Information on period pilot maps

[Pursuivant]

Luthier,

If you want to include a map printed on silk or rayon you'll need to talk to a textile company which does short runs of screen-printed fabric and/or garment manufacturing (to hem the scarves after the roll of printed fabric is cut into individual maps). They'll be able to give you a much better idea of what's technically feasible, as well as the costs involved and minimum production run.

The good news is that silk printing is something at which China has traditionally excelled and they still dominate the industry. The bad news is that finely printed silk scarves which incorporate lots of colors and intricate designs are generally luxury products and are priced accordingly. Another bit of possible bad news is that various countries might have odd customs regulations and duties regarding textiles.

I've handled early 20th century maps made from printed oil cloth or paper/cardboard backed with linen. As another poster pointed out, a good substitute would be a map printed on Tyvek. Another alternative would be a maps printed on pre-folded cardstock or cardboard. These hold up fairly well and they've been a standard of the board game and traditional wargame business for a century.