rope hems are typically done as sewn hems with a rope placed just above the hem, with the excess rope hanging out both sides of the banner. This is typically done on street banners and is a way to hang the banner from both sides to poles, buildings, or other anchor points that are farther away.

2. Grommet Color & Spacing

Grommets are typically how banners are hung. They also increase the durability of the hems.

Standard Grommets: We have standard grommet spacing and color choices when it comes to all banners that are ordered without grommet specifications. Standard grommet spacing starts with a grommet in all four corners, as the banner gets wider there will be more and more grommets added to the top and bottom of the banner. As far as grommet color goes, we typically use silver, unless we can match the banner color with our gold or black grommets.

Grommet Colors: Above we mentioned matching the banner color when choosing grommets or using silver, however if you want/need the grommets to be a specific color we always stock silver, gold, and black.

Grommet Spacing: The majority of the time standard grommet spacing is sufficient, but if you need specific grommet spacing we are happy to grommet your banner to your specifications.

3. Wind Slits & Flaps

Wind slits and flaps are added to banners in high wind areas to allow wind to pass through the banners alleviating a lot of the stress and increasing the life span of the banner.

Wind Slits: Wind slits are single lines that are cut through the banner with a circle on the top and bottom. The line allows air to pass through the banner and the circles keep the lines from ripping or tearing. Wind slits don’t allow a ton of air through, but they are also more discrete and don’t often affect the design of the banner too much.

Wind Flaps: Wind flaps are “U”s cut through the banner with circles on each end. The “U” makes a bigger opening than the slits, which means that more air is allowed through but also means that the banner design could be cut and be more noticeable.

Mesh Banners: There is also the options of doing the banner out of mesh material and skipping the slits/flaps all together. Mesh banner material is perforated which means that air is allows to pass through it fairly easily. This eliminates the need of wind slits/flaps, though mesh banners can only be printed 1-sided.

4. Accessories

Banner accessories would be any extra pieces added to the banner. These could be anything from hardware to extra material.

Rigid Hems: Rigid hems are not often used, but are made for indoor banners to avoid the banner sagging. To create a rigid hem, we place a rigid substrate material in the hem. The material we use is light weight and sleek, and is practically unnoticeable. When the banner is hung using the grommets the spacing in between the grommets will be held straight by this rigid material so the the banner stays flat.

Dowel: Dowels are used in banners often to hang them from ceilings and/or to keep them flat and avoid sagging. To add a dowel to a banner, the banner is typically done with a pole pocket hem and the dowel is added in after. This allows the dowel to be removed if needed or replaced.

Carabiners: Carabiners are often used for street banners, but can be added to banners to help hang them. To add carabiners to a banner the banner will need to be grommeted with larger than standard grommets to ensure that the carabiner will fit.