Pole pockets can cause a bit of confusion when it comes to designing artwork and ordering your PVC or Mesh banner. And what’s more it will probably vary from company to company. However, we are here to help and have tried to make it simple by offering you a simple, basic guide to designing and ordering your PVC or Mesh banner.

So first of all, what is a pole pocket?
Basically a pole pocket is exactly what it says it is, a pocket that you slide a pole (or cable) through (although more often than not the pocket sits just at the top and bottom, not the sides of the banner). The poles then allow for the banner to be suspended between two horizontal poles to keep it tight. Pole pockets can also be used to weigh down fabric and add some tension, reducing creasing.

One of the most common uses for a banner with pole pockets would be for lamppost banners or banners used on the side of scaffolding. They are usually made from PVC or Mesh material, printed to standard and bespoke sizes and can be, for example, a fun and creative way of covering up external building work by integrating it into the surrounding environment.

Sizing the pocket
More often than not most problems arise when setting up the artwork as quite often people think the pocket is ‘added onto’ the size of the banner. The most important thing that needs to be remembered is that the area for the pole pocket needs to be included within the finished size of the banner – it is a misconception to think the pole pocket is ‘added on afterwards’.

Most standard poles are 40mm, 50-55mm and 60mm. A standard scaffold tube diameter is 55mm.

First measure the circumference of your pole or cable. To do this measure the diameter of the pole and then multiply that number by 3.14. Divide this number by 2. This will give you the flat pocket size. However, to ensure you have a bit of ‘wobble room’ multiply the flat pocket size by 1.5 and this will give you your finished size. Simples!

Designing your artwork
It is recommended that you do not include any important information where the pocket will be. Pole pockets are not totally flat, so it is best to steer clear of using any logos or text in these areas, that need to be read.

It is also important to take into consideration the ‘weld line’ (sometimes also known as the ‘stitch line’). This is a 30mm transparent line that welds the banner onto itself to produce the pocket. Although it is transparent it can sometimes have a different appearance to the rest of the banner and can make the legibility of text and images a bit hindered. It is good to use plain colours and background imagery within this ‘clearance area’, it is just advised that you do not put anything important near to the edges – this is the same for almost all promotional items, keeping any important information inside the clearance zone ensures any important information won’t be distorted.

And don’t forget this will be the case whether you are ordering a single-sided or double-sided banner.

Ordering you banner with pockets

If you would like us to calculate the finished size of your banner, all we will need from you is the diameter of the pole that is going to be inserted into the pocket. From this measurement we can then calculate the size of the pole pocket required.

The pocket will need to be larger than the pole and have a bit of ‘wiggle’ room. Having this little bit of extra room will enable the pole to move freely within the pocket which not only allows for the pole to slide easily into the pocket but more importantly it distributes the stresses of the banner more evenly across the whole length of the pocket. An additional benefit of this is that it will increase the life span of your banner if the pole doesn’t sit on the joins.

When you order your pocket through our website, please ensure you supply us with the TOTAL height and width, including the pockets.

Banners are a great way to draw attention and they can be seen pretty much everywhere, making them the perfect, cost-effective addition to your marketing collection.

We are always here to help

Don’t forget, we are always at the end of the phone, or you can send us an email if you would like help designing or ordering your PVC or Mesh banner. Our telephone number is 01392 444 227 and we are open 8.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday.