Tip of the Week #12 - Lightweight, Exhibit-friendly Materials

Shipping, handling and installing an exhibition with components made of heavy materials is expensive and takes time. However, it may be possible to switch out some of your exhibit’s components for lighter materials. In this post and the next post I will be discussing seven alternative lightweight materials that can be used to decrease the weight of your exhibit and free up some of your budget for other exhibition needs. Some of these ideas may be too “out there”, especially for first time exhibitors. However the following examples are meant to stimulate you and get you thinking about alternatives before you blow your budget on more expensive, traditional and heavy booth systems.

Tensioned fabric

As highlighted in previous posts, fabric exhibit structures are becoming increasingly popular due to its versatility and aesthetic appeal.  Fabric is an ideal lightweight alternative to heavy materials as it is easy to pack, ship and install. As a flexible material, it also opens up your design options as a myriad of sculptural and attention-grabbing exhibitions can be created. In addition to these benefits, fabric also provides the perfect canvas for bold graphics and lighting and is a great choice for media walls or any backdrop that is being photographed or filmed. If your company has green initiatives, the fact that fabric weighs less and is therefore easier and less costly to transport and store means that it is environmentally friend. What’s even more exciting is the growing list of fabric options created from recycled material!

Inflatable structures

Inflatable structures are a lightweight option for both structures and furniture. Inflatable exhibits can come in the form of reception desks, freestanding arches, small overlays and back wall displays to large hanging structures and conference-room structures. Furnishings such as inflatable chairs and couches are also available. The greatest advantages of inflatable technology are its portability and convenience as they can be easily packed and transported in heavy-duty storage bags or carry-on cases. Installation is simple and quick and only requires inflation by an air pump that can be powered by either a rechargeable battery pack or plug. In addition, the use of inflatable structures is not limited to trade shows and exhibitions. They can also be used for events, popup stores and shopping centre displays.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foam board

PVC foam boards are a light material that can be used when rigid structures or graphics are required for your exhibition stand. If you want to use foamed PVC sheets to display graphics, there are two options available. Imagery and artwork can be printed onto a material such as self-adhesive vinyl and applied to rigid foam boards. Alternatively, artwork can be directly printed onto the board as foam PVC readily accepts screen and digital print. However printing directly to substrate tends to produce inferior print quality as compared to printing onto material (although it is catching up!). The downside to PVC foam boards is that there may be transportation issues as they can be easily damaged. Also if your foam boards are large in size, sending them around the country to various exhibitions by courier or pallets is not cheap.