Custom branded cups start from a minimum order of 50 cups, cost from £0.22 per cup at volume, and take a standard 10 working days from artwork sign-off, with a 48 hour express option for urgent runs. This guide explains what drives each of those numbers so you can budget and plan properly.
We manufacture branded reusable cups in the UK, so the figures below come straight from how the production line actually costs and schedules an order. If you understand the three levers of quantity, print method and timing, you can land the best price without any surprises.
The headline numbers
Before the detail, here is the summary every buyer asks for. These figures apply across our custom branded cup range, from single colour print to full colour in-mould designs, all moulded in the UK from BPA-free polypropylene.
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum order | 50 cups |
| Price from | £0.22 per cup at volume |
| Standard lead time | 10 working days from sign-off |
| Express lead time | As fast as 48 hours |
| Material | BPA-free polypropylene, dishwasher safe |
| Compliance | UKCA marked line measures available |
| Origin | Made in the UK |
Why the minimum order is 50
Every printed run carries a fixed setup cost. The screen or the in-mould label has to be prepared, the tool set, and the line configured, and that work is roughly the same whether you make 50 cups or 500. Below 50 the setup swamps the value of the order, which is why 50 is the sensible floor. It also happens to be a practical starting point for a small party, a launch event or a market trader testing branded stock.
What actually drives the price
Volume is the biggest lever by far. Because setup is fixed, the more cups you spread it across, the lower the per unit cost, which is how you reach the £0.22 per cup figure at higher quantities. Print method matters too, though less than people expect: full colour in-mould print carries no per colour surcharge, so a four colour photographic design costs the same to print as a single colour wordmark. If you are choosing between print routes, our guide on personalised plastic cup costs breaks the trade-offs down further. The practical takeaway is to consolidate. One order of a few thousand cups almost always beats several small orders, so if you run multiple events or sites, buy them together.
It also helps to think in tiers rather than exact figures. A run in the low hundreds is small event territory and carries the highest per unit cost. A run in the low thousands suits a regional festival, a venue chain or a full season of stock, and it is where the price really starts to move. Once you are ordering several thousand cups you are in genuine bulk, and that is where the £0.22 floor comes into reach. The important thing to remember is that reusable cups are washed and used many times, so the cost per serve is a fraction of the headline unit price once the cup has done a few sessions.
One cost that is easy to forget is not a cost at all with a reputable UK manufacturer: the digital proof and standard artwork setup should be included, not billed as extras. If a quote adds line items for proofing or per colour charges, that is a sign to compare it against a factory-direct price rather than a reseller markup.
Lead times and how to protect them
Standard branded production is 10 working days from the moment your artwork is signed off. That is comfortable for anything planned a few weeks ahead. For genuine emergencies we can produce printed cups as fast as 48 hours on an express tier, and plain unbranded stock ships faster still. The single most common delay is not the factory, it is internal artwork approval, so get your logo through your marketing or branding sign-off before you place the order. The line can move quickly; an approval chain often cannot.
Getting an exact figure
The numbers above give you a reliable planning frame, but the exact price depends on your cup, print method and quantity. Browse the range on our branded cups page, and when you are ready send your specification through the contact page for a firm price, confirmed lead time and a free digital proof.