Custom Printed Cold Drink Cups.

Because a cold cup sweats on the outside, and bare board on that face would soak through. Hot cups only need the inside coated. Cold drinks put condensation on the outer wall, where the print and the customer's grip both sit, so polyethylene goes on both faces. Single-sided PE is not something we would run for cold service.

The rim is rolled outward, which gives the lid a bead to snap over and stiffens the cup against deforming when gripped wet. Straw slot, dome and strawless sip lids all seat on that rolled edge. If you already have lids in stock, we match the rim profile to them rather than making you switch.

Not when the outer PE layer is specified, since the ink sits under a sealed surface. The coating is chosen for condensation rather than heat. Print on an uncoated outer would run or bloom within minutes of ice going in. Full CMYK wrap, matte and gloss finishes all sit under that layer, and a kraft outer is still double coated underneath.

Full CMYK wrap is the most requested, with gloss for saturated colour and matte for speciality iced coffee. Gloss suits cold drinks visually. Matte is non-reflective and reads premium. A kraft outer gives a natural look. Where the drink itself is the display, a clear PET cup with an unprinted panel shows layered drinks and bubble tea through the wall.

The ladder runs 9, 12, 16 and 22 oz, larger than hot sizes because ice displaces served volume. Top diameters are about 3.4 inches at 12oz, 3.7 inches at 16oz and 3.9 inches at 22oz. Size up one step from the drink you intend to serve so the ice does not eat the portion. Above 22 oz we move to a heavier caliper board.

The minimum is 500 cups in one size and design. Pricing tiers begin above 1,000. Because the print plates carry across sizes, most cafes run their two busiest sizes at the minimum first and add the third once the lid stock is settled.

Expect 7 to 10 business days for standard production, or 5 to 7 business days on the rush service. A sample is ready in 5 to 7 business days, and we would fill it with ice and leave it on a counter for an hour to check the outer wall. The sample fee is credited to the cup order.

Yes, with PLA lining applied to both faces in place of PE. PLA needs commercial composting to break down, so the claim on the cup should state the route. Where that collection exists it gives a plastic-free-claim option for iced service. The base stock is still virgin-fibre food-grade board sized for rigidity when wet on the outside.