A display system includes a printed display formed on a substrate and a printed battery in electrical communication with the printed display. The printed display provides power to the printed display. Since both the display and battery are printed, the resulting display system is extremely thin and the manufacture thereof is reliable and inexpensive. The display system contemplates various types of printed displays such as an electrochromic display, a thermochromic display, an electroluminescent display, or an electrophoretic display.