Cardboard Cups

Small Cardboard Cups

The problem with very small cups is that they are easy to crush. A light 4oz cup picked up firmly folds, and whatever is in it goes on the floor.

A heavier board at the same volume solves it, at a modest extra cost per unit.

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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 Small Cardboard 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

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.

Small Cups Get Gripped Harder

People wrap a whole hand around a small cup rather than holding it by the rim, which puts more pressure on the wall than a large cup ever sees.

At tasting events, where people hold a cup while talking, that grip is sustained for minutes at a time.

Where cost matters more than sturdiness, the lighter small cup options are the cheaper route.

Where the Heavier Board Is Worth It

Tasting events, where cups are held for several minutes.
Sampling with hot liquids, where a crushed cup is a burn risk.
Care and clinical settings, where reliability matters more than unit cost.
Premium sampling where a flimsy cup undermines the product.

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.

Small Cardboard Cups: Common Questions

Why not just use a standard small cup?

For a quick sample handed over and drunk, a standard cup is fine. Where cups are held for minutes, or contain anything hot, the heavier board avoids a genuine crushing problem.

Do heavier small cups cost much more?

A modest amount per unit, which matters at sampling volumes. It is worth pricing both and deciding against your actual usage rather than assuming.

Why not use a standard small cup?

For a quick sample handed over and drunk, a standard cup is fine. Where cups are held for minutes, the heavier board avoids crushing.

Why do small cups get crushed?

Because people wrap a whole hand around them rather than holding by the rim, which puts more pressure on the wall.

Do these suit tasting events?

They do, and cups held for several minutes during conversation are exactly the case where a light cup fails.

Are they suitable for hot samples?

With a hot lining, yes, and a crushed cup with a hot liquid in it is a burn risk, which is part of the argument.

Can we print them?

Yes, though the area is small. One element usually reads better than several shrunk to fit.

Will they denest cleanly?

With a denesting feature. A heavier board actually helps here, because the cups hold their shape in the stack.

Do these suit clinical settings?

They are used in care and dental settings where reliability matters more than unit cost.

Do these suit clinical or care settings?

They are used there, where reliability and hygiene matter more than unit cost or appearance.

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