12oz Paper Cups
The most ordered UK takeaway size, around 10.5oz usable.
Specification & quote
Coffee Cups
Custom Paper Coffee Cups
A takeaway cup is the most travelled object a café owns. It goes down the high street, sits on a desk for an hour, and turns up in the background of other people's photographs.
Designing one well means accepting that a third of it is covered by a hand at any moment.
- 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 Custom Paper Coffee 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.
A Third of the Cup Is Always Hidden
A right-handed grip covers a predictable band of the cup, and the customer will not rotate it to show your logo.
Designs that repeat around the circumference survive this. A single mark placed once has roughly even odds of facing away for the entire life of the drink.
Specification
| Sizes | Commonly 8oz and 12oz; 16oz for large and iced |
|---|---|
| Wall | Single wall with a sleeve, or double wall |
| Board | White for colour accuracy, kraft for a plain look |
| Flexo for long runs, digital for shorter runs or several designs | |
| Lids | Matched by rim diameter, not by stated volume |
Minimum quantities on printed cups are higher than on sleeves, and are confirmed per quote.
Sleeves Are the Cheaper Way In
Printed cups carry die costs and minimum quantities that a single site often cannot justify. A printed sleeve on a plain cup achieves most of the branding effect for a fraction of the commitment, and it is where most independents start.
For a first branded order, printed sleeves on plain cups are usually the more sensible route.
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.
Custom Paper Coffee Cups: Common Questions
How many cups do we need to order to make printing worthwhile?
That depends on the print method rather than a fixed threshold. Digital printing makes far smaller runs viable than conventional flexo. Send your realistic annual usage and we will tell you which route fits.
Should the logo appear once or repeat around the cup?
Repeat it. A single logo faces away from the viewer about as often as it faces towards them, and customers do not turn the cup to help.
Should the logo repeat around the cup?
Yes. A hand covers roughly a third of the cup, so a single mark faces away as often as towards the viewer.
How many cups make printing worthwhile?
It depends on the print method rather than a threshold. Digital makes far smaller runs viable than conventional flexo does.
Are sleeves cheaper than printed cups?
For a single site, almost always. A printed sleeve on a plain cup avoids cup dies and minimum quantities entirely.
Which sizes should we print first?
12oz, because it is the most ordered and the one that appears in photographs and on desks.
Do we need matching lids?
Only if drinks leave the building. Lids are matched by rim diameter rather than stated volume, so send a cup.
Can we run several sizes in one order?
Yes, and it shares the setup. Each size needs its own layout because the flat blank differs.
Will kraft change our brand colour?
Yes, warmer and darker. If the colour must be exact, that means white board or a white underbase.
How do we estimate annual usage?
Count a typical week of takeaway hot drinks and scale it. Annual guesses made without till data are usually well out.
Prefer to Talk It Through?
Sizing questions are usually quicker on the phone, especially if you have the product in front of you.
