Cup Artwork & Pantone Matching Guidelines

File Format Requirements

Vector files are strongly preferred: .AI, .EPS, or a vector PDF. Screen printing requires clean color separations, which vector art provides natively. A logo saved as a JPEG or pulled from a website is almost never print-ready at cup scale.

Pantone (PMS) Color Matching

Screen printing uses spot-color inks matched to Pantone references, not RGB or hex values. Provide a PMS code for every color in your design. Without one, we match to the closest available spot color, which can shift your brand color slightly from what you expect on screen.

Print Area & Wrap Coverage

Confirm whether your design needs full wrap-around coverage (360°) or a single front panel. Wrap designs need artwork built to your cup's actual circumference at the print zone — we provide exact templates once your material and size are confirmed.

Design Simplification for Small Scale

A logo that reads clearly at business-card size can lose detail at cup scale. Bold, simplified shapes with limited fine detail hold up best on a curved 2–4 inch print area. Gradients are not reproducible in standard spot-color screen printing — convert them to solid colors before submitting.

Full Pre-Submission Checklist

• Vector file format (.AI, .EPS, or vector PDF)
• Pantone codes for every color in the design
• No gradients or photographic elements
• Confirmed print area (wrap-around vs. panel)

For the full walkthrough with more detail, see our artwork preparation guide.