Glossary
The terms that turn up on wide-format and wallcovering specifications, explained without jargon. Where a term relates to one of our ranges, the entry links to it.
- Adhesive
- The bonding layer that holds printable media to a surface. Adhesives may be permanent, removable or repositionable, and their suitability depends on the surface and intended service life.
- Backlit media
- Material engineered to be lit from behind so the image reads evenly without hotspots — the basis of fabric lightboxes and tension frames. Fabrics
- Bleed
- Extra printed image extending beyond the final trim line so cutting does not leave an unintended unprinted edge.
- Booking (paste)
- Folding a pasted length onto itself for a set time so the paste and the material settle before hanging.
- Butt seam
- Two panels meeting edge to edge with no overlap. Standard for coated papers, where overlapping shows as a visible ridge.
- Calendered media
- Film made by rolling a softened material through heated rollers. It is generally suited to flat or gently curved surfaces and short- to medium-term graphics.
- Cast media
- Thin, conformable film formed by casting liquid material onto a carrier. It is commonly selected for complex curves and longer-term graphics.
- Clay coating
- A mineral coating on paper that holds ink on the surface instead of letting it sink and spread, giving denser dark tones and crisper fine detail. Clay-coated
- CMYK
- Cyan, magenta, yellow and black — the four process ink colours combined by most digital presses to reproduce a wide range of colours.
- Colour gamut
- The range of colours a printer, ink set and media combination can reproduce. A wider gamut does not guarantee accuracy without colour management.
- Contour cutting
- Machine cutting that follows a defined path around a printed graphic rather than making only straight rectangular trims.
- Curing
- The process that sets or dries ink after printing. Depending on the ink, it may use heat, ultraviolet light, air or a combination.
- Direct-to-fabric
- Printing ink directly onto textile rather than first printing transfer paper. The fabric and ink usually require a finishing or fixation step. Fabrics
- Dot gain
- The increase in apparent printed dot size as ink spreads or is absorbed, which can darken tones and reduce fine detail.
- Dye-sublimation
- A process where dye is transferred into a synthetic textile with heat, producing a soft-signage graphic with no surface ink film.
- Finishing
- Work performed after printing, such as trimming, sewing, laminating, mounting, contour cutting or adding grommets.
- Grommet
- A reinforced metal or plastic eyelet fitted through flexible media so a banner or graphic can be tied or fastened securely.
- GSM
- Grams per square metre — the weight of a substrate. A rough proxy for substance and handling, not for durability on its own.
- ICC profile
- A colour-management file describing how a specific printer, ink and media combination reproduces colour, helping software make predictable conversions.
- Ink adhesion
- How securely cured ink bonds to the printable surface. Poor adhesion can cause scratching, flaking or transfer during finishing and use.
- Laminate
- A clear film or liquid coat applied over a print for abrasion and cleaning resistance. It changes the surface, the cleanability and the fire performance of the finished graphic.
- Latex ink
- Water-based wide-format ink cured with heat. Common for interior wallcovering because the finished graphic has little odour.
- Media / substrate
- The material being printed, such as paper, nonwoven wallcovering, fabric, board or film.
- Nonwoven
- A substrate whose fibres are bonded rather than woven. Dimensionally stable and tear-resistant, which is why it is favoured for large commercial wall areas and clean removal. Smooth, nonwoven
- Opacity
- A material's ability to block what is behind it from showing through. High-opacity media helps cover marks, colours or previous graphics.
- Outgassing
- The release of retained solvent or other volatile material after printing. Solvent prints may need time to outgas before lamination or installation.
- Peel and stick
- Self-adhesive media with a release liner, usually with a repositionable adhesive so panels can be lifted and re-set during installation. Peel and stick
- Plasticiser
- An additive that keeps a rigid plastic flexible. Because there is no PVC in our media, there are no PVC plasticisers in it to migrate over time.
- Print profile
- The group of printer settings used for a media, often including ink limits, resolution, passes, curing and an ICC profile.
- Printable width
- The maximum image width a press can place on a particular roll or sheet after allowing for margins and media handling.
- PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
- A chlorinated plastic long used as the base of printable wallcovering and banner media. It usually requires plasticisers to remain flexible and is difficult to recycle through ordinary waste streams.
- PVC-free
- Contains no polyvinyl chloride anywhere in the product — face, coating or backing. It is a statement about composition only, not automatically a claim about recyclability or emissions. What PVC-free means
- Raster image
- An image built from pixels. Its usable print size depends on the number of pixels and the viewing distance required.
- Reaction to fire class
- A classification describing how a wall finish behaves in a fire. The requirement depends on jurisdiction and on the space, and it applies to the installed assembly — media, ink and any laminate together.
- Repositionable adhesive
- An adhesive that allows a panel to be lifted and re-applied during installation, and removed later without taking the wall surface with it.
- RIP (raster image processor)
- Software that converts artwork into printable data and controls colour, nesting, resolution, passes and other press settings.
- Roll-to-roll
- A printing process in which flexible media feeds from one roll through the press and is collected on another roll.
- Scrim
- A reinforcing mesh within flexible banner material that adds strength and helps resist stretching or tearing.
- Soft signage
- Printed textile graphics used in place of rigid or vinyl signage, usually tensioned in a frame.
- Solvent / eco-solvent ink
- Ink whose carrier softens the receiving layer so colour keys in as it dries. Robust and long established; needs proper outgassing before laminating.
- Tension frame
- A frame that holds a fabric graphic taut, often using a sewn silicone edge pushed into a channel around the frame. Fabrics
- UV ink
- Ink cured by ultraviolet light rather than heat, so the substrate stays cool and flat. Standard for rigid board on flatbed presses.
- VOC (volatile organic compound)
- Compounds that can be emitted from a finished graphic. Ink chemistry and curing usually matter as much as the substrate.
- White ink
- Opaque white ink printed as a base, highlight or separate layer, especially useful on coloured, clear or metallic media.
- Wide format
- Digital printing at widths beyond conventional press sizes, typically for graphics, signage and wallcovering.
Still not sure which material you need?
Tell us the application, the press and the inks, and we will recommend materials and send samples.