Cups
Customised cups hold hot and cold drinks. Size and wall type follow the drink and how long it sits in the hand.
Print & Materials Guide
Print & Materials Guide
A short walk through the choices behind customised F&B packaging, so you arrive at the answer that fits your brand.
Intro
Customised packaging is about a few decisions, in this order: structure, material, print method, finish, colour, and the files you send us. This guide walks you through each.
Step one
Choosing your structure
Structure first, because everything else depends on it. Match the format to what is going inside it.
Paper bags
Customised paper bags carry the order out the door. Handle type and base follow the weight inside.
Wrappers
Customised wrappers and greaseproof sheets brand and protect food in direct contact.
Tote bags
Customised tote bags carry the brand long after the sale, in canvas, non-woven fabric, or thermal insulated material. Material and size follow the use.
Materials
Materials: paper
Paper choice changes how your colours print, how the packaging feels, and how it ages. The three families to know are kraft, white coated, and greaseproof and food-grade barriers.
Materials
Sustainability, honestly
Sustainably sourced means something specific: FSC or PEFC certification, or disclosed recycled content. Look for one of those on your packaging if that's the promise you want to make to customers.
Materials
Cup linings
Cups need a lining to hold liquid. The three options today are PE-lined (standard), PLA-lined (compostable in industrial composting), and aqueous-coated (newer, more recyclable). Each has trade-offs.
Print methods
Print methods overview
Print method is driven by quantity, paper, and how detailed your graphics are. Quick comparison below; deeper notes per method in the next four chapters.
| Method | Best for | Typical quantity | Detail level | Setup cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flexo | Cups, paper bags | Large | Low to medium | Medium |
| Offset | Boxes, labels | Large | High | High |
| Digital | Short runs, prototypes | Low | Medium to high | Low |
| Screen | Specialty, darker stocks | Low to medium | Low to medium | Medium |
Flexo
- Best for
- Cups, paper bags
- Typical quantity
- Large
- Detail level
- Low to medium
- Setup cost
- Medium
Offset
- Best for
- Boxes, labels
- Typical quantity
- Large
- Detail level
- High
- Setup cost
- High
Digital
- Best for
- Short runs, prototypes
- Typical quantity
- Low
- Detail level
- Medium to high
- Setup cost
- Low
Screen
- Best for
- Specialty, darker stocks
- Typical quantity
- Low to medium
- Detail level
- Low to medium
- Setup cost
- Medium
Print methods
Flexographic printing
The workhorse of F&B packaging. Solid colours, large runs, ideal for cups and paper bags. Best when graphics are simple and quantities are real.
Print methods
Offset printing
Detailed graphics, CMYK and Pantone matching, ideal for boxes and labels. Higher setup cost; lower marginal cost. Best at volume.
Print methods
Digital printing
Short runs, prototypes, variable data. Faster setup, higher unit cost. Great for testing a design before committing to a big run.
Print methods
Screen printing
Specialty cases: darker papers, unusual inks. Less common in high-volume F&B but available when the brand calls for it.
Finishes
Finishes: foil stamping
Hot foil pressed onto paper. Restrained luxury, most striking on kraft. Available on Octopak paper bags and boxes.
Finishes
Finishes: emboss and deboss
Embossing pushes the paper up; debossing pushes it down. Tactile, premium, best on boxes and bags. Available on Octopak paper bags and boxes.
Finishes
Finishes: spot UV
Selective gloss against matte. A subtle premium signal. Available on Octopak pouches.
Colour
Choosing colours
Pantone is a system for matching exact colours; CMYK is a process for printing them. If your brand red has to be exactly right, send a Pantone code. Kraft makes everything look warmer.
Working with us
What to send us
Vector files (AI, EPS, PDF), 300 dpi minimum for raster. Brand colours as Pantone codes where they exist. Logo, fonts (or fallback list), and a dieline if you have one. No print-ready file? Send what you have and we'll tell you what's workable and what needs redrawing. We don't design brands or logos from scratch.
- Vector artwork (AI, EPS, PDF), or 300 dpi raster
- Brand colours as Pantone codes where they exist
- Logo and fonts, or a fallback list
- A dieline if you have one
From here
From here
When the choices above are made, the rest is process. Here is how an order runs, and what to expect on minimums and timing.
01
Talk to us
Tell us what you are packaging, by enquiry form or WhatsApp. We reply within three business days, usually sooner.
02
Send and check the artwork
Send your artwork print-ready, or close to it. Octopak checks files, advises on print method, paper, colour, and finishes, and tweaks file-level issues. We do not design brands from scratch.
03
Confirm spec and MOQ
Print method, materials, finishes, and quantity. Paper bags start from 1,000. Coffee cups and pouches from 5,000. Other customised lines generally from 10,000. Higher quantities lower the unit price.
04
Digital mockup, signed off
Octopak sends a digital mockup for sign-off before anything prints. Physical mockups are available on request, adding one to two weeks and a possible cost depending on the product.
05
Produce and deliver
Production runs and your order ships. Typical lead time is six to eight weeks from mockup sign-off, all in. One team owns the run to your door.
Starting MOQ1,000
From 1,000 for paper bags, 5,000 for coffee cups and pouches, generally 10,000 for other customised lines. Higher quantities lower the unit price.
Typical lead time6-8 wks
Six to eight weeks from mockup sign-off, all in.
Ready to make these choices together?
Tell us what you're packaging and we'll walk you through the decisions that actually matter for your job.