What is Large Format Printing? 

Our customers know how much NEXT loves working on large-format printing projects.  

With a high-quality finish, optimum sustainability and the opportunity to go big and bold creatively, what’s not to love? 

Today’s article looks closely at our leading (and most-requested) print service, large-format printing: what it is, and why marketers, events teams and visual merchandisers love to go large as much as we do! 

What is large-format printing? 

Just as it sounds, large-format printing is capable of handling print requests considered above the standard size. Traditionally, print machinery was manufactured to handle paper sizes like A4 and in small quantities, but today’s machines – built much larger in comparison – can manage prints up to several feet long on repeat runs. Indeed, to be classed as ‘large’, a print must exceed 18 inches in width or height. That’s substantially larger than A4! 

Large-format print machinery uses laser technology to print the design onto the chosen material, be it paper, fabric, vinyl or wood. It prints quickly and accurately, creating beautiful and vibrant designs in full colour. 

It might be twenty-odd years old, but large-format printing is still considered ‘new’ in our sector. Yet since the first-ever large format print run in the early 1990s, it’s been ramping rapidly, now the preferred process for many printers and their SMB or corporate customers looking to up-size their printed collateral and make a jaw-dropping statement or two! 

Why choose large-format printing? 

There are SO many reasons to choose this printing method, and it’s not only the size of your print that benefits. Here’s what else you can expect when you choose large-format printing for your next print project. 

Large-format printing is big on size AND quality 

Once upon a time, blowing up an image in size impacted the picture quality – but not anymore. Large printing technology can increase an image size with zero distortion, presenting any pictures and words used in your design with clarity and in full colour.  

Large-format printing is cost efficient 

With the ability to produce large-scale prints to a high quality and quickly, large-format printing is cost effective upfront and over time, with your printed piece set to last longer thanks to its incredible durability.  

Large-format printing is better for the environment 

Large-format digital printing uses a different process to conventional methods, which take the print from a metal plate. Having to repeatedly change a plate to accommodate new designs – even for just the tiniest of tweaks to a word – means massive amounts of waste resulting from the printing process. They require less energy to run than older printing presses too – another win for the environment.  

Large-format printing loves any material 

When it comes to large-format printing, don’t think you need to limit yourself to paper. All kinds of materials can handle digital printing – so long as they can fit through the printer!  

Vinyl, cloth, glass, foam board, plastic, and metal: These materials all love digital printing. 

One of our favourites is the highly durable and eco-friendly paper base product, ReBoard.  

You can learn more about the magic of ReBoard for large format printing here! 

Best uses for large-format printing 

As we’ve seen, large-format printing is nicely versatile with the ability to produce high-quality coloured prints to all manner of materials without costing – or damaging – the earth. 

And when you have something at your disposal that ticks so many boxes, things become incredibly exciting for marketers, events display designers and visuals teams.  

It seems the sky’s the limit with large-format printing – from billboards to bus banners! If you’re still not sure how you might use large-format printing, here are some ideas: 

  • Exhibition booths 
  • Point-of-sale displays 
  • Event stands 
  • Pop-up banners 
  • Floor graphics 
  • Signs for tradeshows 
  • Banners 
  • Posters 
  • Pillar wraps 
  • Wall infographics 

Want to see something really creative using large-format digital printing? Read about the interactive media and marketing materials produced by NEXT and Havas Blvd for the Coca Cola-sponsored FIFA World Cup 2022 Trophy Tour! 

Are large format printing and wide format printing the same thing? 

We are often asked what is wide-format printing and if it is the same as large format printing. They’re not quite one and the same thing, although they do perform a similar task – and it’s all about the size.  

Where large format printing includes any prints up to 60 inches, wide format printing goes beyond this to cover prints ranging from 60 inches to 100 inches. Think huge event banners or graphics designed to cover an entire wall.  

Does this mean 100 inches is the limit for large-format printing? There is potential nowadays to print even bigger pieces again using grand format printing, capable of producing billboards and scaffolding wraps over 100 inches in size.  

Ready to go large with your next creative printing project? Talk to the experts – NEXT – the leaders in large format digital printing in Australia. There is nothing we cannot print! 

Speak to a print expert 

Barbie at Grill’d | Case Study

The Brief 

To coincide with the launch of the Barbie Movie in July 2023, Bastion Experience contacted Next Printing in April 2023 with an extensive brief to comprehensively re-fit Grill’d The Galeries’ Sydney location as Barbie’s Dreamburger Diner. Essentially, burger lovers would be immersed in a pink dreamworld, where they could sit and enjoy pink burgers whilst being surrounded by fun Barbie-inspired ‘instagrammable’ décor.  

