Banner material that reflects light is fantastic for showing up at night or in low-light situations. It’s coated in a way that allows graphics on it to reflect light back at its source.
When positioned correctly next to a spotlight or headlights, your banner will be clearly visible even after dark.
Thinking about adding it to your offerings? Learn all about what it is, where it shines, and how it stacks up against other materials in this balanced guide.
What Exactly Is Reflective Vinyl Banner Material?
Essentially, reflective vinyl banner material is just a substrate coated with micro glass beads or prismatic technology. This causes light to bounce off of it and back toward its origin.
This also allows you to see graphics placed on top of the reflective material extremely clearly when a light is shone directly on it.
Compared to traditional PVC banner material, text and graphics on reflective banner material can still be read in low-light situations.
Uses for Reflective Vinyl Banner Material
1. Visibility At Night
The main advantage of using this material is, of course, nighttime visibility. When the sun goes down, most other banners become unreadable.
But if you use a reflective banner material, as long as there is a light source pointing at it, you’ll be able to see it.
2. Increase Safety Message Visibility
Since it’s used for a lot of traffic signs and work zone-fencing, reflective materials are great at getting safety messages and information across.
In fact, some high-end brands, like 3M, sell banner materials that are made specifically for high-visibility safety applications.
3. Weatherproof
Like most banners, these are used for outdoor applications. They are typically both rain and weatherproof, and provide decent UV resistance and temperature tolerance.
4. Compatible With Most Printers
Unless otherwise noted by the manufacturer, you should be able to print on it using solvent, eco-solvent, UV, or latex printers.
5. Readable From Far Away
A benefit of having light reflected back at you is that you can stand farther away from something and still clearly read what it says.
Popular Types of Reflective Vinyl
Here are some popular types of reflective vinyl.
Glass Bead Reflective Vinyl
- Cheap
- Ideal for short- to mid-lifetime applications
- Lower shine factor
Prismatic Reflective Vinyl
- Higher shine factor
- Long-lasting
- Used often for traffic and highway signs
Many companies have engineered their prismatic technology to allow for a wider angle of reflectivity and longer lifetime.
Best Applications For Reflective Vinyl Banner Material
You won’t need a reflective banner material for every single application. But here are some situations where having one can come in handy:
- Billboards
- Roadside advertising
- Construction zone fencing
- Parking signs/directionals
- Outdoor event banners that will be used at night
- Emergency or construction worker visibility
Things like indoor banners or advertisements inside of well-lit stores can usually get away with using non-reflective banner material. Not only will they save you money, but the colors will also pop more.
Drawbacks of Using Reflective Vinyl
Of course, there are some drawbacks to using a reflective vinyl banner material.
- More expensive: Because of the reflective coating on top
- Colors aren’t as bright: As banner materials without a reflective coating
- Requires smooth surfaces to install on: Will show bubbles and imperfect areas more
- Thick and rigid: Some types of reflective vinyl are heavier than traditional banner materials.
For these reasons, some people will only use reflective vinyl when they need that extra visibility.
Things to Know When Purchasing Reflective Vinyl
Here are some things to take into consideration when purchasing reflective vinyl banner material.
- Where will you be using it? Outdoor street? Highway? Indoors?
- How far away will people be when viewing your sign? Reflective materials work best from a distance.
- What lighting situations will it be used in? If you need your banner to be read at night or in low-light situations, this is a must.
- How long do you need it to last? Temporary promotions? Long-term signage?
- Do you have the right printer? Make sure it’s compatible with your current printer.
brands, like ORAFOL, are used widely for roads, highways and traffic systems because they provide durable and consistent results.
There you have it: everything you need to know about reflective vinyl banner material.
It serves a unique purpose that most other banner materials can’t fulfill. But when you need that extra visibility at night or in low light, it outperforms them all.
Just remember that there are different types of reflective materials with different benefits. Some are better for longevity, and others give you better shine.
Once you know the ins and outs of what you’re looking for, you can find the reflective material that best fits your needs and use it alongside traditional banner materials to have your cake and eat it too.