Menu Updates with Print-N-Stick Fabric

Menus Printed on Print-N-Stick

JuiceWell needed menu signs right away and menu signs that could be easily switched out for its location in the new Santa Barbara Public Market.

One of the neighboring businesses at the Santa Barbara Public Market had something they wanted; a printable fabric with an adhesive that makes the prints removable and reusable so old menus can come down and new ones can go up in their place quickly and easily.

JuiceWell was in luck since local photo and fine art reproduction company Color Services had a roll of what the doctor, or juicer in this case, ordered: LexJet Print-N-Stick Fabric.

“They called on a Wednesday and needed it all on Friday. We printed it late Wednesday night and delivered it early Friday morning. The customer installed it themselves and that’s why they were so thrilled with it: if they change prices or add things to their menu they can change it themselves,” says Glen Hodges, co-owner of Color Services. “We also found that it renders better blacks than other fabrics we’ve worked with. We noticed right away that it has a bright-white base, so it helps make the black deeper.”

Color Services printed six menu panels of varying sizes on a Canon iPF8300 from LexJet and then coated them for added durability with a water-based lacquer. The results met JuiceWell’s every need and showcase an additional application Color Services can provide its customers.

JuiceWell shop owner Sharon Egan said, “The ease of installing both large and small wall clings was pretty much mistake-proof and a testament to the quality of the material Color Services uses. Their printing is sharp and rich, and their team does an amazing job in taking care of and going the extra mile for the customer.”

Color Services plans to follow up with more prints on the front counter at JuiceWell, and is ready to go with any menu changes on the fly.

Promotions that Work: Free Fabric Wall Clings

Printing mobile photo apps for wall decorFree isn’t always truly free, but the free giveaway concocted by Color Services Photo Lab in Santa Barbara really was free and drove additional business to its doors. Marketed through email, the company’s blog and social media like Facebook and Twitter, with a twist of Hipstamatic, the photo lab’s promotion for free Fabric Wall Clings was over Memorial Day weekend only.

Fabric Wall Clings are prints on Photo Tex Repositionable Fabric from LexJet. Those who took advantage of the promotion were directed to the Wall Art section on Color Services’ website where they plugged in a coupon code and uploaded a photo to receive either an 11×11 or an 11×14 print.

Here’s where the iPhone app Hipstamatic comes into play; Color Services included 11×11 prints since that size works with the Hipstamatic format. Plus, Color Services is the official print lab for the Hipstamatic app, so the lab has custom-tailored products that work well with square images.

“Since the promotion we’ve had a number of orders for the Fabric Wall Clings and we just got a sizeable order for one today, including a 12″ x 4′ panoramic photo. We had 118 people take advantage of the promotion and about 45 to 50 of those were shipped internationally,” says Glen Hodges, owner of Color Services. “It was well worth it; we probably spent less than $500 to do it. It’s hard to figure out a way to market the material so that people can really understand what it can do. Getting samples in their hands through a free promotion did that, and brought them back to place a real order.”

Color Services prints the images with its Epson Stylus Pro 9900 on Photo Tex and then puts two coats of water-based lacquer to provide extra protection and give the images more pop. Hodges reports that through a combination of the promotion and simply showing it to clients – including commercial and interior décor clientele – the product is taking off following its launch in mid-May.

Pictured here is Color Services’ IncrediBooth Fabric Wall Cling product, which is printed at 5.5″ x 30″. IncrediBooth is a mobile app that recreates the photo booths of yore. Color Services has made a savvy play to weave the proliferating photo apps into its business, giving the company greater reach with creative products.