Decoration methods
There is no single best way — the right method depends on the material, the shape, the artwork and the quantity. Lead times are typical business days for in-stock product and run from artwork approval.
A silicone pad lifts ink from an etched plate and presses it onto the product. Because the pad flexes, it is the only practical way to print a curved or recessed surface — and our most widely available method.
Best for Pens, USBs, small plastic items, curved and uneven surfaces.
Ink is pushed through a fine mesh stencil, one screen per colour. Setup is per colour, so it is priced for volume — the more you print, the cheaper each unit gets.
Best for Tote bags, apparel, flat rigid surfaces, medium to large runs.
A laser burns away the surface to reveal the material underneath. No ink, so no colour to choose — a clean silver on stainless steel, a dark brown on bamboo. It cannot fade, peel or wash off.
Best for Metal drinkware, bamboo, timber, leather, pens, awards.
Rayon thread stitched into the product with a slightly raised effect — the premium finish for apparel and headwear.
Best for Polos, jackets, caps, workwear.
Your artwork is printed onto a carrier and heat-pressed onto the garment. No per-colour screens, so a ten-colour design costs the same as a one-colour design. We pick the transfer system that suits your fabric.
Best for Apparel and headwear, small runs, photographic or many-colour artwork.
Effectively an inkjet printer for products — the artwork is jetted straight onto the item, with no per-colour setup.
Best for Full-colour artwork on flat or slightly curved hard surfaces.
Sublimation ink is a dye, printed onto transfer paper and heat-pressed so it becomes part of the surface — no ink build-up. The catch is chemistry: polyester and coated surfaces only, not cotton.
Best for Polyester apparel, mugs, mousepads, all-over designs.
Debossing presses a heated metal plate into the product, leaving a permanent impression of your logo. Imitation etch recreates the frosted look of acid-etched glass at a fraction of the cost.
Best for Notebooks, leather goods, glassware.
Full-colour print applied to a label or to the product's own packaging rather than the item itself — for products that cannot be decorated directly, or when you want the brand on the box as well.
Best for Retail-ready product, gift sets, consumables.
Tell us the product, the artwork and the quantity and we will recommend the method — and if two would work, we will price both.