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Tension Fabric Structures Offer Drama in Trade Show Exhibits

by: Dick Wheeler

Swooping shapes, extreme flexibility, ease of assembly and an ability to reach up to 3-story high projections are just a few of the reasons why smart trade show exhibitors are using tension fabrics in their trade show displays’ towers, hanging signs, backwalls, wings and conference areas.

Today’s lightweight, aircraft grade tension fabrics offer dramatic shapes, colors, and add scope to the trade show booth.  When Nintendo used tension fabric that soared to the sky with their 3- story high wall at the E3 conference, their large scale trade show exhibit was highly visible throughout the exhibit hall. Tension fabric can also create an element of surprise.   Boeing inspired intrigue when they rolled out the introduction of their new $200 million airplane hidden behind a 50’ tension fabric banner.  Boeing was able to unveil in a suspenseful manner their massive plane by slowly stripping away the fabric piece by piece before a fascinated audience.

According to Todd Bell, President of Warp Corp –a tension fabric exhibit manufacturer and supplier headquartered in Seattle, Washington –fabric and aluminum tubing trade show exhibit structures have the advantage of being dramatic, lightweight, easy to pack, and travel smoothly. 

The trade show exhibitor uses tension fabric structures with a variety of interesting shapes as an attention-getter to show strollers within view of their trade show booth.  From curvy conference rooms to rocket- like towers, to hanging signs shaped as cones, disks, dishes, rounds, triangles, etc., to imaginatively shaped backwalls and wings at the trade show display, these tension fabrics are artfully designed and stretched over aluminum frames. The fabric can offer flexibility in size since it is cut, dyed, and sewn, and then stretched onto aluminum tubing that is welded and rolled to the required dimensions of the trade show exhibit designer.

The use of a dye-sublimation process, that transfers digital color images to fabric, enhances the design of the tension fabric. The process involves heat and pressure, creating a very vibrant and durable image, capable of withstanding abuse and exposure. The image embedded onto the fabric does not run, smear, or peel off the underlying fabric. Among the advantages of dye-sublimation are color saturation, durability, and choice of substrates to match most needs.

Depending on the look and use of the trade show display designer’s graphics, there are an enormous variety of fabrics to choose from. Lycra and metallic fabrics are very popular. Some fabric is sheer while other material is heavy and opaque.  The use of thin, gauzy fabric allows light diffusion which can become translucent and allow images to appear and disappear.  Hanging banners from suspended truss work can also be used for blocking light.    The trade show exhibitor can choose from a selection of aluminum frame tension fabric structures that can stand alone, suspend overhead, or complete a trade show exhibit booth or space.

Today’s fabrics are not only dramatic, durable and cost efficient, and but also they are fire retardant for additional safety assurance at the trade show.

So wherever you exhibit—be it the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago, the Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the Santa Clara Convention Center or the San Jose McEnery Convention Center—using new tension fabrics will put your trade show display in the forefront of trade show booth design.
 
Remember, by choosing tension fabric structures for your trade show display, you can add
drama and scope to your trade show exhibit and have a more impactful trade show experience.   

About ProExhibits
Since 1987, ProExhibits has provided turnkey, one-stop custom event and trade show solutions for clients all over the world. We are well known for highly unique custom designed exhibits in addition to modular and portable trade show booths. We specialize in exceeding client expectations, exemplified by a nearly perfect (99%) customer satisfaction rating for design, production and management services. We welcome the opportunity to utilize our expertise to guarantee your success, whether with trade shows or any other type of event.

ProExhibits | 1188 Bordeaux Drive, Sunnyvale, California 94089 | (408) 734-3600 | www.proexhibits.com