Signs & Large Format Print
Types of mug branding
You will come across several techniques on mugs. Each gives a different effect and copes differently with daily use.
Fired-on ceramic print (screen print or decal). Ceramic ink is applied to the mug and then fired at high temperature. It fuses with the glaze and becomes part of it. This is the most durable option on ceramics – the dishwasher and years of use do not harm it. It works best with a 1–2 colour logo.
Pad printing and screen printing without firing. Quicker and cheaper, used on plastic mugs, bottles and some flasks. The print sits on the surface, so it is less resistant to scrubbing than a fired print.
Dye-sublimation. The mug needs a special coating that the dye penetrates. It gives full colour, photos and wrap-around print. Great for personalisation and small runs, but less dishwasher-resistant.
Laser engraving. The laser exposes the layer beneath the coating or etches the steel to a matt finish. There is no ink that could come off. The standard for flasks and steel mugs.
UV printing. Full colour on smooth surfaces, including glass and metal. Good for display items, but on vessels washed every day it loses out to fired print.
Print durability – a comparison
| Technique | On | Colours | Dishwasher | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fired-on print | ceramic, porcelain, glass | usually 1–2 | very good | the most durable on ceramics |
| Laser engraving | steel, coated mugs | no colour (material shade) | very good | smart, does not wear off |
| Screen / pad print | plastic, metal, bottles | 1–2 | fair | better washed by hand |
| Sublimation | coated mugs | full colour, photos | weaker, fades over time | good for personalisation |
| UV print | smooth surfaces | full colour | poor with frequent washing | better for display items |
If the mugs will live in an office kitchen and go through the dishwasher daily, choose fired print or engraving. If it is a gift with a name or photo, sublimation gives the best result, but include a note to wash the mug by hand.
What branded mugs cost
| Product | Branding | Price from |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle 750 ml | 1-colour print | approx. €3.05 |
| Ceramic mug 450 ml | 1-colour print | approx. €6 |
| Steel flask 500 ml | logo engraving | approx. €7 |
| Travel mug 300 ml | 1-colour print | approx. €7 |
A budget example: 100 ceramic mugs for office staff and visitors start at approx. €600 net (100 × €6). The same 100 as engraved flasks start at approx. €700 net. A small difference, and a flask leaves the office more often and shows the logo outside.
At smaller quantities the unit price rises, at larger ones it falls. Full colour instead of one colour also changes the quote. The full range is on the branded mugs, bottles and flasks page, and disposable and insulated cups for food service on the cups and food service packaging page.
The mistakes we see most often
- Logo on the wrong side of the handle. Most people hold a mug in their right hand. If the person opposite is meant to see the logo, it has to be on the side visible when the handle is on the left. The simplest fix is to brand both sides or all round – then the problem disappears.
- Print too close to the rim. The few millimetres below the rim are where lips go. Leave that area clear.
- A light colour on a light mug. A pastel logo on white ceramic vanishes from two metres away. Choose a darker version of the logo or a coloured mug.
- Too much detail in a one-colour print. Thin lines and small text can run together in fired print. Simplify the logo to a version with clear shapes.
- Brand colour 'by eye'. Ceramic, steel and plastic render colour differently from paper. If the colour is critical, give a Pantone number; more in our guide to matching your brand colour.
- 24 hexpress printing (UV inks need no drying)
- approx. 3 daysstandard lead time
- up to 14 dayslarge and custom projects with installation
Plus courier delivery. Tell us your date — we plan production around it.
Which mug for which purpose
Office and meeting room – ceramic mugs with fired print. A daily dishwasher cycle is no problem for them.
Client gift – a flask or travel mug with engraving, ideally in a box. It looks good and gets used in the car and out and about, so the logo leaves the office. A gift like this is easy to combine with other items in a set; see our guide to gift sets.
Sports event, race, fair – printed bottles. Light, cheap and unbreakable.
Café and food service – reusable insulated cups with your logo, or takeaway cups. The customer walks out onto the street carrying your logo.
Personalised gift – a sublimated mug with a name or photo. Every piece can be different.