Waking up wouldn't be the same without a good cup of coffee. For this reason, almost everyone has a cabinet full of ceramic mugs at home, from photo mugs printed with family pics to funny coffee mugs with sayings like "I Woke Up Like This."
Have you ever stopped to think about how your favorite mugs are made? Pour yourself a coffee and get ready to learn more about the process!
Coffee mugs are usually made of ceramic since it's a durable material that won't melt when in contact with hot cocoa, tea, coffee, or soup. Metal, glass, and copper mugs are also used to make mugs, but they're typically designed for cold, alcoholic drinks.
The following materials can all be used to make coffee mugs:
Have you ever taken a pottery class? If so, you're likely familiar with ceramics. Ceramics are molded from an inorganic material (usually clay) and fired in a giant oven until the material hardens. At the end of the process, the material is sturdy enough to be used as kitchenware like bowls, plates, and of course, mugs!
You'll feel like you're sipping tea with the Queen of England when you use a porcelain mug. Porcelain is a type of fragile ceramic that is often used as part of fine china sets, or for espressos and other small, caffeinated drinks.
It's not a good idea to use plastic mugs for hot drinks since the material will melt. However, this type of mug is excellent for holding fruit, crackers, and other snacks, as well as cold drinks like lemonade and soda.
Glass mugs are similar to plastic in that they should only be used for cold foods and drinks like beer and water. Unlike plastic, however, glass tends to be longer lasting, and doesn't become brittle over time.
If you're craving a Moscow Mule, copper mugs are the drinkware for you! These cups are known to keep beverages nice and chilly, which is why they're often used to hold your favorite cocktails.
Commonly used for travel mugs, stainless steel is an amazing insulator. It's a great material to use for coffee mugs since it can hold both hot and cold drinks.
Ceramic is the most common material, but the other types of mugs have their pros and cons as well. It's worth having at least one of each in your kitchen at home, especially if you like your coffee and your Moscow Mules!
Ancient civilizations created mugs from wood or animal bones! They carved these by hand and used them to hold coffee, alcoholic drinks, and purified water.
Ceramic mugs are better for everyday use, while porcelain should be reserved for holiday dinners or formal occasions. Either way, both types of mugs are worth having in your kitchen at home!
The most notable differences between porcelain and coffee mugs are:
Porcelain tends to have thinner walls and is a lot more fragile than ceramic.
You can expect ceramic to keep the coffee hot for a lot longer.
Usually, porcelain mugs are more expensive than ceramic mugs.
It's recommended that you hand wash porcelain mugs, while most ceramic mugs can go in the dishwasher.
Ceramic mugs hold more coffee since they're typically bigger than porcelain mugs.
When it comes to drinking coffee in the morning with breakfast, just stick with ceramic! Porcelain, on the other hand, is a type of ceramic that you probably won't use as often. These mugs are great for weddings and for coffee with your pie after Thanksgiving dinner.
Are you curious to learn more about ceramic vs. porcelain? Check out this video!
A report published in 2010 by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) found that lead may be present in the glazes or decorations covering the surface of some traditional pottery. This means traces of lead can leach into the food or drink served in this dishware.
But don't freak out just yet! Not all ceramic mugs and dinnerware contains lead. It just depends on how it's made. A majority of today's manufacturers use non-lead glazes to make their mugs, plates, slow cookers, and bowls.
So how do you know which mugs are safe and which ones are risky? The FDA suggests to proceed with caution when using any of the following:
Handmade mugs
Mugs with a crude appearance or weird shape
Damaged mugs
Any mug purchased from a flea market or garage sale
Orange, red, or yellow mugs since lead may be used to increase the pigments
Earthenware with labels that say "contains lead" or "not safe for food"
Knowledge is power, and it's your job as a consumer to do your research. You don't have to be scared every time you sip from a mug, but it's worth keeping the FDA's guidelines in mind!
The process of making coffee mugs is kind of like baking cookies. You need all the right ingredients and an oven to make your masterpiece!
Ceramic mugs are mass produced in the following steps:
Mix the Materials
The process begins with raw material being fed into a grinder and crushed into clay powder. This is known as milling. The powder is then added into a mixer with quartz, feldspar, and water for 15 hours and later fed into molding tubes that turn them into clay logs.
Form the Mug's Base
The clay logs are cut into portions, placed into a single use mold, and formed into the shape of a mug. Once the mold is dry, the mug is removed by hand to prepare for the next step.
Add the Handle
At this point, the handles have already gone through the first two steps and just need to be attached. To accomplish this, they are dipped into a mixture of clay and water known as the slip. The slip acts as an adhesive binding for the handle to adhere to the mug.
Remove Excess Clay
Any excess clay is removed and any rough surfaces are smoothed down. The mug is then rinsed of any dust or debris.
Glaze With Color
The mugs are ready to receive their color and glaze. Every coffee cup is either painted via an automated process, or painted by hand to ensure quality coating. They're then set aside to dry for at least 12 hours.
Fire in the Kiln
Once the mugs are completely dry, they are ready to go into the kiln, which is basically a giant oven. Rows and rows of mugs are put onto a conveyor belt and ran through a kiln that's about 2,200°F.