From the outset Bastion suggested Reboard® as a primary component. As an engineered paperboard with the strength of MDF, it was a smart choice for a temporary fit-out that would need to withstand 5-weeks in a high-traffic restaurant environment. Along with Reboard®, Next would be utilising a range of other print materials to further transform windows, floors, tables and columns inside the space. 

BEFORE

AFTER

The Challenge

Initial site checks revealed many of the existing timber booth structures destined to be clad with Reboard® were not perfectly square, a major consideration during the industrial design process. In addition, the number of high-profile stakeholders involved meant that a considerable approval process was required over a very short timeframe. Finally, the entire re-fit would need to be completed in one night (from closing time on Monday 10th July to opening on Tuesday 11th July.  

BEFORE

AFTER

The Solution

For production purposes, Next broke the project into 10 jobs that corresponded with the main areas to be updated within Grill’d. These areas included: The Façade, Bar, Cabana, Movie Wall/Column, Hedge, Drive Thru Diner, Dreamhouse, Bathrooms, Backwall/George Street Windows and Photo Frames/Lightbox Prints. Treating these as individual mini projects, allowed for quicker approvals and movement through production. The items were then packed by area for speedy allocation and unpacking on-site.  

BEFORE

AFTER

The Execution

Utilising a team of 6 experienced installers and approximately 90 Sheets of Reboard® along with other substrates, Next Printing assembled and built a variety of custom structures on site. Some items (for example the main Dreamburger entry feature) were pre-built prior to installation and transported to site to expedite the build. The entire installation was completed on time with the team from Bastion adding their own finishing touch with props and lighting.  

BEFORE

AFTER

The Takeaway 

The before and after shots of Grill’d The Galeries really must be seen to be believed. All designated spaces were completely transformed into the ‘Dreamburger Diner – a place where everyone feels pretty in pink’*. The fit-out has generated a considerable buzz on Grill’d Burgers’ Instagram page with posts such as ‘It is AMAZING! Can I confirm that I want to live there! Was so lucky to visit’, ‘it was decked out on the inside! So cool!’ and ‘Biggest slay’ being the general consensus amongst Grill’d’s many patrons.  

BEFORE

AFTER

The Photo Gallery 

BEFORE

AFTER

*https://lp.grilld.com.au/barbiemovie 

©2023Mattel  

 ©WBEI (s23)  

7 Creative Retail Window Displays to Inspire

When it comes to creating an unforgettable first impression, nobody needs to nail it more than RETAIL.  

Window displays are often the first point of contact your potential customers see – and subsequently, your chance to shine. Using high quality print can help you stand out on the high street, luring folks in for a peek and – hopefully – a purchase. 

Today, we’re looking at window displays that WOW!  

What Makes an Impressive Retail Window Display? 

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. When it comes to retail displays, it’s all about the eye of the consumer! If you don’t catch their eye as they wander by, shoppers are not coming through the door! 

Think how many people pass your retail window every day. Depending on your location – city CBD or remote suburb – there are a few to a thousand feet (and eyes) passing you, all of whom are potential customers. How about giving them a reason to pop in? 

Print allows for almost anything nowadays, whether directly involved in the main advertising piece – as a product stand, for example – or serving as a backdrop. It’s all about conjuring maximum pulling power when you put together a retail window display, and there are three must-haves window display designers swear by: 

Colour: Nothing lifts a window display more than colour. Whether you’re using multiple colours from your brand palette or building a theme around a single colour, bright prints bring vibrancy to your shop window display and draw attention to it. So, go bold and bring in the crowds! 

Clarity: Even the largest window display can soon look cluttered if you over-fill it; in fact, the larger the area, the more likely you are to go overboard. Keep it clutter-free so passers-by can see your products clearly, and use print to emphasise the sales message. 

Creativity: The shop window display is one of the oldest types of marketing around, which means almost everything possible has been done before! Be as creative as you can with your display to ensure a point of difference. Clothing brands can still use a mannequin or two – just be sure to add some contours and creative printing around them!  

Let’s chat Window Displays

Best Materials to Maximise your WOW-full Window Display 

Printing has evolved, allowing you to bring almost ANY idea to life, creating incredible scenes for your customers, old and new.   

You need to use the right materials to get the best out of print in your window display. These days, there are several to choose from, some providing a more suitable ‘blank canvas’ than others for high-quality printing. 

Lots of visual design teams these days work with Re-board®, thanks to its being so incredibly robust like MDF yet kinder to the environment. Super versatile, it cuts into all kinds of shapes to help create a winning window display. What’s more, Re-board® LOVES print, taking on images and colour without compromising the quality. 

