A custom logo on a water bottle is applied by one of five or six methods, and the method decides how the mark looks, how it wears and what it costs per unit. The brief that gets a logo made fastest is a vector file, a Pantone reference and a size in millimetres — not a photograph of a bottle you like.
The methods, and what each one is for
| Method | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Silk screen | Flat colours, volume, lowest unit cost | Many colours multiplies the screens |
| Heat transfer (TTO) | Multi-colour or photographic artwork at volume | Needs a cylindrical body to wrap cleanly |
| Water transfer | Patterns across a curve, a taper or a rim | Full-coverage artwork changes the feel of the body |
| Laser | A permanent mark that cannot peel | Contrast depends on the finish underneath |
| Emboss | A mark you can feel with a thumb | Reserved for finishes that hold a raised edge |
| UV print | Raised ink, short runs, gift work | Slower per unit than screen |
What to send with the brief
- Vector artwork. SVG, AI, EPS or a high-resolution PDF. A JPEG scaled up in the artwork department is where most logo projects lose their first week.
- Colour references. A Pantone number per colour, or a physical sample. “Close to the one in the photo” is not a reference.
- Size and position, in millimetres. Distance from the base or from the shoulder, and the width of the mark. This is the single most useful line in a brief.
- How it must wear. Dishwasher exposure, abrasion, outdoor use — these narrow the method faster than any aesthetic preference.
What a mockup is for
A mockup shows your artwork on our body before a screen or a plate is made. It is cheap, it is fast, and it is the stage that catches a logo that is too small to read at arm's length or a colour that disappears against the body. Approving a mockup is not the same as approving a sample, and doing the first before commissioning the second is what keeps a programme on schedule.
Questions buyers ask
Can you match a Pantone exactly?
We match to a Pantone reference and agree a tolerance. Ink on a curved coated surface will not be a perfect match to a swatch under studio light, and saying so up front is what stops a dispute later.
How many colours can one logo have?
As many as you like, but each colour in a screen process is its own setup. Above three or four colours a transfer or a UV print usually becomes the better route.
Will the logo come off?
Screen and transfer prints are durable but not indestructible; laser and emboss mark the material itself. If the item will be washed hard, say so and we will recommend accordingly.
Send the artwork and we will send a mockup back — the sample and mockup page sets out the routes, and the customisation page covers the logo methods in full.
