Bringing Your Designs to Life

At BulkTumblers, we specialize in decorating bottles, tumblers, and more by laser engraving and UV color printing. Each technique offers unique benefits to bring your custom designs to life. Here’s a closer look at the differences between these two approaches.

Laser Engraving - Precision through Fire

What It Is:
Laser engraving uses a high-powered laser to remove a thin layer of material, creating a precise, permanent mark on your drinkware. 

Our CO2 lasers don’t produce color designs—they work like a high-precision chisel, removing material with intense heat. When used on items like tumblers, the laser carefully removes the coating without affecting the underlying steel, resulting in a subtle, tactile design that highlights the natural properties of the material. On wood, this means a burnt, recessed look as the laser vaporizes some of the material. 

Key Features:

• Durability: The design is etched directly into the material, ensuring longevity even with frequent use.
• Subtle Elegance: The recessed engraving provides a sophisticated, understated look—ideal for intricate logos, text, and patterns.
• Versatility: Works on a variety of materials, adding a timeless, handcrafted touch to every piece.
• Tumblers: Removes the powder coating on top to reveal the finish of the tumbler below. On our tumblers with silver lips, the design will be silver. Similarly, on our tumblers with ghost black, rainbow, or copper ion finishes, the design etched will be the same color as the lip of the cup.
• Wood: The laser burns away part of the wood, creating a recess. Depending on the species, the burn mark will vary from light to very dark. The burn depends on moisture content, age, and species of wood. Even wood from the same tree may burn a bit differently, so we cannot guarantee a specific color.
  

UV Color Printing

What It Is:
UV color printing uses specially formulated durable ink that’s jetted directly onto our products. Ultraviolet light is then used to cure the ink instantly, locking in a bright and detailed design. This process creates a smooth, long-lasting finish that keeps your design looking vibrant and sharp, even with daily use. 

Key Features:

• Bold & Bright: Delivers eye-catching, full-color imagery with crisp details and smooth gradients.
• Resilient Finish: The UV-cured inks are highly resistant to chipping and scratching, making them perfect for everyday items.
• Precision Detailing: Ideal for designs that require intricate details and vivid coloration.

Limitations:

• Drinkware with handles: Our printer uses a roller assembly similar to a hotdog, so we aren't able to print full wraps on items with handles. We are limited to around 2.3" wide on these items.
• Variable heights: Our printer heads are less than 1/4" away from the surface of your item, so we can only print on the tallest part. For example, on a tumbler like our 30 or 40 oz styles with smaller bottom diameters, we can only print on the top part.

Which Method Is Right for You?

• Laser Engraving: Choose this option for a timeless, durable design with a subtle, tactile finish that stands the test of time. If you have a logo/design that looks good in black and white or grayscale, this method will work well. If you have a very detailed logo with many colors that don't have a lot of contrast, you may prefer the results with a color design.
• UV Color Printing: Opt for this method when you desire vibrant, detailed imagery that truly pops with color and clarity. 
  

Our expert team is here to help you select the perfect technique to match your creative vision. Explore our gallery below to see examples of each method in action, and feel free to reach out with any questions about our process!