GITEX Global 2026 Exhibitor Print Checklist: What to Order and When
Short answer: Order your booth graphics and branded giveaways first. They take the longest to produce and have to be ready for build-up. Staff uniforms and signage come next, then brochures and business cards. Send all your files together and we can produce everything under one order.
GITEX Global runs 7-11 December 2026 at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai. Your stand is booked. Your flights are booked. The printing is the part that gets left to the last week, and the last week is when a wrong file or a missing size turns into an expensive problem.
On a floor full of technology companies competing for the same attention, your printed material does a lot of quiet work. Your backdrop is what people see from the aisle. Your polo shirts tell visitors who to talk to. Your cards and sheets are what they carry home.
Use this checklist to order in the right sequence. For a quick look at our service first, see our page on GITEX printing and booth branding in Dubai.
What to order and in what order?
Work from the item that is hardest to fix to the one that is easiest. Booth graphics go on the stand on build-up day, so there is no time for a reprint. Flat printing like cards and sheets is the quickest, so it can follow.
| Order | What it covers | Why it goes here | Send artwork |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Booth graphics | Backdrop, wall and floor graphics, counter branding | Installed on build-up day, so it has to be the right first time. | At least 10 working days before build-up |
| 2. Giveaways | Tote bags, notebooks, pens, lanyards, tech items | Each item is branded and checked individually. Engraved or boxed items take the longest. | At least 7 working days before the show opens |
| 3. Staff apparel | Polo shirts, t-shirts, caps | Sizes for every person on the stand must be final before production. | At least 7 working days before the show opens |
| 4. Signage | Demo-station signs, hanging signs, QR stands | Needs your final stand layout | At least 10 working days before build-up |
| 5. Printed material | Product sheets, brochures, business cards, folders | Quickest to print, but the content must be signed off. | At least 7 working days before the show opens |
Tell us your build-up day when you order, and we will give you the exact artwork deadline for each item. Turnaround starts when your artwork is approved, not when you order. Our delivery and turnaround page explains how timing works, and our guide to what "express printing" really means is worth a read before you promise your team anything.
Work back from the build-up day.
You do not need a perfect plan. You need these six things done in this order:
- Get your stand size and the organizer's rules. Check your exhibitor manual for dimensions and wall limits.
- Lock your artwork. Final logo, colors, and text. Changes after ordering cost time.
- Count your people. Everyone on the stand, across every shift, with sizes.
- Set your quantities. Use the guide further down this page.
- Place one order. Graphics, apparel, giveaways, and print together, with one contact.
- Approve proofs the same day. A proof that sits for three days is three days lost.
The full GITEX stand checklist
Tick these off before you place your order.
Booth branding
- Backdrop or backwall graphic, sized to your stand
- Floor graphics, if your stand allows them
- Counterfront branding
- Roll-up banners for the aisle edge of the stand
- Hanging sign, if the organizer permits it
Our booth branding service prints to the size you give us, and roll-up banner printing covers the freestanding pieces. If you are not sure which material suits which job, browse banners and signage.
Tech-specific signage and sheets
- Demo-station signage for each product or solution
- QR stands that link to your demo booking page
- Product and solution sheets for technical conversations
- Folders for leads who want the full pack
A clear sheet at each demo point saves your team repeating the same explanation all day. Our flyer and brochure printing and presentation folders cover the paper side of this.
Staff and team
- Branded polo T-shirts for the demo team
- Name badges for everyone on the stand
- Lanyards, plus spares
Polo T-shirt printing works best when sizes are confirmed before production starts. Wondering whether to embroider or print? Our guide to DTG, screen printing, and sublimation explains which suits which design, and badges and lanyards can be ordered in the same batch.
Printed material
- Business cards for every person on the stand
- Brochures or company profile
- Offer a price sheet if you are selling at the show
Order your business cards alongside everything else so the stock and finish match your other printed pieces.
Giveaways
- Tote bags
- Notebooks and pens
- Tech items such as power banks or USB drives (ask us what is available)
Pick one giveaway people will keep and use, rather than three; they will leave at the hotel. Browse tote bags, notebooks, pens, and tech gifts, or see what exhibitors order most on our exhibition giveaways page.
