A printed table throw is a sewn polyester cover that turns a borrowed trestle table into a branded surface. It comes in two shapes: an open-back throw that drapes, and a fitted stretch cover with foot pockets that keeps the front flat and taut. Only the upper part of the front face is reliably seen, so that is where the logo belongs.
Exhibition tables are often borrowed trestle or banquet tables, and a cover is how somebody else’s furniture becomes a branded object. This guide covers the two shapes, the fabric, where to place artwork and what to settle before a quote.
What is the difference between an open-back throw and a fitted stretch cover?
An open-back throw is cut oversize so that it drapes and hangs. A fitted stretch cover is cut to the table, with foot pockets that grip the legs so the front face stays flat and taut. The printed area that matters on either is the front, above where chairs, bags and knees block the view.
The two feel different in use. A stretch cover pulled down onto its table is taut enough to bounce a fingertip off. A draped throw hangs soft and shows every fold it was packed with until it has hung long enough to drop out. Both feel like clothing, and both crease in a bag, which is the trade for folding into one.
| Open-back throw | Fitted stretch cover | |
|---|---|---|
| Cut | Oversize, so it drapes and hangs | To the table, with foot pockets that grip the legs |
| Front face | Soft, shows folds until it has hung | Flat and taut |
| Outdoors with wind | Does not suit; it lifts and takes the display with it | Ask for it and describe the site |
| Packed | Creases in a bag | Creases in a bag |
What is a table throw printed on?
A table throw is woven polyester printed by dye sublimation, so the cover can be washed and folded repeatedly without the print flaking or cracking. It is closer to a garment than to a banner: panels are cut, printed and then sewn, so the seams fall where the tailoring puts them.
Dye-sublimated display fabric is a woven polyester printed by heating dye into the fibre, so the colour is part of the cloth rather than a layer on top of it. The colour is slightly softer than on vinyl and completely non-reflective, which suits an exhibition hall. The same fabric is used for tension backdrops, and it is a good choice for anything transported repeatedly. Avoid hard-edged geometric artwork running right at a seam, because the cloth shifts a millimetre or two.
Where should the logo go on a table throw?
Put the mark on the upper part of the front face, between the table edge and roughly the height of a seated person’s lap. Do not centre it. With two people and a laptop behind the table, the middle of the front panel is exactly where their knees are.
Repeat the mark towards each end of the front face so that it survives being half-blocked, and treat the bottom of the drop as background. Supply the artwork as a PDF/X-4 at final size in CMYK, at 100 dpi at final size. Keep type large enough to read from across an aisle. EZ Print’s exhibition guidance sets 40 mm cap height as the minimum for anything read across an aisle.
For black areas, a four-colour black is specified, because K100 on fabric reads as charcoal under hall lighting.
When does a table throw suit the job, and when does it not?
Table throws suit exhibition and roadshow tables, conference registration, career fairs, sampling counters, and food and beverage activations where the cloth gets wiped down between sessions. They do not suit a table that will be covered in product, which hides the top panel entirely.
A draped throw also does not suit an outdoor site with any wind. If the table will be outdoors, ask for a fitted cover. If you are not sure which shape your table needs, say what the table is and where it will stand, and the quote can be built from that.
How long does a table throw take?
Standard turnaround is 7–14 working days. A throw is a sewn cover rather than a flat print: panels are cut, printed and then sewn, and all of that sits inside the standard window. Express is quoted per job, against the specification and the date you give.
Send the event date, the table size and the shape you want in the first message. The quote then reflects the specification, and the production schedule is confirmed against it.
Worked example: a registration-desk throw
A planning example shows what a quote request needs: the shape, the front panel size, the placement of the logo and the date. This one covers a single fitted stretch cover for a conference registration desk, set out as a specification a coordinator could send.
Hypothetical planning example. Actual production timing, paper availability, and logistics are confirmed individually upon artwork and specification review.
A professional association is setting up a registration desk at a conference. The events coordinator sends this specification:
- Shape: fitted stretch cover with foot pockets, so the front face stays flat and taut.
- Front panel: 1220 × 750 mm with a 60 mm sewn-hem allowance, the dimensions of the table throw specimen on EZ Print’s branded table throw page.
- Fabric: woven polyester, printed by dye sublimation.
- Artwork: the logo placed on the upper part of the front face and repeated towards each end, supplied as PDF/X-4.
- Timing: standard 7–14 working days. The request names the conference date and asks for an express quotation if it is tighter.
Related printing solutions
Table throws usually go with other exhibition graphics. See exhibition displays, pull-up banners, event signage and the branded table throw specification. When the specification is ready, request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an open-back throw and a fitted stretch cover?
An open-back throw is cut oversize so it drapes and hangs. A fitted stretch cover is cut to the table, with foot pockets that grip the legs so the front face stays flat and taut.
Where should the logo go on a table throw?
On the upper part of the front face, between the table edge and roughly the height of a seated person’s lap. Repeat it towards each end so it survives being half-blocked.
Can a printed table throw be washed?
Yes. It is woven polyester printed by dye sublimation, so the cover can be washed and folded repeatedly without the print flaking or cracking.
Does a table throw suit an outdoor event?
A draped throw does not suit an outdoor site with any wind, because it lifts and takes the display with it. For an outdoor table, describe the site and ask for a fitted stretch cover.
Same-day and urgent printing available. Subject to artwork approval, payment, print type and production availability. Timing confirmed per job.