When you have less need for durability and more need for delicacy, Paper is a great cost-effective material for your window displays. Printing to paper is easier than ever, with modern techniques helping you print to sizes previously unimaginable.  

Fabric is another fantastic material when looking for something flexible and luxurious, bringing a unique texture to your window display. Today’s textiles and print methods mean attaching colour to fabric is no issue, whatever the design, pattern or size.  

Let’s chat Window Display Materials

Tips for Top Creative Retail Window Display Ideas 

Thanks to print, there are thousands of ways – millions, even – to create a masterpiece in your shop window. All you need is an idea, and you’re already a good way there. 

Do you need some inspo ahead of your retail display refresh? Here are seven tips on creating retail windows that wow, along with some of our favourite window display ideas to help whet your appetite! 

1. Know your audience 

We all get how marketing begins by understanding your audience. Shop window displays are no different; they present the perfect opportunity to speak directly to your market.  

Make sure you know your audience deeply, which goes beyond your products. You can use plenty of other common traits shared by your demographic to connect with them. H&M did a brilliant job of this in their shop window display recently, using festival attire to speak with their mainly teen buyers with appropriately dressed mannequins and text. 

H&M window display

2. Shape up! 

A window display is your chance to set the tone before people walk through the IN door.  

In fact, it’s the job of your display to make sure that they do! And shapes can help you. 

Whether it’s a simple oversized version of your product or an elaborate zebra dipped in multi-coloured paint, shaped objects are eye-catching – do them well, and they are too hard to ignore.  

ReBoard® is the perfect material for shapes; simple to cut, flexible, durable and printable. See what it did for this Paul Smith window display! 

Paul Smith Window Display

3. Draw eyes YOUR way! 

It sounds simple, yet creating a point of focus is trickier than you might think. Yes, you can opt for the straightforward and place your No1 product on a pedestal under a spotlight – job done! It serves a purpose, but it’s far from creative.   

Today’s communications need to pack a punch more than ever. If your shop is wedged between others selling similar or identical products, how will you stand out opting for straightforward? Look what Louis Vuitton achieved by adding candy-striped hot-air balloons to an otherwise basic display of its iconic bag. 

Red and white stripes behind balloons and a bag.

4. Let there be light! 

Simply put, your window display needs light – daytime and after dark!  

In the daylight, using lights to illuminate your window display produces depth, whether it’s spotlighting a product or bouncing light off a cut-out to create shadows. And once the natural light of day turns to evening, what better way to ensure your window display continues doing its job after hours, causing a scene for night revellers to enjoy? 

Here’s what Next Printing partner, Nordwerk, created using only Re-board® and some creative lighting! 

A large dimly lit winter wonderland Re-Board display filled with cardboard trees.

5. Use words AND pictures 

High-quality colour prints look incredible and speak volumes to onlookers – although your window-based communication will do wisely for having some text thrown in too.  

Words can add much to your message, from frosted lettering on a window to several-sentence poetic pieces printed on the back panel of your display. Indeed, when you don’t want your visuals to leave your target market wondering, ‘What?’, words help cement the detail. Clothing brand Holt Renfrew didn’t want to rely on its giant giraffe heads selling the message in their new year sale retail display window and used a sentence explaining the animals’ resolution ‘to hold your head high’. 

Mannequins with giraffe heads.

6. Benefit from your location 

Consider your geographic position – do you sell something that benefits the consumer’s immediate surroundings? If yes, use your unique position wisely! 

See what this store at Sydney Airport achieved in its window display, showing off products specifically beneficial to travellers. And what better way to do so than with a beautifully carved Re-board® cityscape to hang products from?  

7. Go interactive 

Nowadays, there is no need for a glass window to prevent your potential buyer from interacting with you – even after hours. Thanks to the QR code, those voyeurs behind the glass can quickly engage in your world using their phones to scan the code and see all your products and promo goodies.  

How about some motion sensors so the QR code appears as someone walks by? Or, if the budget allows, why not add audio and touch activation to support the visuals within the window? Begin the customer experience outside and you’re far more likely to beckon people inside. 

Print can play a major role in your retail displays – take it from someone with experience: NEXT Printing! 

Our expert team helps designers, visual directors, and marketers bring their brand to life in their own front room (aka shop window!). When you’re next working on a new retail display or refreshing an existing one, chat with our team and we’ll provide an idea or two about creating something spectacular! 

Ready to talk creative window displays? 

Let’s Talk! 

