Coloured Paper Cups
Solid colour bodies matched to your brand palette.
Specification & quote
Coloured Paper Cups
Black Paper Cups
Black cups look expensive, which is most of the reason to order them. They also expose every inconsistency in the printing, which is the reason to think about how the black is built.
A single-ink black laid thinly reads brown. A properly built one does not.
- Cut to your own product, not a stock size
- Board, print and finish confirmed in writing
- Delivered across the UK on national carriers
Short enquiry
Quote for This Product
Tell us the quantity and any date you are working to. We reply with the board, print and finish, plus the minimum order quantity and lead time.
Design Your Own
Design Your Black Paper Cups
Pick a colour, put your name on it, and see how the idea reads before you ask anyone for a price. It is a sketch rather than a manufacturing proof — the real shape is cut from the product you already serve.
Sleeve colour
Finish
A printed sleeve brands a plain cup you already buy, which is why a single site usually reaches for one before it reaches for a printed cup.
Carry this into the full designerThe full page adds the size, board, print and quantity, then sends the whole specification over in one go. Nothing is committed to at any point.
Building a Black That Stays Black
Large flat areas of a single black ink show density variation across a run, and the eye reads that as a warm or patchy cast.
A rich black built from more than one ink, or a spot black, holds far more evenly. It costs a little more and is the difference between a cup that looks premium and one that looks slightly off.
We cover the same problem on cone sleeves in more detail, and the printing principles are identical.
Living with a Dark Cup
- Matt finishes hide handling marks; gloss shows every fingerprint.
- Milk and foam splashes are highly visible on black.
- Reversed-out logos need slight weight added, since ink spread closes fine gaps.
- The unprinted rim margin is more noticeable than on pale cups.
Almost every black cup we quote ends up matt for the first two reasons.
Ordering, Artwork and Delivery
Getting a Quote
Tell us the volume you pour and whether you need matching lids. We reply with a written specification, the minimum order quantity and the lead time for your job.
Artwork
Cup blanks are a curved fan, so we supply a template to design on. Full file requirements are set out in our artwork guidelines.
Turnaround
Lead times depend on the print method, run length and press schedule, so we confirm yours on the quote rather than publishing a single figure.
Delivery in the UK
Orders are dispatched on national carriers to any UK address. Seedelivery information for how dates are given.
Black Paper Cups: Common Questions
Why does our black cup look slightly brown?
Almost always a single-ink black laid thinly. Building the black from more than one ink, or using a spot black, gives a deeper and more consistent result across the run.
Do black cups cost more than white?
Yes, because the colour is ink across the whole surface, and a properly built black uses more than one ink to do it. The premium look is what the extra pays for.
Why does our black look brown?
A single-ink black laid thinly reads warm. Building it from more than one ink, or using a spot black, gives a deeper and more consistent result.
Matt or gloss on black?
Matt, almost always. Gloss shows every fingerprint, and a dark cup collects them visibly through a service.
Can we reverse a logo out of the black?
Yes, and it looks striking. Fine lines need slight weight added, because ink spread closes small gaps on board.
Will the rim margin show?
More than on a pale cup. Every printed cup leaves a small unprinted margin at the rim, and on solid black it reads as a light line.
Does black show milk splashes?
Clearly, which is the trade against hiding coffee marks. Which matters more depends on your service.
Can we get a matt black with a gloss logo?
Spot finishing effects are quoted per job, because availability depends on the print method. Tell us the effect and we will confirm.
Is black board available instead of printed?
A dyed black board behaves differently and is quoted separately. Tell us if the material itself must be black through the section.
Can we run black alongside a white version?
Yes, and both can run in one job on digital printing. Tell us the split between them.
Prefer to Talk It Through?
Sizing questions are usually quicker on the phone, especially if you have the product in front of you.
