Full Color Heat Transfer Print

If you want to have your mug colored and printed with logo better, save your time and save your money, this article will be helpful.

It may seem relatively easy to set your brand logo and get your personalized drinkware item decorated with full gorgeous color print, but with our 9 years of experience in this industry, we realized that the process of getting your corporate logo adequately printed appropriately on your promotional stainless steel drinkware is a bit tasking.

Are you planning to design your stainless steel promotional drinkware with your brand color and corporate logo? We will discuss about how to make the decoration better, both on the coating and the printing in this informative article.

Ok, let’s start!

First, you must understand that stainless steel is non-corrosive neither will it become rusty. It usually comes in two kinds of sleek polishing which are brushed polishing to effectively bring out the luster and shiny appearance and mirror finish polishing for a nearly invisible laser pointer reflection. The mug on the left has a mirror polishing finish while the two mugs to the right have a brushed finish polishing.

Coating

Stainless steel and aluminum drinkware look alike, but the aluminum drinkware is made of a more malleable and lighter metal than steel. Therefore, there must be a coating to protect it from the environmental and atmospheric condition and also to improve and enhance the performance of the components uniquely. There are different types of industrial coating which shall be discussed below.

1. a) Spray coating is the most common coating process where molten materials are projected on the aluminum to form a continuous thick coating based on the finishing which ranges from gloss finish to matte finish, metallic finish, and rubber finish. The matte finish is non-reflective which makes it conceal surface imperfections compared to other paints while the metallic finish is a bright reflective coating with metallic visual sensation. Glossy finish gleams while rubber finish is meant to add a transparent soft touch coating on top. From left to right, the finishes are matte, metallic and glass finishes) In recent years, powder coating has gained grounds, it is stronger than regular coating not easy to peel off and good for camping and outdoor items. More so.

c) Electroplating is an electrochemical coating technique to prevent it from rusting and also to improve the aesthetics into a bright ultra glossy finish. The minimum order quantity (MOQ) is high, and it usually comes in copper color, silver and rose gold color

d) PU Electroplating is a decorative coating primarily used for appeal and attractive purpose which often comes in a glossy and shining reflective iridescent glaze on the surface.

Printing

Custom branded drinkware has been a favorite giveaway gift for years which made printing on drinkware an excellent and purposeful option to reflect your company and the end user. Our printing services allow you to choose a high-resolution full-color image printing and access to direct color printing on plastics and stainless drinkware. There are a few ways to print images on drinkware, but you must understand that some printing methods requires complex and technological printing equipment while other techniques are easy to achieve. Here are different types of printing;

a) Screen printing: This is the most common printing method where an ultraviolet ink is forced through a mesh screen and applied onto the flat surface and curved surface of the drinkware. The printing process is done color by color and making sure it matches each printed order. The finger can feel the thickness of the ink used for the design and this method is suitable for the 1-3 color logo. It is less expensive, and we charge an extremely low setup charge.

b) Ink stamp printing: This method of printing is similar to screen printing. It’s a process whereby ink is applied on a pattern that has been laser engraved on a rubber, then it will be stamped forcefully on your drinkware, but it is often used to stamp and print the logo under the bottom of your promotional drinkware.

c) Heat transfer printing: With this method, you can transfer your desired logo and design on your promotional drinkware via heat for a vibrant and attractive appearance. Due to the material cost and significant time spent, our set up charge is a little bit pricey around 500USD per design because the price is charged based on the quantity of the artwork or logo. This method has an excellent printing quality and suitable for a multi-color logo. It can only be applied on glossily finished drinkware.

d) Sublimation printing: sublimation printing is also referred to as dye sublimation printing which uses heat to transfer dye onto your promotional drinkware. Images are applied on specially coated drinkware with the use of sublimation coating for it to accommodate the sublimation ink. We customize with no minimum order quantity (MOQ), and one piece of the mug is workable for us.

As good as this printing method is, it has its downside. This printing method is not efficient, and the printing process is slower than every other methods, so not suitable for a bulk order. But this printing quality is the best.
e) Water Transfer Printing: This is also referred to as immersion printing. Promotional drinkware is decorated using a base coat and print that resides in a water-soluble film. The printed film is placed on the water’s surface in the dipping tank leaving only the pattern floating on the water.

And the floating image is sprayed with an activator to dissolve the pattern color and the pressure of the water will make the pattern smoothen up by its self without any jointment, streamline or overlap line and adhere to it. The pattern of the design deals with 1-2 color, such as: the wooden pattern, zebra pattern, and marble pattern etc. This technique is a suitable printing method for full wrap printing.

f) Air decal printing: Air decal printing is a means of transferring the design from a substrate that has your brand logo to the surface of your promotional drinkware with the use of heat. But in this printing method, there is an overlapping line and artwork changes on the curving part. This method is suitable for full wrap printing and multi-color artwork, but printing quality is lower compared to heat transfer printing.

g) Embossed stamp printing: Embossing is a method where your promotional drinkware is punched by machine to raise your logo above or against the surface of your promotional drinkware on your drinkware. The raised letters has a width limit and based on the diameter of the mug; the angle should be less than <20 degree.

h) Laser etched Logo: Laser has become one of the most potent manufacturing tools. The laser beam uses high heat to melt the surface of your aluminum or stainless drinkware in which this melted material expands and causes a mark which is your logo or favorite lettering to stay permanently on the mug. It can only entertain 1 color, and the lettering width has a limit. Based on the diameter of the mug the angle should not be less than <20 Degree.
i) UV printing(Printer): You can impress your customer with this stretchable print and cut material available in glossy and matte finish for the multi-color logo. This printing method is workable for curve finish but with a limit of less than 1cm depth. If it is more than 1cm, it will not be clear, hence, a blurred design. It is Dishwasher Safe Printing