Qantas with Team Event | Case Study

Airport Xmas Activations: Qantas with Team Event

The Brief 

Team event was tasked with providing an impactful & fun Xmas display for Qantas at their main airport lounges Australia wide. This was the first Xmas since the pandemic put a sudden holt to travel around Australia & beyond. The brief was to welcome back the travelling population in SYD, MEL, ADL, PER, in December 2022.

The Solution 

With a short lead time they immediately concluded that Reboard was the only substrate that could be completed within a 2 week turnaround which can then be easily & cost effectively transported to all the major airport lounges across Australia. Reboard being reengineered cardboard, was sent for recycling, a much more sustainable alternative to MDF.  

A combination of 2D multi layered photo moment displays were designed by the team event designers and executed by the Next Printing team of industrial designers & production team. Layered window frames, a sleigh with seats allowed for an activation that invited lounge guests to have some fun with photo ops prior to departing on their journey.  

The Execution 

Working closely with the design team at Team Event our Industrial designer was able to incorporate the supplied graphic elements into our designed walls, other freestanding elements plus special gold foiling and floor graphics. Multilayered displays allowed for lounge guests to stand in front of the reboard backdrops but behind custom elements including clouds, a freestanding Santa as well as a double depth wall with an aperture, neon signs, velvet drapes complimented with a printed floor graphic. 

The Takeaway 

We were able to execute the design, print and build across all three sites within a two week window. By selecting Reboard, Team Event and Qantas were able to divert significant amount of MDF waste from landfill. 

5 Ways to Create Immersive Pop-Up Displays

Do you want to create an immersive experience for your exhibition, event or shop-front to engage customers directly with your brand? 

Meet the cool kid in town: the Pop-Up Display. And what a stir it’s causing! 

Today, we’re getting up close and cosy with this interactive brand booster, exploring what a pop-up display is, why it’s the leading option for brand immersion and how to create your own incredible pop-ups. 

What is a Pop-Up Display – and Why Create One? 

Many of you will know all about the pop-up display and its incredible super power, drawing in potential customers physically to connect, engage and interact.   

For those who don’t know… Pop-Ups are all the rage when it comes to brand activation. And here’s why. 

In today’s fast-moving world, consumers are overloaded with buying options, many of which are flashed under their noses digitally at hyper-speed.  

Brands have learned one of the best ways to connect with their audience is through physical interaction. It makes for an immediate, deeper and more meaningful connection that sticks in the consumer’s memory for longer. And, in time, these connections are more likely to become sales.  

Maybe you want to tell the world about your new shiny product or test a space in a shopping mall for size. Perhaps you want to increase traffic on your social platforms.   

Whatever your brand activation goals, a pop-up display will help you to achieve yours quickly.  

Learn more about pop-up displays! 

Creating Pop-Up Displays 

Pop-ups do what they say on the tin – they ‘pop up’, pull in a crowd and disappear again. And that’s OK; fundamentally, they are designed to create a buzz about a brand and its product or service quickly. A marketing sniper, if you will. 

While a pop-up display is never permanent, some will stick around for longer than others, depending on the project and its objectives. Regardless of the lifespan, pop-up displays always appear in the same places – in a store, at a mall, exhibition or event – where footfall is typically high.  

As for types of pop-up displays, the opportunities are limitless. Perhaps you want to create a display for social media purposes, where customers can take selfies and spread the word about your brand using hashtags. Or a serving window to dish up edible delights themed around your brand. Maybe it’s a space for consumers to sit and immerse themselves in your brand colours. Anything that helps cement your brand in their brain!  

You’ll also want to consider the right materials to use for your pop-up display. All have their benefits and lend themselves to different types of pop-up display: 

  • Paper-based Re-board® is exceptionally robust and great for load-bearing pop-up displays you want to last. Easy to assemble (and pack away!), transport and store, Re-board® is preferred by many in the industry nowadays – and it’s great for the environment too. 
  • Paper is another good material to use when the design requires less structure and more delicacy.
  • Fabric also works well for some pop-up displays when you need a flexible material that is easy to hang. It’s also easy to roll and transport. 

Let’s chat pop-up displays!

Immersive, Impressive, Inclusive Pop-Up Displays 

Whatever material you use, your pop-up display must be immersive, impressive and inclusive. 

Immersive is what underlines this type of marketing. So, whatever you do with your pop-up display, make sure your audience of potential customers has the ability to engage physically as they get to know you. 

You won’t get the footfall if your pop-up display doesn’t impress. Go for a stand-out display produced to the highest quality if you want to turn heads (and beckon feet!). 