The easy-to-forget list
- A "scan to book a demo" sign near the stand edge
- Spare badges for last-minute team additions
- Your artwork files are saved on your phone, in case you need a reprint on-site
Choose the right stock and finish.
For business cards, 350 gsm is the standard everyday choice, 400 gsm feels more premium for client-facing teams, and 600 gsm triplex is the luxury option for senior roles.
Finish matters too. Matt resists fingerprints, soft-touch adds a velvety feel but scuffs more easily, and spot UV makes a logo stand out. Not sure which to pick? Our guides on paper, GSM, and matt, gloss, and soft-touch lamination make the choice simple.
Visitors from everywhere: think bilingual
GITEX brings together exhibitors and visitors from across the world, so your material may need to work in English and Arabic. Decide this before design starts, because mirrored layouts, fonts, and text direction change how a page is built. Our guide to Arabic-English bilingual print design covers the layout rules.
How many to order?
You cannot reprint at the same price on show day, so plan quantities before you order.
- Business cards: count on handing out 50 to 150 a day per person on the stand. Multiply by the number of people and the number of show days.
- Brochures and sheets: estimate how many serious conversations your team will have each day, multiply by the show days, then add extra for the day your stand gets busy.
- Polo shirts: one per person on the stand, plus spares in the middle sizes.
- Lanyards and badges: one per person, plus spares.
Get your artwork right the first time.
Most delays come from files that needed fixing. Check these before you upload:
- Print-ready PDF, with fonts embedded or outlined
- Text and logos at least 4 mm inside the trim line
- 300 DPI at final size for anything held in the hand
- 100 to 150 DPI at full size for large banners and backdrops
- CMYK color, with Pantone references for brand colors
- Rich black for large black areas, single-color black for small text
We check size, resolution, color mode, and fonts on every order. We do not proofread your text, so check spelling and phone numbers yourself. Our artwork guide has the full detail, and the print templates save you setting up files from scratch. Two blog posts help: how to prepare artwork for printing in Dubai and why RGB colors look different in CMYK prints.
Ordering from outside the UAE
Exhibiting at GITEX from abroad? Send your artwork by email or WhatsApp from anywhere. Production happens in the UAE, so nothing crosses a border or waits in customs.
If your finance team needs a specific invoice format, read our guide to VAT on printing services in the UAE and tell us what you need before you order.
Five mistakes that cost exhibitors a reprint
- Ordering the week before. Booth graphics need the longest lead time.
- Guessing the stand size. A backdrop that is a few centimeters out will not fit the wall.
- Using website images. They are typically 72 DPI and will not print sharply, however you scale them.
- Skipping the typo check. Phone numbers and spellings are the errors that hurt most after a full print run.
- Ordering from four suppliers. Four deliveries means four chances for something to arrive late.
Exhibiting at another Dubai show?
The same sequence works at any trade show. See Big 5 Global, Gulfood, and WHX Dubai, or the exhibition printing hub. Planning a conference instead? Try our event printing timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I order before I arrive in Dubai?
Ans. Yes. Send your artwork and order details by email or WhatsApp, and we will produce everything here in the UAE.
Q. How early should I place my order?
Ans. Order booth graphics first. Tell us your build-up day, and we will confirm the artwork deadline for every item in your order.
Q. Can you check my artwork before printing?
Ans. Yes, on every order. We check bleed, resolution, color mode, and fonts, and come back to you before printing.
Q. Can you produce staff uniforms as well as print?
Ans. Yes. Polo t-shirts and caps, embroidered or printed, can be ordered alongside your graphics.
Q. Can I order several different products in one order?
Ans. Yes. One order, one contact, one delivery.
Ready to plan your GITEX print?
Send us your stand size, your build-up day, and what is on your checklist. We will come back with options and a price.
Get an exhibition quote for GITEX Global or message us on WhatsApp with your event, stand number, products needed, quantity, and required date. Prefer to talk it through first? Use our contact page.
