Branded mugs: how to choose and brand them
Short answer
For most branded mugs, a ceramic mug with a fired or properly cured print is the best choice: fired decoration is generally dishwasher safe and suits a one- or two-colour logo. Pad printing handles small logos on curves. On insulated travel mugs, laser engraving won’t peel or fade. Decide how the mug will be washed first.
Which branded mugs to choose.
A mug lives in a kitchen cupboard and a dishwasher. Choose one that looks good on a desk and copes with how it will be cleaned.
- Ceramic
- The classic office mug, and it takes print well. Look for a solid weight in the hand and a comfortable handle; a coloured inside or rim is an easy way to add a brand colour.
- Coated white mugs for full colour
- Mugs made for sublimation have a special polymer coating that the ink bonds into. They’re the route to photographic, full-wrap designs. Check the blank’s care guidance: many coated mugs are marketed as dishwasher safe.
- Enamel
- Enamel-coated steel has a camping, campfire feel and suits teams who travel and outdoor events. As a metal mug, it can’t go in a microwave.
- Insulated travel mugs
- Double-walled steel keeps coffee hot on a commute and fits a cup holder. Check the lid seals and is easy to clean, and whether it can go in the dishwasher.
How to brand mugs: the best decoration methods.
Where the logo goes.
Put the logo where the drinker or the person opposite sees it. Printing on both sides means the logo shows whichever hand holds the mug. A wrap print runs around the body, and a small mark inside the rim or on the base is a quiet detail people find later.
Artwork tips for mugs.
- Send vector artwork. Screens, pad-printing plates and engraving files are all made from it, so the mark on the mug is only as clean as the file. Send an AI, EPS, PDF or SVG.
- Respect the curve. A mug curves away from the viewer, so very wide logos distort at the edges. Keep the design within the flat-looking centre of each side.
- Keep pad prints small and simple. Pad printing is at its best with compact logos in one or two colours.
- Use full colour only with sublimation. Photographs and gradients need a coated mug and sublimation. Other methods print solid colours. We confirm the specification for every order.
Making it last.
Fired ceramic decoration is generally dishwasher safe. For sublimated and pad-printed mugs, follow the supplier’s care guidance: pad-print durability depends on the ink and how it’s cured.
Worth knowing
Some insulated travel mugs can’t go in the dishwasher. Chilly’s, for example, says it can damage the paint and stop the vacuum working.
Source: Chilly’s, “Help and care”, accessed 6 October 2026. Source 2
Where mugs get used.
New starters
A ceramic mug with a fired logo is something people use at their desk every day. Pair it with good coffee for a welcome that gets talked about.
Welcome packsRemote teams and clients
An insulated travel mug is useful at home and on a commute, so it suits a thank-you or a client desk gift.
Client giftsCompany stores
Mugs need no sizing, so there’s no size chart to get wrong in a store where people choose their own kit.
Company swag stores
Brief your mugs order.
Settle these before you order, then take the list to Select or to a call.
Before you order mugs
Shop online
Order it yourself in Select.
A straightforward order you place yourself: choose your mugs, add your logo and order online, with UK delivery for now.
Shop Select (opens Go Swag Select, a separate site)Managed
Have us run it.
For packed kits, many recipients or delivery outside the UK. We source and brand them, and send them with the rest of your programme.
Start your projectQuestions about branded mugs.
Are printed mugs dishwasher safe?
It depends on the method. Kiln-fired ceramic decals and fired screen prints are generally dishwasher safe. Sublimated mugs depend on the coated blank, and many are marketed as dishwasher safe. Pad-print durability depends on the ink and curing. Engraving won’t peel or fade.
Pad printing or screen printing on mugs?
Pad printing is the better choice for a small, detailed logo on a curved or uneven surface. Screen printing, with ceramic inks that are then fired, suits larger, bolder designs. For a one-colour logo on a standard mug, both work well.
Enamel or ceramic mugs?
Ceramic is the everyday office mug and takes fired decoration. Enamel brings a campfire feel that suits outdoor teams and travel, but it can’t go in a microwave. Check the maker’s care guidance for either before you choose.
Can you print all the way round a mug?
Yes. Sublimation prints full-colour designs edge to edge on coated white mugs, and screen and decal prints can wrap a long way around the body. Leave the area near the handle clear, because the print can’t run under it.
Sources
2 sources
- 01What is the best method of printing mugs: a complete guide (11 September 2025) (opens in a new tab) · Printful, accessed 6 October 2026.Back to reference 1
- 02Help and care (opens in a new tab) · Chilly’s, accessed 6 October 2026.Back to reference 2
Want us to handle it?
Tell us who you are sending to and what you have in mind. We’ll help connect the products, the packaging and the delivery plan.
Or call 0800 118 4047 or email hello@goswag.com.