The minimum order for a custom water bottle depends on which route you take, not on the size of the bottle. A stock item in a stock colour has the lowest minimum; a new mould has the highest; and the levers that move it are colour, print positions and whether the tooling already exists.
The four routes and their shape
| Route | What is new | What sets the minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Stock item, one-colour logo | Your artwork only | One print setup |
| Stock item, custom body colour | Coating | The coating run, per colour |
| Stock item, full decoration | Coating and multi-position print | Every screen or plate, per colour |
| New body or lid | Tooling | Amortising the mould, not the run |
Our published minimum across the catalogue is 500 pcs per colour on existing tooling. It is the same figure on every product page, which is deliberate — a minimum that changes page by page is a minimum nobody can plan against.
Why the minimum is per colour
A colour change on the coating line is a setup. Two colours is two setups even if it is one purchase order and one delivery. The same applies to decoration: two different logos on the same body are two print setups, and two print setups are two minimums. Buyers who assume otherwise usually discover it at order acknowledgement, which is the worst possible moment.
The three levers, in order of effect
- Use a stock body and a stock colour. Removes the coating setup entirely, and it is the largest single reduction available.
- Reduce print positions. One well-placed logo costs one screen. Two or three positions cost two or three, before any colour is counted.
- Split the delivery, not the run. Produce once and ship in tranches. The setup is paid once, and the cash flow is spread.
Questions buyers ask
Can I order below the minimum for a trial?
Sometimes, and the honest answer depends on the body and the decoration rather than on policy. Ask — the answer is a number, not a rule. A sample order is often the better route for a trial.
Does a higher quantity always lower the unit price?
It lowers it while fixed costs dominate and flattens once material dominates. Ask where the breakpoints actually are rather than assuming a linear curve.
Is the minimum different for plastic items?
The mechanics are the same: it is the mould and the decoration that set it, not the material. A food-grade plastic cup with a printed wrap has its own setup.
Start from the smallest order that answers your question: a sample or mockup settles most of it before a purchase order exists.
