Whether it is your own café, a food truck, a company event or a birthday party: a bubble tea cup carrying your design sticks in people's minds. Because the cup is transparent and the drink sits inside it in colourful layers, any logo on it works like a small shop window. In this guide you will learn which bubble tea cups exist in the first place, which sizes are standard, which printing methods pay off for which quantity, what your print file has to deliver – and how to get your own design if you do not want to take 5,000 cups.
What does a printed cup actually achieve?
A bubble tea is rarely finished at the counter. It travels through town, stands on a desk, appears in Instagram photos – and carries your logo along with it. That is exactly where the value lies: the cup is an advertising medium your customers carry around voluntarily, and it costs you no more than the surcharge over a plain cup.
For food-service businesses there is a second effect: a consistently printed cup signals professionalism and makes your offer distinguishable from a standard cup. For events and corporate occasions the same mechanism works as a keepsake. And privately? There a cup with a name or a date is simply the detail everyone talks about afterwards.
What matters is having the right expectations: printing pays off from a certain quantity onwards, or for a clearly defined occasion. For twelve cups at a children's birthday party a print shop is the wrong route – there are cheaper solutions for that further down.
Which bubble tea cups are there?
Sizes and formats
The global standards are 500 ml (16 oz) and 700 ml (24 oz). The 700 ml cup has an opening diameter of 95 mm, which matches the common sealing film and virtually every sealing machine. If you are having cups printed, settle on a format early, because printing tools are tied to the format.
Materials compared
- PP (polypropylene): the classic, crystal clear to slightly milky, heat-stable to around 100 °C, inexpensive, easy to seal.
- PET: more brilliant and more glass-like, ideal for cold drinks, but less heat-resistant.
- PLA (bioplastic made from corn starch): industrially compostable, suitable only for cold drinks up to about 40 °C.
- Reusable cups made of glass or Tritan: the most sustainable option for personal use and for deposit schemes. A glass bubble tea cup is dishwasher-safe and does not affect the taste.
Make sure the cup is approved for food contact. In Switzerland this is governed by the FDHA Ordinance on Materials and Articles in Contact with Foodstuffs. Reputable suppliers include a declaration of conformity – ask for it before you order.
Printing methods: which one suits which quantity?
Offset and flexo printing (mass production)
For very large runs the print is applied directly to the plastic film before the cup is formed. The result is brilliant and durable, but the minimum quantity is typically 10,000 to 50,000 units. For chains and large buyers this is the cheapest option per unit.
Screen printing (the food-service standard)
Screen printing applies the ink directly to the finished cup – strong, opaque and smudge-proof. One to four spot colours are usual. Minimum quantities mostly range between 1,000 and 5,000 units, plus one-off screen costs per colour. Ideal for a clean logo in your house colours.
Digital printing (small runs, many colours)
Digital printing reproduces gradients and photographs and needs no printing plate. Depending on the supplier, minimum quantities start at around 100 to 500 units. More expensive per unit, but flexible – perfect for seasonal artwork or a one-off event.
Sleeves and labels (the low-budget solution)
A wrap-around sleeve or a waterproof label is slipped or stuck onto a standard cup afterwards. That makes very small quantities from 25 to 50 units realistic, often for just a few francs per dozen. The most practical option for private parties and pop-ups.
This is what your print file has to look like
The most common delay in any project is unusable artwork. Stick to these key figures:
- Vector file (AI, EPS, PDF) for logos and type; pixel images at at least 300 dpi at their final size.
- CMYK colour space for digital printing, Pantone/HKS for screen printing – that is the only way your house colour stays binding.
- 3 mm bleed and at least 5 mm safety margin from the edge, the base and the seam.
- Convert type to outlines, minimum font size 6 pt, thin lines not below 0.25 pt.
- Remember the conical shape: the cup tapers towards the bottom, which is why straight lines are laid out slightly curved on the print sheet. Always ask the manufacturer for their die-cut template.
White elements on transparent cups need a separate white underprint, otherwise they disappear into the drink. And always order a proof before the main run goes into production – a sample cup costs little and prevents expensive misprints.
Costs, lead times and planning
Budget realistically: on top of the unit price there are one-off tooling or screen costs, plus freight and, when importing from Asia, customs duty and import tax. Production and delivery times at European suppliers are frequently 3 to 6 weeks, and rather 8 to 12 weeks for overseas production. If your event is in four weeks, the sleeve is the safe choice.
Do not forget the related items: sealing film (printable, and an often overlooked advertising surface), lids, sugar cane straws and bubble tea spoons. A consistent overall look comes across far more professionally than a printed cup with a random lid.
Your own design without a minimum order quantity
For private occasions a print shop rarely pays off. These alternatives work straight away:
- Waterproof labels that you design yourself and stick onto standard cups – feasible from a single unit.
- Reusable glass cups labelled with a name tag or a glass marker: sustainable and quick.
- Personalised sleeves made of kraft paper that you print at home and wrap around the cup.
If you want to buy bubble tea cups and fill them right away, you will find cups, spoons and straws in our bubble tea accessories, complete bubble tea sets and packs for food service and events in the bubble tea bulk packs. As a small present, ready-made bubble tea gifts work well. Recipes for filling them are in our recipe collection. We ship from Dreispitz Basel with DPD in 1–3 working days, free of shipping costs from an order value of CHF 79.
Frequently asked questions about printed bubble tea cups
What size is a bubble tea cup?
The standards are 500 ml (16 oz) and 700 ml (24 oz) with a 95 mm opening diameter. The 700 ml cup is the most widespread in food service.
How high is the minimum order quantity for printing?
Screen printing mostly starts at 1,000 to 5,000 units, digital printing at around 100 to 500 units. With sleeves or labels, 25 to 50 units are already possible.
Which file format do I need for printing?
A vector file (AI, EPS or PDF) with type converted to outlines, 3 mm bleed and Pantone or CMYK colour values. Pixel images at at least 300 dpi at their final size.
Are printed cups food-safe?
Yes, provided the printing is applied exclusively to the outside and the supplier includes a declaration of conformity under Swiss food-contact legislation. Request that confirmation before you order.
How long does production take?
At European print shops usually 3 to 6 weeks, and 8 to 12 weeks for production overseas. Allow an additional week for approval and sample cups.