Mugs are an item you’ll find in almost every household. You will get a ton of eyes on your brand if you customize coffee mugs with your logo!
With a variety of styles, colors, and materials available, you can buy custom mugs that everyone loves. Are you ready to get started? Follow these design tips!
Tips for Customizing Coffee Mugs
Tip 1. Choose the Right Style
Mugs come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Get creative by choosing a style that is unique or trendy!
Step 2: Select a Material
Consider which material is best for how you plan to use your mug, along with the imprint method that works.
Step 3: Design Your Mug
Select the color(s) you want your mugs to be and how you want your design to look.
As long as you stick with that plan, you’ll end up with custom coffee mugs that people are excited to receive. Let’s get into even more details!
Tip 1. Choose the Right Style
There are a variety of shapes and sizes to consider. Which of these promotional coffee mugs catches your eye?
Traditional Mugs
Tried and true, traditional style mugs are a practical classic. This style can also be found in a variety of sizes.
Great for: A relaxing morning and a hot cup of coffee.
Spooner Mugs
Add convenience to your morning with a spooner mug! These mugs have a spoon that fits right into the handle.
Great for: Outdoor events or camping.
Novelty Mugs
Create a custom a mug won’t get forgotten about because of its unique design. Put your design on the back to add a personal flair this memorable mug!
Great for: Bar and restaurant openings, a family reunion, or summer pool parties.
Travel Mugs
If your life is constantly on the go, customize a travel mug with your design on it! The lid prevents spills and keeps beverages warm longer by trapping heat.
Great for: Trade shows, conferences, travel agencies, and realtors.
Have fun with the selection of your custom mugs. Pick a style or shape that will stand out in your kitchen cabinet.
Tip 2. Select a Material
Do you manage a restaurant that serves coffee or tea? Are you marketing to travelers or parents with busy family schedules? You should choose the material based on your intended use.
Ceramic
Ceramic mugs are highly durable so you can have your design printed in a variety of ways. Pad printing is great for ceramic mugs because of the smooth surface!
Glass
Glass mugs are convenient because they are clear, and you can easily see how much liquid you have left. Laser engraving is a great imprint method for glass mugs.
Stainless Steel
Most often, you’ll see stainless steel used for travel mugs. This material is ideal for trapping heat and provides durability for travel and frequent use. Laser engraving is also an ideal imprint method for stainless steel because the material can withstand high temperatures.
Stoneware
Stoneware mugs are unique because each mug contains a different blend of stone, flint, and clay, so they don’t look and feel like just a normal mug. Use the digital printing method to add your design to stoneware mugs because the printer can print on the grained surface of stoneware.
Acrylic
Acrylic or plastic mugs have the look and function of a ceramic mug but are cost-effective, versatile, and very lightweight. Pad printing works great on acrylic mugs because the process does not use heat and won’t damage the material.
Whether glass, ceramic, or stoneware fits your fancy, picking the right type of mug is an important step in customizing your mugs.
If you don’t pick the right material, you could end up with a broken mug on a camping trip or cold coffee on a road trip! Be strategic about the mugs you customize.
Are you curious to see how ceramic mugs are made? Check out this video!
Tip 3. Design Your Mug
Selecting your colors
Does your business have a signature color or cause you support? Use custom mugs to spread awareness of your brand or charity! You can also select different colors for the inside and outside, or add a full color photo when designing your mugs.
Match a Logo
If you plan to place a logo on your mugs, you can add accent colors to match such as a different colored handle or rim.
Pick a Pattern
Instead of solid colors, pick a trendy pattern for your mug like marble!
Support a Sports Team
Create mugs with the colors of your favorite team, like the Chicago Bulls!
Printing your design
A good rule of thumb to follow is to use a light logo color with a dark mug color, and vice versa. Be sure your logo or design is legible and properly sized on your mug. The minimum font size is 6 pt.
Dark Logos
If your design has a lot of dark colors, consider a plain white mug with a full color printing option.
Add an Image
Put a full color picture on your mug instead of a logo! For example, put a picture of your kids on mugs for grandma and grandpa.
Light Logos
Designs with light or white colors look best on a dark colored mug.
Being aware of colors, patterns, and your desired design will make your custom mugs turn out amazing!
The Bottom Line
Customized mugs are fun, trendy, and practical. Whether you own a business or just want to create something unique, creating a personalized mug is always a good idea. Happy designing!
Gianna Petan
Meet Gianna, who is no stranger to promotional products. Her background in research-based writing, linguistics, and advertising gives her an edge in blogging about the marketing industry.
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