Print a Design
While this isn't always the case, some mugs are customized with a saying or an image. Take for example the picture here, which shows Allstate's logo printed on one side of the mug, and their slogan printed on the other.
Package the Mugs
The mugs are finally ready! They're wrapped in cellophane or bubble wrap, packaged in cardboard boxes, and shipped to online or brick-and-mortar retailers.
Grab your popcorn and watch this video to see how ceramic mugs are made step by step!
Plain mugs are fine, but it's much more fun to sip from coffee cups that have been custom printed. Often times, these can be a bright way to start your morning!
Mugs are printed with a design, image, or logo via one of the following processes:
Screen printing is very common in the customization world. It's a good technique to use if you only need 1 or 2 ink colors in your design.
You can print a colorful graphic or even a family photo using dye sublimation! This printing technique includes an unlimited amount of ink colors in the price.
Add some texture to your mugs with a deboss. Your design or text is seared into the material, resulting in an elegant, professional look.
Engraving is another great technique to use if you need professional coffee cups. The design is etched into the walls using a high-powered laser, which is a lot more permanent than ink.
Mugs decorated with paint or Sharpies can't be washed, but they're great as home décor. You can use one to hold the pens on your desk, or as a little accent pieces on the shelves in your kitchen.
Did you wait too long to eat your soup or drink your coffee? A majority of ceramic mugs are microwave-safe! Make sure you remove the lid, and you're good to reheat your food and drinks.
Ceramic mugs won't break easily. The only risk is dropping one on the floor, which could shatter the mug into a bunch of pieces.
The handle is the most sensitive area of a ceramic mug. For this reason, you want to be careful when you load your mugs into the dishwasher. Keep the handles from knocking into each other, and always be sure to put your drinkware on the top rack.
Oh no! Your favorite coffee mug fell on the kitchen floor. The good news is hairline cracks can be easily repaired. Just try any of the following:
Source: homedepot.comBrands like Gorilla Glue make super glue or epoxy glue that are great for general repairs. Use these adhesives to attach the handle back to your mug.
Source: designmuseumshop.comAn old Japanese tradition called kintsugi involves using a mixture of gold, silver, or platinum to fix ceramics. You can buy repair kits inspired by this technique online through Etsy.
It might sound crazy, but you can fix a cracked piece in a ceramic mug by covering it with milk and warming it on a low heat for over an hour. The crack should reseal itself like magic!
Once your coffee cup is repaired, you should no longer use it to drink your coffee! You might cut your lip on the rim, and if that's not enough, the FDA warns against using broken mugs. It's much better to repurpose your patched up mug into something new instead!
You don't have to donate old or broken mugs to your local Goodwill, or worse, throw them in the recycling bin. There are plenty of ways you can repurpose them into something new instead!
mykarmastream.comThe pens on your desk are rolling around all over the place! Keep them organized by placing them inside of an old coffee mug. The more decorative, the better.
mykarmastream.comYour prettiest coffee mugs can be part of your beauty routine! Simply put one on your vanity. and use it to hold your makeup brushes, lipstick, and eyeliner.
hometalk.comCreate your very own Zen garden! All you need is a few rocks, good natural lighting, and coffee mugs to use as the planters.
diyspins.comAre you hosting an Alice in Wonderland themed party? Create a coffee mug chandelier to put over the food table!
architectureartdesigns.comHang a few coffee mugs onto a wooden plank, and you can use the handles as makeshift hooks. This helps you organize clutter in messy areas like your mudroom or garage.
diyspins.comIf you know a thing or two about electricity, you can use your skills to create a whimsical table lamp. Simply fit an old tea cup or coffee mug around the bulb, and let it shine!
diyspins.comYou can make cute DIY candles using old coffee mugs. These make excellent holiday gifts for your family and friends!
diys.comWhy buy a cake stand when you can make one instead? All you need to do is set a plate on top of an upside down mug!
An article in Psychology Today reports that 60% of people have an emotional attachment to their favorite mug. Our mugs help us get the day started and make us feel at ease.
If they're printed with a cute picture, funny saying, or movie character, they can also be a reflection of our personalities. It's never a bad idea to have a ton of coffee cups in your kitchen at home!
64% of Americans drink coffee, whether it's picked up at Starbucks or brewed at home.
400 million cups of coffee are consumed per day in the United States.
On average, we drink about 3 cups of coffee per day.
It's not like coffee mugs grow on trees! Whether they're made from ceramic, porcelain, or some other material like glass or plastic, it takes hard work and craftsmanship to make them from scratch. Treat your mugs with care, and you can use them for your coffee for years to come!
Quality Logo Products are experts on all things printed and promotional. Let our team of awesome, incredibly good looking, and fun promo nerds help you select awesome promotional swag today!
Alyssa is the Lead Copywriter at Quality Logo Products. As a promo expert, she's uncovered the world's first custom tote bag, interviewed the guy behind rock band ACDC's logo, and had a piece published by the Advertising Specialty Institute, a leader in the promotional products industry.
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