Custom drinkware costs: moulds, logo printing and samples
BG Drinkware, a drinkware manufacturer in Yongkang, China, charges for three things on top of the unit price of a custom drinkware order: new moulds, logo decoration and samples. A mould for a new cup body costs about USD 3,000, and in most cases about USD 3,500. A mould for a new lid depends on the design and can cost anywhere from USD 10,000 to 40,000. Mould costs are paid in two parts, a deposit and a balance, or can be spread across the product price on orders of at least 20,000 pieces. Logo decoration starts at about USD 0.035 per piece for screen printing or laser engraving, from about USD 0.15 for dye sublimation and from about USD 0.20 for UV printing. Samples are charged, and the charge is credited against the bulk order. Existing models need no new mould.
Prices are in US dollars and are guide figures as of October 2026. The final figure depends on the design, the artwork and the quantity, and is confirmed in a written quotation.
What does a custom drinkware order cost?
A custom order is priced in up to four parts: the unit price of the bottle or cup, any logo decoration, any new mould, and the sample. If you use an existing model, you pay only the unit price, the logo and the sample. A new mould is needed only when the shape of the body or the lid is new.
New cup body mould
About USD 3,000–3,500
In most cases about USD 3,500.
New lid mould
USD 10,000–40,000
Depends on the lid design.
Logo decoration
From USD 0.035 / piece
Screen printing or laser engraving. Prices depend on the logo design.
Samples
Charged, then credited
The sample charge is credited against the bulk order.
How much does a new mould cost?
A mould for a new cup body costs about USD 3,000, and in most cases about USD 3,500. A new lid mould depends on the design and can cost anywhere from USD 10,000 to 40,000. The exact figure is quoted once the drawings are reviewed.
| Mould | Guide cost | What decides the price |
|---|---|---|
| New cup or bottle body | About USD 3,000–3,500 | In most cases about USD 3,500 |
| New lid | USD 10,000–40,000 | The lid design |
| Existing model, new colour or logo | No mould | Uses an existing mould; only decoration and sample costs apply |
How are mould costs paid?
There are two ways. One is to pay the mould cost in two parts: a deposit and a balance. The other is to spread the mould cost across the product price, so there is no separate mould payment; this is available on orders of at least 20,000 pieces.
Before paying for a new mould, check whether an existing model can do the job with a new colour, a new lid colour or a different logo. For how a new shape is developed, see custom drinkware development and OEM vs ODM drinkware.
How much does logo printing cost per piece?
Logo decoration is priced per piece. Screen printing and laser engraving start at about USD 0.035 per piece, dye sublimation at about USD 0.15 and UV printing at about USD 0.20. The final price depends on the specific logo design and is confirmed in the quotation.
| Method | Guide price | Surface |
|---|---|---|
| Screen printing | From about USD 0.035 | Coated or bare steel |
| Laser engraving | From about USD 0.035 | Coated or bare steel |
| Dye sublimation | From about USD 0.15 | Sublimation-coated bodies |
| UV printing | From about USD 0.20 | Coated bodies only, not bare steel |
Bare stainless steel cannot be UV printed, so the finish and the method are chosen together. For all 13 decoration options, see drinkware customisation.
A worked example
For 1,000 tumblers of an existing model with one laser-engraved logo, the logo adds about USD 35 or more to the order (1,000 × USD 0.035), on top of the tumbler price and the sample. The same order with a UV print on a coated tumbler adds about USD 200 or more (1,000 × USD 0.20). There is no mould cost, because the model already exists. The logo cost depends on the design and is confirmed in the quotation.
Are samples charged?
Yes. Samples are charged, and the full charge is credited against the bulk order when it goes ahead. A sample of an existing model takes up to 7 days. Approve the sample before bulk production, because it becomes the standard the bulk order is checked against. See sampling and golden samples.
What else affects the price?
The unit price of the bottle or cup depends on the product, so it is quoted per product. Ask the sales team for the model you have in mind. For the main price drivers on tumblers, see custom tumbler pricing.
- Standard minimum order: 500 pieces, negotiable; some models from 100 pieces per colour.
- Blanks without a logo: from 300 pieces.
- Payment: 30% deposit, with trade terms EXW Ningbo as standard.
- Bulk production: 7–12 days after the sample is approved.
Custom drinkware cost FAQ
How much does a custom water bottle mould cost?
At BG Drinkware, a mould for a new cup or bottle body costs about USD 3,000, and in most cases about USD 3,500. A new lid mould depends on the design and can cost USD 10,000 to 40,000. An existing model with a new colour or logo needs no new mould.
Can the mould cost be included in the product price?
Yes, on orders of at least 20,000 pieces the mould cost can be spread across the product price, so there is no separate mould payment. On smaller orders, the mould is paid separately in two parts: a deposit and a balance.
How much does it cost to print a logo on a tumbler?
Screen printing and laser engraving start at about USD 0.035 per piece, dye sublimation at about USD 0.15 and UV printing at about USD 0.20. Bare stainless steel cannot be UV printed. The final price depends on the specific logo design and is confirmed in the quotation.
Do you charge for samples?
Yes. Samples are charged, and the full charge is credited against the bulk order when it goes ahead. A sample of an existing model takes up to 7 days, and bulk production takes 7–12 days after the sample is approved.
