Banner hemming is the process of folding and sealing the raw edges of a vinyl banner, typically using heat-welding, to create a clean, reinforced border around the material. Hemming both improves the banner’s finished appearance and significantly strengthens the edges against tearing, particularly where grommets are installed.
Why Hemming Matters
A raw, unhemmed vinyl edge is more vulnerable to fraying, tearing, and stress damage — especially at points where weight or wind pressure is concentrated, like grommet locations. By folding the edge over (typically doubling the material thickness at the border) and heat-sealing it, hemming distributes stress more evenly and gives grommets a stronger, more reinforced surface to be set into.
How Hemming Is Done
The banner’s edge is folded over onto itself, usually by an inch or so, and then heat-welded to permanently bond the fold in place. This creates a doubled-thickness border around the banner’s perimeter, which is both more visually finished and structurally stronger than a single-layer raw edge.
Standard Hemming Practices
- All banners with grommets typically include hemming by default at most professional printers, since grommets set into unhemmed material are far more prone to tearing out
- Pole pocket hems — a variation where the folded edge creates a sleeve wide enough to slide a pole through, used for pole-mounted or banner-stand applications instead of (or in addition to) grommets
Is Hemming an Extra Cost?
At most reputable banner printers, hemming is included as a standard part of the finishing process rather than a separate paid add-on, particularly when grommets are also included. It’s worth confirming this is included in your quote, since a banner without proper hemming is more prone to premature tearing regardless of vinyl quality.
What Happens Without Proper Hemming
An unhemmed banner, especially one with grommets installed directly into a single layer of raw vinyl, is significantly more likely to tear at those grommet points under wind stress or repeated handling. This is one of the most common and avoidable causes of premature banner failure.
The Bottom Line
Hemming is a small but structurally important finishing step that most quality banner printers include as standard practice. It reinforces the banner’s edges, extends the material’s usable lifespan, and gives grommets a more secure, tear-resistant foundation — all without typically adding cost to your order, since it’s usually bundled into standard banner production.
