Imageco transforms Yorkshire school environments with UFabrik

Print Solutions

Imageco has once again chosen UFabrik Wallcover Eco Canvas to help transform a Yorkshire school into a vibrant inspiring environment. The Leeds based wide format print and signage business partnered with Beautiful Education, a long standing collaborator, and children’s book illustrator, Danny Deeptown to bring the project to life, overseen during the summer by Calum Maltman, project co-ordinator at Imageco.  

Beautiful Education, founded by Sarah Horsbrough, works closely with Danny to create environments that inspire learning and creativity. Each project is tailored to the character of the school, with Danny given creative freedom to design illustrations that resonate with pupils and staff.  The result is a number of transformative designs that not only beautify school spaces but nurture a sense of pride within the school community.

This project began with a dedicated site survey carried out by Imageco key account manager Abbie Hignett. Every measurement needed to be 100% accurate, so that Danny’s wonderful hand drawn illustrations could be produced to scale. Once the illustrations were completed, they were scanned and digitised at 300 dpi, ready to be printed as large scale single piece wall graphics, for real and lasting impact to the interior school walls.

Sustainable, reusable and recyclable, UFabrik Wallcover Eco Canvas is made from 80% minimum recycled plastic bottle SCS certified post consumer waste. It is the most environmentally friendly grey back canvas for one piece paste the wall applications, wall coverings, roll ups, and stretch canvas graphics.

Developed to meet the demands of high traffic public spaces, this textile is engineered for longevity, with installations remaining pristine for up to five years, even in the busiest school corridors. It is seamless print finish means that the most intricate illustrations aren’t interrupted by any joins, creating a far more immersive experience for pupils and staff alike.

‘It is just really robust, it doesn’t tear, good to install, and looks fantastic. With a couple of the more challenging school environments, we might also apply protective acrylic kick plates to the graphics, but this is an exception, and not the norm,’ said Nathan Swinson-Bullough, managing director, Imageco.

The company was an early adopter of UFabrik. ‘Over the Covid period we began to really focus on sustainability, as soon as we saw it, we made the switch,’ said Nathan.

The business now uses Wallcover Eco Canvas for nearly all its wallcovering applications. ‘It is much quicker on the install for the guys, they can get around doing walls this way much faster than with spliced paper. The seamless nature of UFabrik also means no visible joins, ensuring a flawless finish every time,’ he added.

Printability is another major advantage. The material delivers vibrant high resolution graphics that can withstand the rigours of daily school life. ‘UFabrik is great to print. There is just nothing bad to say about it.  It ticks all the boxes for us,’ said Nathan.  

Imageco has transformed a number of schools within the Yorkshire region and the impact of these installations extends far beyond the aesthetics. According to Nathan, schools have reported that the bright, cheerful environments created by these wallcovering installations make pupils feel more engaged. ‘It is a no-brainer, a really quick way to brighten a space. It makes the school more appealing, and it's not expensive for the long term,’ he said.

Nathan concluded, ‘Some of these have been up for four or five years, that is a real testament to the printed textile and how it’s installed. They are intended for the long haul.  

‘The kids are more intrigued to come to school; they want to be there. It feels like a special place when it is transformed.’