Be as inclusive as possible. Sure, you won’t appeal to all demographics – which products do? Yet you need to capture the imagination of your key target market and involve as much of that market as possible while they’re in front of you. Pop up and pack a punch! 

Pop-Up Displays in Action! 

All ready to pop-up? Here are five of our favourite pop-up display ideas from recent times to give you some final inspiration  

Be proud – go LOUD! 

As we’ve mentioned, the pop-up display is all about pulling in a crowd and gaining maximum engagement as consumers visit your stand. An eye-catching design is a must; colour alone can lift your pop-up to lofty heights! 

Well-known brands are often recognised by their colour pallete, which makes for easy pickings when it comes to choosing what colours to use for your pop-up display. See what leading skincare brand Clinique achieved with The Make Haus and their beautifully pink pop-up store in Sydney, which welcomed hundreds of influencers and consumers to try their best-selling moisturiser. Seventy sheets of pink-printed Re-board® sure made a statement in downtown Sydney! 

Of course, brand colours are not compulsory, and your project may well warrant something different – printed images of people or places, for example. Whatever you decide, use a high-quality large format printer to give your printed pop-up display the premium finish it deserves. 

Plain pop-ups 

No printing? No problem! Often, a pop-up display says a whole lot more when it’s left unprinted.  

Some brands opt for plain pop-up displays to allow their product to stand out from the background. Others choose not to print for environmental reasons, reducing the ink and electricity consumed through the large format printing process.   

If you do go plain on your pop-up display, balance it out by going bold on your engagement.  Give your consumer reason to stick around and immerse themselves in your world.  

You can see some examples here of how white works well in the display world. 

Think outside the box 

While it’s relatively easy to stick with a traditional table-type stand for consumer events, a pop-up display can speak volumes to its audience when incorporating shapes. 

By recreating objects or places using shapes – a giant-sized version of your product, a tree-lined wintery forest, a shark-infested underwater world – you can create a truly immersive space people find too hard to ignore as they wander by. Catch their eye, and consumers are more likely to engage, as was the case with this ocean-themed pop-up created to keep children entertained in shopping malls during the school holidays. 

Re-board® is exceptional when it comes to shapes, simple to cut and contour to your (designers) heart’s content. Hardy and flexible, it’s the perfect material for shape-led pop-ups. And don’t forget you can print onto it too! 

Light up that pop-up! 

Visual designers love lighting – and so do pop-up displays! Whether you’re using colours or keeping your display blank, there is nothing quite like lighting to set the tone and give your pop-up a lift.   

Depending on your materials, illuminating part of your pop-up display will create depth, which is particularly good for blank, non-printed activations. Or you may prefer to light up a product – placing it physically under the spotlight – to emphasise it while the rest of the display becomes background only.  

Light works incredibly well with shapes, too, casting shadows that give texture. See what Next partner, Nordwerk, achieved using only Re-board® and some creative lighting! 

Location is everything 

Because of their objective – to seek out and engage consumers in their brand – pop-ups tend to find themselves in malls, store entrances, and event rooms where footfall is high. 

Before you create your pop-up display, think about your available space. Is there room for consumers to wander? Do you want to showcase a product face-on, or is it better appreciated from multiple angles? Will visitors walk up, through or sit within your activation? Get a feel for the space first, and it will help guide your pop-up display design phase. 

Remember, if you want to go off-piste and pop up somewhere slightly different to the usual spaces, you will need to go BIG on telling your audience where to find you. Footfall will always be high in a mall or store – not so much the case forty floors up in a CBD high-rise!  

There are thousands of pop-up store display ideas – and lots of those begin right here at NEXT Printing! 

Our expert team helps visual directors, designers and marketers bring their pop-up exhibition display ideas to life in print. Using high-quality, durable materials like Re-board® our solutions meet the environmental objectives of our customers and pack a marketing punch for optimum engagement. 

Ready to talk immersive Pop-Up Displays? 

Let’s Talk! 

Sustainability vs. Affordability in Large Format Printing: The Next Dilemma 

In the past, consumers were often forced to choose between sustainability and affordability. 

It was certainly the case in the printing world – but not anymore.  

Nowadays, thanks to technological advancement, sustainable printing products are becoming more mainstream – and at a more palatable price point. It’s time to debunk the myths about sustainable meaning unaffordable and tell the truth about today’s eco-friendly solutions that are paying marketers back by the spade full.  

Eco-friendly display printing: Time to replace the Vs with AND… 

Most of us are cost-conscious – in our work and home lives. Yet the consumer’s appetite for green solutions has never been greater, and it’s become critical to get the balance between economical and eco-friendly bang on the money. 

