The start of the New Year means it is time to take a look at new trends that are emerging across the print industry. Large format printing trends typically embrace both printing innovation and customer demand in order to produce significant changes in the products, processes and uses of this segment of print. This year looks to be no different as there are a number of new and returning trends that you will see in the large format printing market throughout 2023.
Want to know more about wide format printing industry trends in 2023? Take a look below as we share seven large format trends you can expect to see this year.
1. Environmental Trends for Large Format Printing
A continued effort towards environmentally friendly and sustainable printing has been part of the print industry for several years and it looks to continue to be a trend within the wide format printing space.
Print industry environmental trends look to be focused on these areas:
- Sustainable materials usage and printing
- Eco-friendly inks and recycled inks for print projects
- Reclamation of materials that can be used for recycling
2. The Use of New Substrates in Large Format Print
Creativity comes in many forms and one of the most creative ways to make printed materials stand out is finding new materials (substrates) to print on. The discovery of new substrates often comes from the specific needs of certain projects or the availability of new materials that marketers and designers find they can use in future projects. Some of the most popular trending substrates in the large format printing space include polyester blends, synthetic papers, and rigid vinyl, while also applying designs to certain metals.
3. The Personalization & Customization of Wide Format
Personalization in printed materials continues to be a hot trend and it is no surprise that it has made its way to the large format printers market. More large format projects than ever before are being produced with numerous personalized elements that are customized to speak directly to the target audience.
Popular personalization elements include:
- Targeting specific demographics with customized headlines, images, and copy
- Contact information specific to the location of the recipient
- Terminology usage relevant to the region or location (i.e. Pop vs Coke vs Soda)
4. The Use of White Ink Has Increased
Most marketers and designers don’t realize that white ink is something the print industry has struggled with in the past. Thankfully, recent advances specific to white ink have made it easier to use which has grown the demand for the use of white ink.
White ink is being used on substrates and colors that might have been a problem in the past but they are no longer an issue. Large format printing trends also include the printing of white ink as a base and then printing all other colors on top of it. This print option allows the colors located on top of the white ink base layer to have a more vibrant and eye-catching look.
5. Lower Prices on Wide Format Prints
The print processes that are part of the latest wide format printing trends have become cost-effective which means you are paying a little less or getting more for your money while paying the same price. Costs have gone down thanks to equipment innovations that increased equipment efficiency while also decreasing labor costs. In addition, demand for printed materials has increased the number of print projects being produced which results in price breaks across the supply chain.
6. Increased Demand for Wall Graphics
A growing number of companies are having large prints created to apply to their interior walls. The result is a transformation of the space from cold, boring and sterile into something modern and inviting.
Popular wall graphics options include:
- Custom-designed wallpaper
- Short-term digital wall graphics or coverings
- Large wall decals of all sizes
7. Faster Production/Turnaround Time for Wide Format Printing
Faster production times provide similar benefits to the ones created by a reduction in cost. The production of large prints in a shorter period of time typically results in a quick turnaround on small projects or much shorter production times on large runs of wide format pieces.
The main reason for the reduction in turnaround times? Recent innovations in print methods by print equipment manufacturers.
While there are other wide format & large format printing trends emerging, the trends discussed in this article will have the biggest impact on your business.
All data sources come from research conducted by Acumen Studio and Pryntbase.
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