Lids, Sleeves & Cup Parts

Paper Cup Sleeves

A sleeve is sized by circumference, not by the volume printed on the cup. Two 12oz cups from different suppliers can differ enough for one sleeve to spin on the other.

That single measurement is what this whole product depends on.

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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 Paper Cup Sleeves

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

Name on the pack

Finish

Show a repeating pattern

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 designer

The 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.

Measure Where the Hand Goes

A cup tapers, so its circumference changes along its height. The measurement that matters is at the point where a hand naturally grips, roughly a third down from the rim.

Send a cup rather than a measurement if you can — it removes the ambiguity entirely.

Where the sleeve is carrying your brand rather than just adding grip, printed sleeves as a branding item covers the print side.

Practical Points

One sleeve rarely covers more than two adjacent cup sizes.
Double-walled cups are thicker, so sleeves cut for single wall will be tight.
Corrugated insulates; flat board holds finer print detail.
A sleeve positioned too low slides down as the cup tapers.

If you run three cup sizes, expect to need at least two sleeves.

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.

Paper Cup Sleeves: Common Questions

Will one sleeve fit all our cup sizes?

Usually not. A sleeve cut for a 12oz cup is slack on an 8oz and will not go over a 16oz. Two sleeves across three sizes is the common outcome.

Can we use sleeves on double-walled cups?

Yes, but a double-walled cup is thicker at the same stated volume, so a sleeve cut for single wall will be tight. Tell us which construction you use.

Where exactly do we measure?

At the point where a hand naturally grips, roughly a third down from the rim. A cup tapers, so the measurement changes along its height.

Do double-walled cups need a different sleeve?

Yes, because they are thicker at the same stated volume. A sleeve cut for single wall will be tight.

Corrugated or flat board?

Corrugated insulates through the air gap in the flute; flat board adds grip and holds finer print detail.

Why does our sleeve spin?

Because it is cut slightly too large for the cup. Two cups sold as the same volume can differ enough to cause it.

Can sleeves be printed both sides?

The inner face is invisible in use. The budget does more on the outer face and the board choice.

Will a sleeve stay put on a wet cup?

A cold cup reduces friction, so cold service usually needs a slightly tighter fit than hot.

Are sleeves cheaper than printed cups?

For a single site, considerably. They avoid cup dies and minimum quantities entirely while branding cups you already hold.

Can we order sleeves without buying cups?

Yes, and that is the normal case. The sleeve is cut to the cup you already buy from elsewhere.

Prefer to Talk It Through?

Sizing questions are usually quicker on the phone, especially if you have the product in front of you.

+44 7458 651107 info@conesleeves.co.uk