Printable Media Designed For Superior White Ink Results

Our last post looked at the latest solutions promoting white ink printing, but what exactly is white ink good for?

Well, quite a lot actually.

Whether it’s being able to print using coloured substrates or to create a base layer of white to make the other printed colours really pop, white ink has become key to innovative design.

And with window graphics, white ink has truly become the perfect match. 

This post looks at some of the new window film products available from Granthams GT.

If the sticker is to be placed inside the window (usually to stop prying fingers peeling at the edges), then unless the print is backed up in some way, the image will lack any vibrancy and definition.

Prior to white ink, a reverse printed self-adhesive clear film would be backed up with a white vinyl. Effective enough, but it’s another complete process requiring a laminator. It also means you can’t be selective about where the white is used and what parts of the design remain transparent, ultimately limiting the amount of creativity you could have with a clear substrate.

We’ve seen some fantastic campaigns using clear media and white ink within the leisure and entertainment facilities – gyms and cinemas – plus clever retail applications along with imaginative museum displays utilising clear panels decorated with graphics and text.

There have even been sport betting shop windows with sections of clear film printed with information and other portions left clear to show TV screens or other details.

For offices, contour-cut window graphics revealing a company logo or statement can be printed white on clear, cut out to the design needed and simply adhered to the glass to create either internal or external eye-catching displays.

All clever stuff made possible with white inks and the media listed here. 

Ultra-Clear Removable Digital Window Film

The first is MD-CRV - a super clear removable window film.

With window graphics, most clear media will work.
Self-adhesive one side to adhere to the glass, the other side reverse printed and white ink added as an over-flood.

However, some vinyl will have flow lines within the PVC. Its how its formed in the factory and with some media, it’s just a part of the product.

These lines can be seen when printed and if the final use is a high-end retail store, the flow lines may not leave the right impression.

For this reason, with promotions that require the best possible product, it’s important to use as optically-clear a film as possible.

And this is exactly where this film out-performs others.

MD-CRV is manufactured using an ultra-clear calendared PVC coupled with a near invisible removable solvent adhesive.

A solvent adhesive really helps when squeegeeing onto the glass – no chance of any cloudy water-based issues and this film also has a polyester liner to help with both handling and plotter cutting.

As with being easy to remove, well, you’ve all tried to scrape off the alternatives…

For the contour-cut graphics I mentioned above, MD-CRV should be on your product radar.

As with all these products, get in touch for data sheets, samples or to find out more.

Digital Static Cling

The next product is Digital Static Cling – MD-SC.

 At 170 microns, MD-SC is plenty thick enough to withstand application and re-application of promotional window decals. The primary applications would be glass or metal, and the traction is achieved through static rather than a solvent adhesive like the other products.

Depending on the application and print technology used, there are two versions: a clear and a white.

The white is perfect for printing directly to the face film in the correct orientation (face up). Allow a slight border around the image to help prevent edge curl and with the generally translucent solvent inks, the white will provide the opacity needed for window graphics.

The clear version is just the job for reverse printing and backing up with a solid white.

Print, contour-cut and supply ready for the marketing campaign.

Promotion ended? Simply take down and keep safe all ready for the next time they’re needed. The lack of adhesive means it can be re-applied multiple times so long as it’s stored in the right environment.

Window Frost

MD-WF is a frosted window film with a semi-transparent face that achieves a higher visual impact than a print on gloss clear film, while unprinted areas retain the appearance of frosted glass for modest privacy.

Window Frost is often used for window graphics in office partitions / meeting rooms as well as retail and leisure facilities.

Window Frost can in fact produce really powerful results without the addition of white ink, however, the inclusion of white can take graphics to a whole new level to accentuate certain features or mask the frost in specific areas to give more depth.

Removable Clear Vinyls With Exceptional Print Quality

The last two products in this round up are MD3-RC and MD5-RC.

Both of these use a transparent gloss digital print PVC film – MD3-RC is durable for up to five years outdoors, MD5-RC is up to seven years – coupled with a removable solvent-based adhesive.

Although not fully optically-clear, these films offer an exceptional combination of value and print quality.
For most window applications, they will competitively fulfil the brief, no questions asked. In fact, the MD5-RC utilises the manufacturer Metamark’s unique coating technology for what they claim is best in class print quality.

Whether your next project needs an ultra-clear or a static-cling, Solvent certified, Latex compatible or UV suitable, Granthams GT have the right product at the right cost designed to give the right results.

Want to test the claim yourself? Get in touch and we can arrange for a sample to run through your machine.

Looking to test on your next Printer?
With a complete demo suite based here in Preston full of the latest solvent, UV and latex machines, we can test any of the above on your tech of choice.