It’s not just the products we buy; many of us look to support companies who are truly ‘green’ in every sense of the term – from the production line to logistics and beyond. If you want to project your green image to your potential customers, it starts with your displays! 

Thankfully, there has never been a better time to choose display materials that are both sustainable AND affordable. 

In the old world: sustainable print materials were pricey! 

Sustainable materials are not a new concept. Yet, for creatives and marketers working to tight budgets, it was all too easy to overlook green products because of their cost. And who would want to put forward a campaign they knew was heading for a management knock-back because of its price?    

It wasn’t just cost making life difficult for the display designers and creators but longevity. Eco-friendly paper-based materials might appear sustainable in terms of their recyclability, but what is the real cost when displays made from paper have an extremely limited shelf life?    

The REAL truth about today’s sustainable print materials 

More eco-friendly print materials are on the market nowadays – some greener than others. PET-based fabric, for example, stems from recycled plastic, yet it can only withstand the process a handful of times before it becomes defunct. Perhaps the most common display material for many years, MDF, also has limited recyclability because of the harmful adhesives used in its production. 

At Next, the number one choice of display material in being both sustainable AND affordable is Re-board.   

Why Re-board?
  • Strong and Durable
  • Highly versatile
  • Eco-friendly – infinitely recyclable
  • Supported globally
  • Great ROI
  • Creates jaw-dropping displays!

Why Re-board? 

It is a question many customers put our way: Why buy Re-board when it costs more than other display materials? 

Depending on your project requirements, Re-board may look like a costly option at first glance. 

This is where the total cost of ownership comes into play. 

In terms of its sustainability, Re-board is a clear winner, with infinite recyclability placing it ahead of many other display materials. In addition, the strength and durability of Re-board mean it lasts for years – that’s a longer shelf-life before you even need to think about taking it for recycling. 

And the more outings for your display, the less cost to your marketing budget over time.  

It’s not just how Re-board is produced that makes it sustainable and affordable. There are many invisible long-term costs tied to materials like MDF which you won’t get when you choose Re-board as a base material for your displays. 

  • Light and compact – making the freight costs cheaper
  • Quick to build – meaning less time and people to create your in-store displays
  • Packs away flat – saving you money on storage costs 
  • Recyclable – removing potential charges from 3rd party recyclers 

All things considered, the TCO for Re-board looks brighter than many of its counterparts. And that’s why Next Printing always suggests you build your displays using Re-board! 

Next Printing means sustainable AND affordable displays! 

Next made a decision some ten years ago to go green wherever possible. Our industry is famed for its carbon footprint, and it was critical for our team to reduce our environmental impact by working with eco-friendly solutions like Re-board. 

We know it isn’t easy persuading your budget holder to release funds for materials that look expensive.  Helping to educate your internal teams on why Re-board makes sense both sustainably AND economically is part of our job. 

Our project managers work with you to understand the brief, campaign objectives, and budget before creating a solution to match – including a full breakdown of the TCO to support internal project discussions.  

It’s all part of helping create a better future for everyone.  

Explore the possibilities with Next Printing 

As Australia’s pioneer in sustainable printing, Next Printing is your contractor of choice for high-quality point-of-sale marketing, large-scale exhibits, pop-ups, and signage. Count on our team for more than an incredible print solution – reliability, exceeding expectations, and delivering in record time every time

If you want support from a versatile provider of eco-friendly digital printing solutions that targets your audience and converts sales, arrange a chat with us today. 

Talk to our team 

Recyclable vs Recycled: How many times can materials really be recycled? 

These days, everybody wants to play their part in the green revolution. As consumers become more eco-conscious, so are the businesses creating the products to feed their customers’ ever-greener appetites. And it’s no different in the world of exhibition and retail printing. 

As a sector, we’re taking giant steps towards creating eco-friendly solutions, with more materials available to help marketing teams design and build colourful, durable stand-out displays that also tick the recycled box. 

Yet, just how eco-friendly are these materials used for our product marketing? Just because a material says it is recyclable, how can we be sure it will head for the recycling plant? And, if so, is it repurposed once or infinitely? It seems ‘green’ is still a highly grey area!  

Today, we’re throwing the most common materials used in exhibition and retail printing under the eco-friendly microscope to see which holds up the strongest in a green world. 

Know your recyclables from your recycleds! 

If you’re confused about what materials can be recycled, you’re not alone. So much we think can be recycled isn’t actually recyclable – and disposing of materials incorrectly can lead to contamination of entire truck-loads of waste that may otherwise be saved.  

So, what’s the difference between recyclable and recycled? 

