Pink Paper Cups, From Pale Blush to Hot Pink

Who orders pink paper cups

Pink cups do well wherever the look of the drink matters as much as the taste. Cupcake shops, dessert parlours and bubble tea bars use them to match pastel interiors and packaging.

Salons and boutiques hand out drinks to clients in pink cups that match their bags and tissue paper. Party planners order them for baby showers, hen parties and birthdays.

• Bakeries and cupcake shops
• Dessert and milkshake bars
• Hair, nail and beauty salons
• Baby shower and hen party hosts
• Boutiques serving drinks in store

Choosing your shade of pink

The word pink means very different things to different people. Before you order, it helps to decide which family of pink you want, then fine-tune it on the proof.

If you have a brand guide, the Pantone reference will tell us exactly which pink to print. Without one, send a photo of something in the shade you love and we will match it as closely as ink allows.

Why pale pinks need extra care

Very light pinks are made with only a small amount of ink. In CMYK that can sometimes look slightly speckled up close, especially on a large area of flat colour.

A Pantone spot colour prints the pink as one mixed ink, which gives a smoother finish on pastels. We will suggest whichever method suits your shade, and you can see the result on your free proof.

Bright pinks are more forgiving and print strongly in either method. Hot pink and fuchsia also hide the odd scuff from stacking far better than a pale blush does.

Sizes that work for pink cups

Small 4oz pink cups, holding about 114ml, are perfect for tasters at a bakery counter or a mini hot chocolate at a party. The 8oz cup at 227ml suits tea, a small latte or a kids' milkshake.

For takeaway coffees and pink lemonade, most people choose 12oz (341ml) or 16oz (455ml). We can also print 2oz to 20oz and quote other sizes on request.

Bakeries that hand out samples all day often keep a sleeve of small 4oz paper cups by the till. Printing them in the same pink as the cake boxes makes a free taste feel like part of the brand.

Wall type and texture

A pink ripple wall cup has a soft, ribbed look that feels a little like corrugated card from a gift shop. It also keeps hands comfortable with hot drinks.

Double wall gives a smooth pink surface that shows fine text and thin script logos clearly. Single wall is the lighter choice for cold drinks and party tables, where nobody is holding a hot cup for long.

Think about where the cup will be used. A salon client sits with a drink for twenty minutes, so a thicker wall feels nicer, while a party guest grabs a cold drink and puts it down again.

Designing artwork for pink cups

White text and logos stand out well on mid to hot pinks. On pale blush, a darker text colour such as deep plum, charcoal or a rich gold-toned ink reads more clearly.

Keep important text away from the very top and bottom of the cup, where hands and lids sit. Our guide on how to design a printed cup explains safe areas in more depth.

1. Choose your pink family from the table above
2. Send a Pantone number, a brand file or a photo of the shade
3. Pick white or a darker ink for your logo and text
4. Decide on one side, two sides or a full wrap
5. Approve the free proof once the pink looks right

Ombré sets and mixed pinks

Some of our customers order several pinks that grade from pale to bright, then mix them on a party table. Each shade counts as its own print design, so mention all of them in your quote request.

If you want a pattern rather than flat colour, such as florals or butterflies in pink, look at our patterned paper cups for parties. Patterns hide small marks better than a flat pastel.

Pink cups for showers, hens and launches

For one-off events, the cup can carry more personal detail than a shop cup would. Names, initials, a date or a short line such as a welcome message all fit comfortably on an 8oz or 12oz cup.

Product launches and temporary beauty stalls use pink cups in a similar way, with the brand name large and a hashtag or website below it. Guests photograph their drinks, so the cup ends up in their pictures.

If drinks will be carried around a venue, order paper cups with matching lids to cut down on spills on carpets and dresses.

Lids, sleeves and food pairings

White lids keep a pink cup looking fresh and light. A clear dome lid suits milkshakes and iced drinks topped with cream, so the colour and the topping are both on show.

Bakeries often serve pink drinks next to cakes, so it is worth matching the cups with small pots for desserts. Our paper dessert cups for cakes and mousse can carry the same artwork.

Sleeves in white or kraft sit neatly on a pink single wall cup and still leave plenty of colour on show. A printed sleeve can carry your logo if the cup itself is plain pink.

Common mistakes with pink cups

Pink orders go wrong when the shade is left vague or the text colour is chosen without testing it. A few minutes on the proof makes a big difference.

Remember that every screen shows pink slightly differently, so judge the proof on a good screen in daylight.

A pink cup that looks lovely on its own can clash with a red or orange logo, so check your whole design together. We can tweak either colour on the proof.

• Writing just pink on the order with no reference
• Pale grey text on a pale pink background
• Expecting a flat pastel to hide coffee drips
• Picking a script font too thin for the cup size
• Leaving no time for proof changes before an event

Price, timing and delivery

Pink paper cups start from £0.25 per cup, confirmed in your written quote. Production takes 4 to 6 working days after you approve your proof.

Tracked delivery follows in 2 to 3 working days and is free anywhere in the UK. If you have questions first, get in touch with our team and we will help you choose.