Trade Show Display Basics: Start with a Branded Table Throw

If you’re just getting started planning your company’s first trade show, a branded table throw should be your first purchase. Not only is a logo-printed table throw a fantastic branding tool, but it can also be multi-purposed for use at a variety of other corporate events, from job fairs to holiday parties. Truth is, a branded table throw is so versatile and indispensable that it’s often considered the Little Black Dress of the trade show industry.

Table Throw Styles 101 

There are so many different table throw styles that it can get confusing to a new trade show marketer. Here’s what you need to know in a nutshell:

• A TABLE THROW covers the entire table (front, back and sides) by flowing all the way down to the floor on all sides. They generally come in 6-foot or 8-foot lengths in a variety of colors.
• An ECONOMY THROW (also known as a TABLE COVER) flows down to the floor on the front and two sides, but leaves the back open. This makes it easier for exhibitors to access products or equipment that they may have stored beneath the table during the show.
• A TABLE RUNNER is a narrow, graphical printed piece that is placed over top of a solid table throw as an accent.

Product Suggestion: The Full Dye Sub V-THROW offers full fabric-printed graphical coverage.

Key Features of Table Throws

Made from high-quality, wrinkle-resistant polyester twill fabric, branded table throws are quite a visual step up from non-branded “plain vanilla” throws without being cost-prohibitive. Featuring your company’s unique logo and graphics, they’re available in 6-foot, 8-foot and even custom-fitted sizes. And unlike some of the cheaper knockoffs originating from China, the table throws that we sell at EXHIB-IT! are machine-washable and fire-retardant.

Product Suggestion: If your logo is strong enough to stand on its own, a TruColor Table Throw might be just the ticket.

Print and Branding Options

Depending on your budget and your branding preferences, you can choose from several different print options for your branded table throw:

• GOOD — Permalogo and TruColor table throws feature full-color vinyl logos that are cut to any shape and heat-transferred to a pre-dyed, solid-colored throw. The vinyl logo will not crack, peel or fade, and the color of the throw itself can be PMS-matched to accurately reflect your specific branding. These kinds of table throws are a cost-effective alternative to a fully-printed throw.
• BETTER — The Dye Sub Front Printed Throw features a full photographic image on the front with a solid-color top and back. Your graphics are printed directly on the fabric (no vinyl cutout) and Pantone-matched to your desired colors.
• BEST — The Full Dye Sub V-THROW is for exhibitors who want seamless, wall-to-wall color in a full-on graphical throw. As with the Front Printed Throw above, your graphics are printed directly on the fabric using a dye-sublimation process.

Handy Add-ons

Using the Convert-a-Throw feature, you can convert an 8-foot throw to a 6-foot throw and back again for total flexibility. And if you tend to travel immediately from one show or conference to the next, consider a portable Handheld Fabric Steamer to help with any last-minute touchups.

A Good Starting Point

Once you’ve decided on the perfect table throw as the cornerstone of your display, you can begin adding complementary pieces like bannerstands, reception counters and media kiosks. Your printed table throw gives you a nice framework on which to build, and the possibilities truly are endless. You’re off to a great start!