Pantone Color Matching for Custom Tumblers: Body, Lid and Repeat Orders
A colour code is where Pantone color matching starts, not where it ends. The body, the lid and the next order each need their own check against the approved sample.
By Feng, Head of After-Sales Service & Online Marketing Lead
Pantone color matching for custom tumblers means giving the manufacturer a colour reference, approving a coated sample against it, and then checking every order against that approved sample rather than against the code alone. The body coating, the plastic lid and the straw are different materials, so each can show the same reference slightly differently, and they should be approved together on one sample. BG Drinkware, a drinkware manufacturer in Yongkang, China, applies powder coating in-house, while spray painting is done by an outside partner. A custom colour adds colour mixing and approval work before bulk, and coatings vary slightly from batch to batch, which is normal and cannot be removed entirely. A sample of an existing model takes up to 7 days, and the standard minimum order is 500 pieces and negotiable, with some models from 100 pieces per colour.
Why don't custom colours match the code exactly?
Because a colour code is a reference printed or moulded on a guide, while a tumbler is coated steel and moulded plastic. Different materials, finishes and lighting all change how the same reference looks, so once a coated sample is approved, that sample becomes the real target for bulk.
Different materials
A powder-coated steel body and a plastic lid take colour in different ways, even when both aim at the same reference.
Different finishes
Matte, gloss and textured finishes reflect light differently, so a matte body usually looks lighter and less saturated than a glossy swatch of the same colour.
Different light
Two parts can match under daylight and differ under shop or office lighting, an effect called metamerism. It is most common between different materials, so compare samples under the same lights every time.
Different batches
Coatings from different production batches vary slightly. The variation is normal, which is why repeat orders need the approved sample.
Which colour reference should you send?
Send the most physical reference you have, with a code alongside it. A swatch or an existing product you can hold is clearer than a colour read off a screen, which changes from one monitor to the next, and it gives both sides the same target to compare under the same light.
| Reference | Strength | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Your own approved product | Shows the finish as well as the colour | It may have faded with use |
| Physical colour swatch | A fixed target both sides can hold | Finish may differ from the coating |
| Pantone or RAL code | Easy to share and record | Printed guides may not look like a matte coating |
| Screen colour or photo | Quick for early ideas | Not reliable for approval |
Whichever you send, write the code and the finish (matte, gloss or textured) in the order, so the same target is used for the sample and the bulk run.
How do you match the body, lid and straw?
Approve them together on one complete sample. The body coating, the plastic lid and a coloured straw come from different processes, so a colour that looks right on each part alone can still look off when the parts are assembled.
- Name each part's colour separately in the order: body, lid, slider, straw and any handle.
- Say which part leads. Usually the body is the target and the plastic parts are matched to it.
- Check the assembled cup from a normal viewing distance, not only the parts up close.
- Accept a "close" match in writing if an exact match between steel coating and plastic is not possible, so everyone knows the approved result.
Lid parts are covered in more detail in our guide to tumbler lid seal and straw checks.
Does the coating method change colour matching?
Yes. Powder coating and spray painting are different processes that give different finishes, film thicknesses and textures, so the same colour reference can look different on each. Keeping the same coating method for repeat orders is part of keeping the same colour, so write the method into the order.
BG Drinkware applies powder coating in-house; spray painting is done by an outside partner. Write the method in the order, because switching from one to the other changes both the colour and the feel of the finish. A custom colour also adds colour mixing and approval work before bulk, which is one of the cost drivers explained in our guide to custom stainless steel tumbler pricing.
Will a repeat order match the first one?
Closely, but not exactly. Coatings vary slightly from one production batch to the next. The variation is normal and cannot be removed entirely, so the approved sample is what each new order is checked against. Keep the sample and the colour record together, and compare every new delivery with them in the same light.
- Keep the approved sampleOne unit with you, a matching unit with the manufacturer.
- Keep the recordColour reference, finish, coating method and the parts' colours.
- Compare side by sidePut new bulk next to the approved sample, in the same light, before the order ships.
- Agree what "acceptable" meansDecide in advance how a small shift will be judged, so the decision is not made under deadline.
The same approach underpins a golden sample for the whole order.
Colour is checked against the approved sample during quality control. For bodies that can be colour-matched, see custom tumblers.
Colour matching FAQ
Can a tumbler match a Pantone colour exactly?
Rarely exactly. Most Pantone codes buyers send come from printed guides on coated or uncoated paper, while a tumbler is coated steel and moulded plastic. For plastic lids and straws, a Pantone plastic chip is a closer reference. The approved coated sample becomes the real target. Send a physical reference if you have one, write the code and finish in the order, and approve the colour on a complete sample.
Why does the lid look a different colour from the body?
The body is usually coated steel and the lid is moulded plastic, so the same colour reference can look slightly different on each. Name each part's colour in the order, say which part leads, and approve the assembled cup on one sample. If an exact match is not possible, record the approved close match in writing.
Does BG Drinkware do powder coating in-house?
Yes. BG Drinkware applies powder coating in its own facility, while spray painting is done by an outside partner. Write the coating method in the order and keep it the same for repeat orders, because switching between powder coating and spray painting changes both the colour and the feel of the finish.
Will my repeat order be the same colour?
It should be close, but not identical. Coatings vary slightly between production batches, which is normal and cannot be removed entirely. Keep the approved sample and the colour record, compare new bulk with the sample side by side in the same light, and agree in advance how a small shift will be judged.
How should colour be checked on a sample?
Check it under the same light each time, ideally both daylight and the lighting where the product will be sold. Look at the assembled cup from a normal distance and from several angles, then up close at the lid and body join. Compare it against your physical reference, not a screen. ISO 3668 describes visual colour comparison under daylight or a viewing booth.
Sources
Pantone is a trademark of Pantone LLC. RAL is a trademark of RAL gGmbH.
Matching a brand colour?
Send your colour reference, finish, the parts to be coloured and the quantity per colour, and BG Drinkware will reply with sample timing and a quotation.
