A lot has changed since the days when flickering neon signs and store-front window decals were used for brand awareness or to attract shoppers to seasonal specials.
Today, the printing industry has developed a hugely versatile and popular product called Silicone Edge Graphics, SEG for short. SEG has become the go-to way to create marketing signage that pops. As more people shop online, it has become vital for retailers and businesses to invest in eye-catching in-store or store-front visuals to enhance the experience of shopping.
The name ‘Silicone Edge Graphics’ refers to the technique that printers use to create these displays. It involves printing a high-resolution graphic onto a special type of fabric and placing it in a borderless frame. This allows for a clean, borderless, and modern visual display that immediately pops and draws attention.
Let’s take a deeper dive into the benefits of SEG displays, including how they work and why they are so popular.
Silicone edge graphics are printed using a high-resolution dye-sublimated printing method on special tension fabric. Dye-sublimated printing technology refers to the use of heat transfer to apply an image to fabric or other materials that are sublimation-friendly.
During the process, the inks vaporize, allowing them to better penetrate the fabric. This printing technology ensures vibrant colors and photo-quality image reproduction.
Once the graphic is printed on the fabric, it is cut to size, and a silicone strip is sewn right around the entire edge of the fabric. The silicone strip fits into a recessed groove on an aluminum frame.
As a result, the sew line becomes hidden within the frame. Pushing the silicone strip into the groove pulls the fabric tight - thereby creating a frameless, yet taut, graphic display.
At Boston Retail Solutions, we offer a start-to-finish service. We provide our customers with printed and installed graphics according to their exact specifications.
However, you can also do it yourself by ordering the frames and printed fabric separately and installing it yourself. For larger graphics, this can be tricky, (which is why our expert technicians are there to do it for you), so here are some tips:
Check out this video of a Silicone Edge Graphic Installation for an event: SEG Frame & Graphics Set Up
Neon signs, digital displays, billboards, rigid signage, posters, and backlit kiosks have been used for decades to attract shoppers’ attention. However, these advertising mediums can look old-school, be costly, and are sometimes tricky to install or change up.
SEG displays are perfect for retailers and event organizers who are looking for a display option that does not cost an arm and a leg and that can be installed, moved around, and stored away easily.
Using SEG allows our customers to create virtually any shape and size of retail signage to suit their needs. Here are some examples:
Silicone Edge Graphics have been around for a while, first snapped up by retail stores for their marketing displays. Today, SEG displays are widely used, especially because they are easy to install and for the visual impact of their high-resolution graphics.
Expect to see them at museums, universities, banks, airports, trade shows, malls, and exhibitions.
A really popular way to add impact to your graphics is through lightboxes with bright LED edge lighting. LEDs are economical to run and provide consistent backlighting from edge to edge.
From the initial design concept to the final execution, Boston Retail Solutions works with you to provide a comprehensive, customer-driven service. We engage the powerful BRIX platform to execute large-scale graphics and large-print environmental wrap projects as well as lightbox signage.