Recyclable definition 

‘Recyclable’ refers to a substance or object that can be recycled.  

Recycled definition 

‘Recycled’ refers to the end-product of a process where waste material becomes a reusable material.  

The most common recyclable materials are paper, plastic, tin and glass. Currently, most recyclables materials cannot go through the recycling process infinitely – for example, the recyclable plastic water bottle, which can only withstand the recycling process a handful of times before the material diminishes in quality.  

Scientists continue working on ways to improve the recycling process and make better use of everyday waste on an infinite cycle. For now, we encourage marketers, print buyers and activation agencies looking for a true green solution to do your homework before you make a purchase. 

Need help from a digital print expert? Talk to our team! 

Which display materials are recyclable? 

As professionals involved in building exhibition and retail displays will attest to, the possibilities for jaw-dropping, immersive creations stretch on and on. With technical advances in shaping, cutting and printing, there is no excuse these days for a dull display – so long as those outlandish ideas stay within the budget! 

Cost will always be critical to the decision-making process, although nowadays, it’s likely that ‘sustainability’ is high on the agenda too. And if a green solution trumps price in your list of priorities, then you need to understand what’s recyclable and what isn’t. 

So, which display materials are actually recyclable? 

Paperbase

Paperbase 

As one of the most readily-available materials, paper in some shape or form has long been a favourite to design teams when creating eye-catching point of sale or marketing displays. High-density cardboard, in particular, presents a strong and flexible material for displays and doesn’t break the bank. It is also a great surface to print on, meaning the sky’s the limit with colour and creative scapes. 

Millions of tonnes of paper go through the recycling process every year, with an approximate 70% recycling rate making it the most recycled material on the planet. And that makes it an attractive option to marketers in search of a sustainable material. 

Recycled paperbase is recyclable as many as seven times before it breaks down into fibres that are no longer effective for reuse. And, since many paperbase materials don’t use a binding agent, it makes them biodegradable materials that break down easily once beyond a reusable state. 

Is printed cardboard recyclable? Of the two types, corrugated cardboard is simple to recycle because it is made purely from paper. On the other hand, paperboard is trickier to recycle as its components are bonded by an adhesive. So, make sure you opt for the corrugated cardboard type if you’re wanting a recyclable and biodegradable material. 

MDF (Medium-density Fibreboard) 

Made from a mix of hard or soft wood and a binding agent, MDF is an extremely popular and low-cost material used in all kinds of applications across commercial spaces. You can shape, colour and print on it – high on versatility and low on cost.  Yet, does this predominantly wood-based material make MDF recyclable? 

To an extent, yes – although the process is quite complex. Because it’s produced using recycled wood that’s bound by formaldehyde, MDF requires a specialist recycling machine to break it down safely, first removing the binding agent from the wood. This is a lengthy and costly process, which makes it less common to find among recycling plants. As such, most MDF finds its way into landfill – a not-so-green, planet-saving solution

PET-based fabric

PET – or Polyethylene Terephthalate – is the most common plastic in food packaging and drink bottles. It is preferred by manufacturers because of its 100% recyclability, and goes on to find its way in many more objects used daily, including fabric for clothing, upholstery and displays. 

It’s easy to see why PET-based fabric is a popular choice in displays, with a smooth and water-resistant surface. Yet, like all plastic recycling, PET has its limits and can only withstand the process two or three times before it is defunct. Once repurposed as a fabric, the chance of recycling becomes even less so, thanks to a lack of facilities. Not quite so green as one might think – indeed, any folks looking for a truly sustainable material for exhibition and retail displays. 

PET-based fabric 
A child baring his teeth in a large shark display made from Re-Board.

Re-Board

And then there is Re-Board! 

A relatively recent product introduced to our space, Re-Board looks, feels and operates extremely similar to MDF. In place of wood, though, lies several layers of paper held together tightly by a strong adhesive. The result is a thick board that’s as durable as it is flexible, ready for cutting into all shapes and sizes and for any digital printing design, depending on the application.   

Here’s the real beauty of Re-Board. It is a paperbased material, which gives it a head-start in the recyclable race. Crucially, the adhesive which binds the paper layers together is water-based, so there is no nasty chemical-based glue to remove before it can go through the recycling plant. In other words, it’s a 100% recyclable material, which means its potential for recycling is infinite.  

Structurally sound like MDF, equally flexible for cutting, shaping and printing, and kind to the environment. If it’s a green solution you’re after for your next marketing display – a POS, exhibition stand, media wall, pop-up store, or product activation feature – it could be time to try Re-Board out for size. 

