Kraft Coffee Cups
Brown board takeaway cups suited to simple, strong designs.
Specification & quote
Paper Cup Materials
Kraft Paper Cups
Kraft board is unbleached, which is the whole reason it is brown and the whole reason independents like it. It reads as plain and considered next to a white cup.
What it does not do is print accurately, and that catches people out after the artwork is signed off.
- 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 Kraft 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.
Colours Shift on a Brown Base
Printing inks are transparent. On white board the paper reflects light back through them and colours look as intended; on kraft, that base is warm brown, so everything shifts towards it.
Blues go muddy, pale tints nearly disappear, and a bright red reads as a deeper rust. None of that is a printing fault — it is what the substrate does.
The how the material choices compare across the range page sets out the trade-offs alongside other stocks.
Designing for Kraft Rather than Against It
- Use one strong colour and let the board provide the second.
- Black and dark tones print predictably; pale tints do not.
- A white underbase restores accuracy where a colour must be exact, at extra cost.
- Ask for a proof on kraft rather than approving from a screen.
Designs made for kraft usually look better on it than designs adapted to it.
Kraft Is a Look, Not an Environmental Claim
Unbleached board avoids a bleaching stage, but a kraft cup still needs a liquid barrier on the inside and still needs the right collection to be recycled. The brown colour on its own says nothing about disposal.
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.
Kraft Paper Cups: Common Questions
Will our brand colour print correctly on kraft?
It will shift warmer and darker. If the colour is one customers would notice being wrong, either print a white underbase first or choose a white cup — those are the two honest options.
Are kraft cups more environmentally friendly?
Not inherently. They skip a bleaching stage, but the inside still carries a barrier lining and disposal still depends on local collection. The colour is an appearance choice rather than an environmental one.
Why do colours shift on kraft?
Printing inks are transparent. On white board the paper reflects light back through them; on kraft that base is warm brown, so everything pulls towards it.
Can we fix the shift?
A white underbase printed first restores accuracy, at the cost of an extra pass. The alternative is designing with the shift rather than against it.
Which colours suffer most?
Blues go muddy and pale tints nearly disappear. Black and dark tones print predictably, which is why kraft designs lean on them.
Is kraft cheaper than white board?
The board is usually similar. Costs differ in the artwork, since a design needing a white underbase adds a printing pass.
Does kraft still need a lining?
Yes. Board alone goes soft against a liquid within minutes, so a kraft cup has the same barrier as a white one on the inside.
Can we use white ink on kraft?
Yes, and it stands out well against the brown. It is an extra ink, so price it rather than assuming it is free.
Do kraft cups suit hot drinks?
As well as white ones. The board colour has no bearing on heat performance, which comes from the wall construction and lining.
Will two kraft orders match exactly?
Closely, not exactly. Unbleached board shifts a little between mill batches, which matters if cups sit beside other matched packaging.
Prefer to Talk It Through?
Sizing questions are usually quicker on the phone, especially if you have the product in front of you.
Related to Kraft Paper Cups
Brown Paper Cups
Natural kraft or printed brown — two routes to the same look.
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Recyclable Paper Cups
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Eco-Friendly Paper Cups
Alternative linings and recycled content, with the trade-offs stated.
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