Cheap Canvas Prints: 3 Things to Check Before you Buy
When you search for "foto op canvas" (or "canvas prints" in English) in the Netherlands, you'll find plenty of online shops selling canvas prints – but how can you be sure which providers are dependable?
Some printing companies charge sky-high prices, while others sell their prints for little more than the price of a cup of coffee. So are the discount canvas sites to be trusted? How can you tell a reliable seller from one that cuts corners? We explain in this article!
Printing Material – Natural or Man-Made?
A high-quality printing substrate is essential for any good photo reproduction. And since canvas is a fabric, you might think that the best companies would print on natural materials. However, the reality is more complex, and claims like “100% cotton” don’t always indicate that the canvas fabric is well suited for printing.
Natural fabrics have natural vulnerabilities – their porous composition quickly absorbs moisture and heat from the air, and they can easily be torn or scratched. By contrast, man-made fabrics such as polyester can give excellent protection and long-lasting performance. (Note that some companies work natural fibers into their polyester fabric to achieve that traditional canvas look while retaining all the practical advantages of synthetic material.)
And as you probably know, man-made fabrics tend to be cheap. That means companies which print on polyester and similar materials can cut their prices without compromising on product quality.
Budget Inks for Top-End Printing
The type of ink used in printing determines more than just the colors produced – it also affects the print’s longevity and production costs.
Latex inks are now the preferred choice in the low-cost printing sector – they deliver vibrant color reproduction and impressive print durability, but cost no more than water-based inks. So if you look for providers who work with latex inks, you’ll increase your chances of getting a high-end print at an accessible price.
Technological Know-How
In the printing industry, the production processes in place are as important as the printing materials themselves. And two ways that companies can keep costs low without affecting quality are to rely on economies of scale – i.e. sell in bulk to keep prices low – or to bring every stage of production under one roof, thus cutting overheads.
And bigger companies have a compelling advantage here – production on a larger scale allows big brands to reduce costs and pass those savings on to their customers. For example, one discount printing company operating in the Netherlands, BesteCanvas.nl, forms part of the wider international firm Picanova Group. All the products sold at Picanova shops are printed in the same facilities, following the same printing standards and quality checks.
The bottom line? Even if you’re looking for a high-end canvas printing service, you shouldn’t overlook discount companies. Because established names like BesteCanvas.nl have the know-how to keep quality high and prices low.