 

Explore the possibilities with Next Printing 

As Australia’s pioneer in sustainable printing, Next Printing is your contractor of choice for high-quality point-of-sale marketing, large-scale exhibits, pop-ups, and signage. Count on our team for more than an incredible print solution – reliability, exceeding expectations, and delivering in record time every time

If you want support from a versatile provider of eco-friendly digital printing solutions that targets your audience and converts sales, arrange a chat with us today. 

Talk to our team 

Reboard Without Print

Reboard Without Print

The Next Printing name is synonymous with Reboard. We have continued to push the boundaries with this versatile material – the impossible is now a reality. As our customers, many of you have seen how Next Printing use Reboard to create structures that capture the client’s imagination and reduce their carbon footprint.

Next Printing is part of a global network of leading Reboard print and build businesses, who have been able to share ideas to challenge the status quo. We continue to ask ourselves how we can further reduce our environmental impact. Rather than simply spouting trendy eco-centric buzz words, we genuinely want to facilitate positive change.

Our global Reboard partnership has allowed us to introduce concepts that do just that. Reboard without print is one such solution. Unprinted Reboard structures create displays unlike any Australian consumers have seen before, whilst also reducing carbon emissions.

CO2e is reduced by eliminating inks, the laminates needed to protect these inks and through the reduction of electricity use – made possible by removing power-hungry print presses.

Below are examples of Reboard structures creating impact in a non-printed form created by our international partner Nordwerk Design. The possibilities are endless.

Next Printing use Reboard Structures
Next Printing use Reboard Structures

With experiential retail on the rise, this could be the perfect time to create animals and other structures from Reboard and paperboard substrates.

Reboard and paperboard substrates.
Reboard and paperboard substrates.

Driven primarily by their positive environmental impact, electric cars are all the rage. What better way to demonstrate your green credentials than by promoting eco-friendly products with completely biodegradable Reboard structures.

Reboard Without Print

High fashion meets Reboard with an eye-catching display accentuated by the use of lighting.

Next Printing - Immersive Waves: Elevate Your Pop-Up Store with Lightweight Reboard

Create waves by turning your pop-up store into an immersive experience. With every element made from lightweight Reboard you can dramatically reduce your installation cost and time.

Next Printing use Reboard Structures
Next Printing use Reboard Structures
Next Printing use Reboard Structures

Retail window displays never looked so good.

Next Printing use Reboard Structures

Like clockwork: Reboard offers a quick turnaround time with endless possibilities.

Next Printing use Reboard Structures

Made for all seasons: Capture the festive mood without the need for print.

Contact us today to discuss possibilities for your brand or those of your customers today.

La Roche Posay Serums Activation with Pim Group | Case Study

La Roche Posay Serums Activation with Pim Group

The Challenge

Pim Group approached Next Printing in early September 2022 to create an immersive school room for guests to learn and experience all things La Roche Posay Serums. The main requirement was for the bulk of the materials used for the activation to be sustainable and eco-friendly. Pim Group had heard of Reboard and were keen to use this material as the foundation of their build. Next’s brief was to create seven freestanding pods or classrooms, each representing a specific type of serum along with an additional set of lockers. Each pod was to be unique in terms of colour, size and elements incorporated, which ranged from bespoke Reboard shelving to wainscotting to a full awning on the ‘Canteen’ booth.  

The Solution

Reboard, with its FSC Certification, low carbon footprint and comparable strength to MDF, was utilised for all pod walls and to build the set of lockers that greeted guests upon arrival. Other materials such as Foamboard were used for the profile-cut lettering, with Floor Mat printed to cover the existing carpeted floors at North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club. One of the unique challenges with this project was achieving the bright colours to match each La Roche Posay Serum bottle and to replicate these across all elements of each pod. Whilst we were kindly provided with CMYK breakdowns, considerable colour matching on many substrates was done prior to production to ensure the solid colours on the walls matched those on the floors and other materials.

The Execution

Installation was scheduled for early November and following approval of colour tests, design concepts supplied by Pim Group were 3D rendered by our industrial design team. Next’s group of experienced installers arranged delivery of the material to North Bondi, with all seven Pods installed over a 2-Day period. The Serum School Event involved masterclasses, skin exams, serum matching and gifting for all who attended. At its conclusion, all Reboard and other sustainable items were broken down quickly on-site and taken for recycling and other processing.

The Takeaway

Pim Group noted that their ‘client was so happy that she teared up when she arrived’ at the venue and that they had received ‘so many compliments’ on the build itself. La Roche Posay ANZ commented via Instagram that their Sydney Serum School Event had been a huge success and hoped to bring similar activations to other locations in the near future.

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