From exhibition stands to shopfront signage, large format print is where a brand goes from a logo on a screen to something people actually walk past, stand in front of, and remember. Fabric Forge prints roller banners, pop-up stands, fabric displays, rigid signage and flags in the UK, for businesses across London and the surrounding area.
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Why physical signage still earns its place
UK advertising spend hit a record £42.6bn in 2024, and roughly £4 in every £5 of that now goes online. That makes physical, in-person signage more distinctive, not less — it is the moment a passer-by or an event visitor sees your brand with nothing else competing for their attention on a screen. Research from Bangor University's Centre for Experimental Consumer Psychology, working with Royal Mail and Millward Brown, found that physical print materials drive deeper emotional processing and better "internalisation" than digital equivalents, which is part of why a well-placed banner or sign stand still earns its keep at events and in shop windows.
Built for the UK events market
The UK events industry generates around £61.65bn a year, with corporate events — conferences, trade shows, exhibitions and product launches — accounting for roughly £33.6bn of that. Exhibition output alone has recovered to around £10.9bn since the pandemic disruption. Every one of those events needs roller banners, pop-up stands and signage on the day, and stand giveaways and visible branding are widely credited with driving footfall at trade shows. It is a large, recurring market, not a one-off spend.
Our large format & signage range
- Roller Banners — Standard, Premium, Wide and Double-Sided
- Pop-Up Stands — curved magnetic frame, reusable graphics
- Fabric Display Stands — straight, curved and stretch fabric banners
- Rigid Sign Boards — Correx, Foam Board (3mm/5mm), Aluminium Composite, Display Board
- Large Format Posters — for exhibitions, shopfronts and events
- Feather & Teardrop Flags — for forecourts and outdoor events
- Bollard Covers — low-cost shopfront branding
- Vehicle Wrapping & Graphics — full and partial van/car wraps
Browse the full range in our Large Format & Signage Printing collection.
Choosing the right material
Correx is the lightest and cheapest option, well suited to short-term site or event signage. Foam board gives a smoother, more rigid finish for indoor display work. Aluminium composite (Dibond-style) is the weatherproof, long-term choice for outdoor signage that needs to survive UK weather for years rather than weeks. If you are not sure which is right for your project, message us with a photo of the space and we will recommend a material.
Designing accessible signage
If your signage needs to work for the widest possible audience — shopfronts, receptions, exhibition stands with public footfall — there's established UK guidance worth following. RNIB Clear Print guidance recommends a minimum of 12pt type, ideally 14pt or larger, in a clear font such as Arial, with strong contrast between text and background; anything from 16pt Arial upward is generally considered large print. BS8300 sets out accessible signage dimensions, including character height, stroke width and spacing, and the Equality Act 2010 places a duty on businesses to make reasonable adjustments for disabled visitors. If your signage needs Welsh, Scottish Gaelic or British Sign Language considerations, the British Sign Language Act 2022 formally recognises BSL in England, Scotland and Wales. We're happy to advise on legible sizing when you send over your artwork.
Printing branded workwear for your stand or shopfront?
If your team needs matching branded T-shirts, hoodies, polos or hi-vis for an event or site, see our DTF vs Screen Printing vs DTG guide to choose the right garment printing method, or go straight to the range.
Also printing for a different occasion?
We also print Business Stationery & Publications, Funeral & Memorial keepsakes, and Pet Memorial keepsakes.
The print behind the poster: a bit of history
Posters, banners and signage have been doing this exact job — getting a message in front of people in a public space — for centuries, across some surprising corners of British life: the NHS, hospitals, the military, museums and the monarchy have all relied on exactly this kind of print, long before it had a Shopify collection page. See also property boards and construction site signage.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can a roller banner or pop-up stand be printed?
Most roller banners and pop-up stands are printed and dispatched within a few working days of artwork approval. Send us your artwork and event date on WhatsApp and we will confirm a realistic turnaround.
What is the difference between Correx, foam board and aluminium composite signage?
Correx is lightweight corrugated plastic, best for short-term or temporary signage. Foam board is smoother and more rigid, suited to indoor display work. Aluminium composite is a weatherproof, long-lasting board designed for permanent outdoor signage.
Do you deliver large format signage across London?
Yes, we print and deliver across London and UK-wide via Evri from our Enfield and East London locations. Message us with your postcode and we will confirm delivery timing.
Can you advise on accessible or legible signage sizing?
Yes. We follow RNIB Clear Print guidance and BS8300 principles for character size, contrast and spacing, and can advise on legible sizing for your specific sign when you send over your artwork.
Measuring up before you design
Most signage problems begin with a guess at the size. Measure the space the sign will occupy, including any frame, rail or fixing points, and note what will be nearby, such as a door handle, a light fitting or a window bar. For a banner that hangs, allow for how it is fixed: eyelets sit just inside the edge, and a pole pocket or hem takes up extra material. For a rigid board, ask whether it will be screwed, taped, cable-tied or hung, because drilled holes need a safe margin from any text or logo.
Viewing distance and text size
A simple guide is that text should be readable at the distance people will see it from. Signs on a shopfront are read from across a pavement, while a table-top notice is read from arm's length. As a working rule, letters about 25mm tall are legible from roughly 8 to 10 metres in good light, and each extra 25mm of height adds a similar distance. Use it only as a starting point, and check your sign with a quick test: print the layout at a reduced scale on paper, tape it to a wall and step back by the same proportion. Fewer words, bolder type and strong contrast do more for a banner than a fancy layout.
Artwork resolution for large prints
A big print does not need the same pixel density as a business card, because people look at it from further away. Even so, a small web image stretched to banner size will look blurred. Vector artwork, such as a logo saved as a PDF or SVG, scales to any size without losing sharpness, so send that wherever you can. Photographs should be as large as the original allows, and it is usually best to supply them at the size you want to print or at least a good fraction of it. Keep the bleed to whatever the product needs, and ask us what the right margin is for hems and eyelets.
Indoor and outdoor needs
Indoor display work can use lighter, smoother materials, because it is protected from rain, wind and sunlight. Outdoor signs face moisture, UV light and movement. Fabric flags and banners flex and flap, so seams and fixings matter as much as the print. Rigid boards should be fixed so wind cannot lift them. In exposed places a banner with small cut-outs (wind slits) lets air pass through and reduces strain on its fixings. If a sign will be up for a long time, mention it when you ask for a quote so a suitable material and finish are suggested.
Questions to settle before ordering
- Where will it be used, and for how long?
- Who needs to see it, and from how far away?
- Does it need to be reusable? Roller and pop-up graphics can be swapped, while a printed rigid board stays as printed.
- How will it be carried, stored and set up?
- What is the date of the event or opening? Give it with your request and order early.
Can I reuse a roller banner for a different message?
The graphic is normally the part that is replaced, and the stand can be kept, so a new graphic can fit the same stand. Check the size of your stand and tell us when you ask for a quote.
Should I print a QR code on a banner?
It can work if it is large enough and has quiet space around it. Test it with more than one phone at the real viewing distance before you finalise the print. Keep the link short and make sure the page it opens works well on a phone.
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