A Smarter, Faster Way for Modern Print Shops
It’s Easy to Print Magnets!®
Printed magnets have become one of the most reliable specialty products in the print industry, and for good reason. They’re durable, versatile, cost-effective, and visible every single day. From refrigerator calendars and business card magnets to vehicle signage, menu boards, and interchangeable retail displays, magnets offer long-term brand exposure that few other print products can match.
As demand for short-run customization, fast turnaround, and value-added print continues to rise, magnets represent an ideal opportunity for print service providers of all sizes. Yet despite their popularity, many printers are still producing magnets using outdated, multi-step processes that add unnecessary cost, time, and risk.
The good news? Printing magnets has never been easier or more efficient.
The Traditional Magnet Printing Challenge
For years, the standard method for producing printed magnets involved printing graphics on pressure-sensitive vinyl and then laminating that vinyl onto magnetic sheeting. While effective, this approach introduces several challenges:
- Additional material costs for printable vinyl
- Extra labor and production time
- Increased chances of lamination errors
- Greater risk of curling, delamination, or edge lift
In a market where speed, quality, and margins matter more than ever, these extra steps can quickly eat into profitability.
The Simplified Solution: Print Directly to Magnet
Modern magnetic media have evolved. Today’s direct-print magnetic materials allow printers to eliminate the vinyl-and-lamination step entirely.
DigiMag® Vinyl flexible magnetic sheeting features a factory-laminated, white, direct-printable vinyl surface that runs through wide-format printers just like other semi-rigid substrates. Compatible with solvent, eco-solvent, UV, and latex inkjet technologies, it allows printers to go straight from file to finished magnet in a single pass.
No mounting. No secondary lamination. No extra handling.
Why Direct-to-Magnet Printing Makes Sense
1. Lower Material and Labor Costs
Printing directly to magnetic media immediately reduces material spend by eliminating the need for separate printable vinyl. Fewer materials mean fewer SKUs to manage and less waste.
Equally important, skipping the lamination step saves labor time and reduces production bottlenecks. With fewer touchpoints, there’s less opportunity for errors that lead to reprints or scrap, helping protect margins while increasing throughput.
2. Fewer Lamination Issues, Better Finished Products
Laminating vinyl over vinyl can introduce performance issues, especially over time. Poor bonding, edge fraying, or delamination can occur, particularly in environments with heat, humidity, or temperature swings.
Factory-laminated printable vinyl on magnetic sheeting creates a stable, single-layer construction. This minimizes curling and ensures consistent adhesion between the print surface and the magnet, resulting in a cleaner, more reliable finished product.
3. Superior Performance for Vehicle Magnets
Vehicle magnets remain one of the most popular and profitable magnet applications, but they also demand the highest level of performance.
When an additional vinyl layer is applied, the finished magnet becomes thicker and more prone to curling, especially when exposed to heat, sunlight, or moisture. Curling edges reduce surface contact with the vehicle, increasing the risk of magnets lifting or flying off at highway speeds.
Printing directly onto magnetic media helps maintain proper flexibility and magnetic strength, ensuring better conformity to vehicle surfaces and more secure adhesion. The result is a safer, longer-lasting vehicle sign that performs the way customers expect.
Expanding Applications and Revenue Opportunities
Direct-print magnetic media isn’t limited to vehicles. Printers are using it successfully for:
As brands continue to look for reusable, changeable signage solutions, magnetic products are becoming a go-to option, especially for retail, food service, and fleet applications.
Easy to Integrate into Existing Print Operations
One of the biggest advantages of modern printable magnetic media is how easy it is to adopt. Many solutions are designed to run on existing equipment with minimal adjustments.
In addition to wide-format inkjet printers, compatible magnetic materials are available for offset presses, screen printing, and sheet-fed digital presses, making magnets accessible across multiple print environments.
For print shops looking to differentiate their offerings without adding complexity, direct-to-magnet printing checks all the boxes.
Ready to Start Printing Magnets the Easy Way?
With rising demand for flexible signage, fast turnarounds, and cost-effective print solutions, magnets are an ideal addition to any print portfolio. Printing directly to magnetic media streamlines production, improves quality, and boosts profitability, without reinventing your workflow.
If you’re ready to explore direct-to-magnet printing, our product specialists can help you select the right materials, understand printer compatibility, and access resources to get started.
Discover how easy it is to print magnets, and unlock new opportunities for your print business today.