The finishing and installation methods chosen affect how the banner will be seen by your target audience.

1. The Marketer's Guide To Banner
Finishing

2. Choosing the right materials and printing technology are two of the three
keys to achieving soft signage success. Proper finishing techniques
are also vital to ensure the success of your banner graphics.
"Finishing" refers to various ways in which the edges of the banner are
trimmed, folded, sewn, welded or otherwise treated to arrive at the
final graphic. The finishing and installation methods chosen affect how
the banner will be seen by your target audience.

3. There are a variety of ways that banners can be displayed - hanging by
rope or zip ties through grommets around the perimeter, using a dowel
or pole through a pocket at the top of the banner, attaching hook &
loop fasteners (Velcro®) to the back, or using a silicone bead edge
inserted into an aluminum channel frame. Let's look at each of these
options and the required finishing.

4. Rope or Zip Ties and Grommets
The most popular way to hang a banner is using rope or zip ties through
grommets around the perimeter. If the banner will be outdoors or have
any tension applied to the grommets, you'll want to reinforce the
perimeter of the banner with a hem. Much like the legs on a pair of
pants - hemming folds the material back on itself, reinforces the edges
and at the same time provides a smooth finished look. The three most
popular methods for hemming edges are to use double-sided
adhesive tape (for short term use), sew the hem with thread or heat
weld the edge.

5. A sewn hem uses a single- or double-stitched edge run through an
industrial sewing machine. Providing a great deal of strength, a sewn
hem also enhances aesthetics and basic functionality. In heat welding
one inch of the vinyl banner material is folded over and welded to the
backside of the banner, forming a clean seal where the weld is as
strong as the material.

6. For a long term outdoor application; reinforcing the hem where grommets
are installed is recommended. This is done by heat welding nylon
webbing into the hem of the banner. The webbing helps prevent
grommets from pulling out of the banner when under heavy tension.
Other techniques to consider for banners displayed outdoors are wind
slits, which allow air to pass through part of the banner, thus relieving
some of the tension from wind, and corner gussets, which spread the
force applied to corners across a larger portion of the banner.

7. Dowels & Pole Pockets
When installing soft signage, from light posts to hanging banners from
the ceiling, pole pockets provide the perfect solution. A section, often
3" to 4", of the top edge of the banner is folded over to the back and
then sewn or welded to create a "pocket." A pole or dowel is then
inserted, providing a rigid, sturdy banner top ready to be hung. Pole
pockets with dowels along the bottom are a great way to make sure
that the banner hangs straight and taut.

8. Resources:
http://www.traseventos.com/
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Marketers-Guide-
To-Banner-Finishing&id=9376871