Seeking Pantone 1795

When the Washington, D.C.-based FastSigns was asked to print a giant, red ribbon for the World Bank to commemorate AIDS Awareness Month, it turned to Georgia Printco (www.georgiaprintco.com) in Lakeland, Georgia, which wholesales to the trade.

Because the client desired a solid-red ribbon, Georgia Printco originally offered solid-color outdoor fabrics from three manufacturers, but the World Bank wanted a specific red tone: Pantone 1795-so the company had to use print to obtain the desired effect.

And the project became more challenging due to the media the client selected: “The client picked our Virtu reverse satin material, sheer white in color,” says Georgia Printco’s Sheldon Hurst III, “In order to reach their color and saturation, we had to print on both sides of the material.”

The shop used its Leggett & Platt Virtu 36 machine with the satin material; printing time was four hours for both sides. The actual piece measured 48 x 780 inches; “due to all the stretching and pulling…and dealing with alignment issues, we just printed a giant red block 60 x 800 inches on both sides and measured to cut.”

Georgia Printco finished the project with four hours of sewing on its Juki double needle machine, including 2-inch pockets for the cable to create the crossed ribbon-appearance.