From Print to Play: Creating a PVC Activity Banner with Re-positionable Stickers
Sometimes the best ideas come from trying to explain what you do to someone else.
In this case, it started with a simple challenge - how do you show a child what large format print is actually capable of? The result was a fully interactive activity set: a durable PVC banner paired with re-positionable sticker sheets, all produced entirely in-house using a seamless print-and-cut workflow.
If you’d like to see the full process in action, you can watch the video here:
👉 Watch the full video
The Idea: Turning Print into Something Interactive
Rather than producing a standard sign or graphic, the goal here was to create something engaging and reusable.
The finished piece is a full-colour banner that acts as an activity mat, combined with clear vinyl stickers that can be applied, removed, and repositioned multiple times. Because the stickers are backed with white ink, both the banner and stickers remain bold and visible in their own right, even when they come together.
It’s a simple concept, but one that shows how easily traditional signage materials can be repurposed into something more interactive, especially alongside the water-based (but outdoor durable) HP Latex Printer, producing odourless, 'toy safe' and hazard-free results.
The Setup Behind the Scenes
This entire project is driven by a combination of:
Together, this setup allows you to move from artwork to finished product without leaving a single workflow.
For materials, we used:
From Roll to Finished Banner
The process begins with loading the banner into the printer. Once the job starts, the leading edge is attached to the take-up unit while printing continues - keeping everything moving efficiently.
What stands out here is speed. The banner itself prints in just four minutes, with curing bringing the total to just over seven minutes.
It’s also worth noting that curing time only really impacts the end of a production run. If you’re nesting multiple jobs, you’re not repeatedly paying that time penalty - something that makes a big difference in real-world production.
The result is a durable, scratch-resistant print that’s ready to handle repeated use - ideal for something designed to be interactive.
Switching Gears: Printing on Clear Vinyl
With the banner complete, the setup quickly shifts to the next stage - printing the sticker sheets.
This is where the workflow becomes more interesting.
The artwork is prepared in Adobe Illustrator, where three key elements are defined:
- A white ink layer
- A contour cut path
- A perforation cut path
Once imported into ONYX, registration marks are added, allowing the cutter to accurately align with the printed output later on.
Printing onto clear vinyl with a white underlay is what makes this application work. It ensures that when the stickers are placed onto the banner, colours remain solid and don’t get lost against the background.
This stage takes a little longer - just over 30 minutes including curing - but opens up a huge range of applications beyond this specific project.
Bringing It All Together with Cut
Once printed, the vinyl moves over to the cutter.
The first step is to read the registration marks, allowing the system to align the cut paths precisely with the printed graphics.
From there, the contour cut defines the individual sticker shapes.
Then comes perforation cutting - arguably one of the most useful finishing techniques in this workflow. By adjusting the blade to cut through both the vinyl and backing liner (while leaving small tabs), you create sheets that can be cleanly “popped out” when needed.
This reduces manual finishing and makes the final product far more user-friendly.
The Final Result
What you end up with is a complete activity set:
- A durable printed banner
- A set of cleanly cut, easy-to-use sticker sheets
- A product that can be reused multiple times
Because the print is produced using water-based, odourless inks, it’s safe to handle - making it well-suited for child-friendly applications.
And thanks to the durability of the banner, stickers can be repositioned without worrying about ink lift or damage.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just about one product.
It’s a practical example of how:
- Standard signage materials can be reimagined
- White ink expands what’s possible with clear media
- Integrated workflows reduce manual intervention
- Short-run, custom products become far more viable
In other words, it’s less about the banner and more about the opportunities it represents.
Want to See the Full Workflow?
If you haven’t already, you can watch the full process here:
👉 Watch the full video
And if you’d like a more detailed walkthrough of the artwork setup - white ink layers, contour paths, perforation settings - feel free to ask. That’s something we can easily cover in a follow-up.
It’s a simple idea, but a good reminder that with the right setup, even everyday materials and workflows can be turned into something far more engaging.
And sometimes, those are the ideas that resonate the most.
Discover more about the products we used:
The Graphtec FC9000 Vinyl Cutter
Metamark PVC Banner (Metamark MD-FL500 500gsm Premium PVC Banner)
Removable Clear Vinyl (Metamark MD3-RC Removable Clear Digital Vinyl)
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