The Flag Shop (Vancouver, BC) has installed an EFI VUTEk FabriVU 340i dye-sublimation printer from Electronics For Imaging (EFI). The soft-signage and textile printing company has 11 franchise locations across Canada and is using its new printer to expand its product offerings from coast to coast. Founded in 1975, The Flag Shop is the leading manufacturer of flags, banners and more, was the first specialty flag shop of its kind, and is 100% Canadian-owned. The 340i is the first printer in its class to offer inline sublimation that eliminates the need to transfer printed items to a separate calender/heat press. The 4-colour, 133-inch-wide printer also offers 2,400 dpi imaging which enables The Flag Shop to differentiate itself via high quality, premium products.
“We needed a replacement printer, but we also wanted a printer that would allow us to expand our opportunities,” said Susan Braverman, The Flag Shop’s President. “The EFI 340i will be fabulous for our existing ‘bread-and-butter’ product lines, but equally important, it opens up a whole new world of products that don’t yet exist in our marketplace. I like to find products that aren’t being made, and love to expand into areas where we have no competition. This printer not only allows us to do just that, but having a grand-format printer in Vancouver means that we have the flexibility of completing large projects in-house as well as the ability to deliver really quickly if needed. That’s a big advantage for our clients.
“We recently made street banner samples on the FabriVU 340i for a large international retailer of high-end yogawear – and they told us we blew away the competition,” said Ron Reyes, The Flag Shop’s Production Manager. “We were awarded the order and installed their full banner program throughout the city.” Vancouver is also known as ‘Hollywood North’ because many films and television series are shot there. The Flag Shop has been actively supporting this industry with both digitally printed and appliqué products. “We’re now able to provide products, such as backdrops for sets, with fewer seams – which is important to this industry” Reyes added. “We used to do projects in multiple pieces which were then sewn together. But now we’re able to produce large backdrops in one piece. That’s impressive.”
The Flag Shop installs an EFI VUTEk FabriVU printer
