Banner Design Ideas
Inspiration for your Banner Project
Banner Design Examples
Here are many example banner designs by topic/interest.
Sports Banner Design Inspiration
We also have separate banner example pages that include design best practices for several sports:
- Football Banner Designs
- Soccer Banner Designs
- Tee-Ball Banner Designs
- Basketball Banner Ideas
- Baseball
- Softball
- Swimming
- Cheerleading
- Dance
(We’ll update this list with links as new pages are published.)
Fonts are a big part of design, so we have another article dedicated to selecting fonts for sports banners.
This is not an exhaustive list of sports and events that use banners to get messaging across.
There are a wide variety of uses including to promote sports league registration, advertising team/league sponsors, highlighting the players, building team pride, and more.
Business Banner Design Inspiration
Banner Basics
Let’s go over some basics about printed banners. There are seemingly endless possibilities.
What are the different types of banner materials?
Vinyl
Vinyl, technically known as PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is a very durable option for banners.
There are different weights of vinyl material, ranging from 9oz to 22oz, which refer to the thickness. Heavier weights are thicker and typically last longer than lighter weights, especially when used outdoors.
The life of a vinyl banner is typically 3-5 years depending on the conditions.
Mesh
Mesh is another popular choice for outdoor banners for a couple reasons. The mesh is typically made from polyester.
This material allows air and wind to flow through, so the corners are less likely to tear because there is less resistance to the banner.
Mesh banners are also a slightly more eco-friendly choice when compared to solid and thicker vinyl.
PET or “Poly”
This banner material is gaining popularity because it is a more eco-friendly option when compared with vinyl.
Also called “Poly”, technically Polyethylene terephthalate, it is a lightweight and recyclable plastic. It is the same material that plastic water bottles are made from.
It lasts 3-5 years, is affordable, and the cost is comparable to vinyl. It handles outdoor windy conditions well without needing wind slits just like mesh.
Felt
Felt is a soft woven fabric that is used for many different crafts projects.
Felt banners are created by cutting shapes and applying them with glue to a background.
This is a longer process than printed banners, but you can create something very unique when you DIY.
There are other fabric banners you can find on the market, and they are usually made out of polyester, nylon or blends.
What are the different types of inks used for banners?
The most common inks used for printing banners are:
- Solvent
- Eco-solvent
- UV (ultra-violet light cured)
- Latex
- Aqueous
What is the best indoor banner type?
When you need to display your banner inside, you do not need to worry as much about wind and sun. Therefore lightweight banners such as those made from either PET, or a lightweight vinyl are preferred.
In almost all cases we’d recommend sticking to a matte finish, but you may be able to get away with a glossy material if your banner will be displayed in a low-light indoor setting.
What is the best banner for outdoors?
When choosing an outdoor banner, you have to consider the weather, if it will be under direct sunlight, and how long it needs to last.
If your banner must survive the elements for more than a year, the best choices are a heavy weight vinyl, which is usually also coated with UV protection, or a more eco-friendly choice is PET.
If you only need your banner to be displayed outdoors, periodically, for example during one sports season; you have more options including a lighter weight vinyl, or mesh.
What are typical banner prices?
Prices for printed banners vary widely, from a dollar or two per square foot, all the way up to 10x that price, or more.
The main differences in price can be attributed to overall quality, design, banner material, ink, production time, finishing, shipping, and markup.
For a banner that will only be displayed for a very short period of time (eg: one weekend event banners) lower quality printing and cheap banners may work out just fine.
When an extended banner lifespan and outdoor display is necessary, costs will rise significantly as the banner quality is much more important. Low cost and indoor banners are made for short term use, but when used outside, the edges will tear and fray, and the print will fade relatively quickly.
High quality materials, inks, printing production, finishing, and better overall quality is recommended for highly visible banners that need to last an extended period (eg multiple months or longer).
To determine a price range for your banner project, you should first consider the lifespan, display conditions, and overall quality required.
What are the different printing methods for banners?
The majority of banners are printed with large inkjet printers, also know as “wide format printers”.
Banners can be created with several types of machines including wide format digital inkjet printers, sublimation transfers, vinyl cutters, screen printed, or even hand painted.
Each method has its own pros and cons. How and where your banner will be displayed will be primary factors for which method is used.
What is the most eco-friendly printing method?
For indoor banners the most eco-friendly banner would use a combination of a biodegradable material along with water soluble latex inks.
For outdoor banners that need to withstand harsher conditions, a PET banner material printed with latex inks is an earth friendly option.
Be sure to inquire about the materials and inks used by your printer before your next purchase. There are eco-friendly options readily available with comparable pricing.
Conclusion
So there you have it. You’ve seen many examples of banners to get your design juices flowing, and we’ve covered the basics of banner materials and inks.
The options are almost endless, but with a little effort, we’re sure you can create something great.
If you’ve found a design on this page you like, feel free to use it as inspiration for your banner. We’d be happy to help you with your design if you need it. Just ask us.
If we do provide you with design assistance, we’d hope you’ll choose Banner Goat to print and ship it to you. Shipping in the U.S. is free!