Sourcing branded reusable coffee cups and tumblers from China
For branded reusable cups from China, choose the material first, then fix capacity, lid seal, hot-drink use, dishwasher claims and print method in writing, and get the food-contact evidence for that exact cup before approving a printed sample. Avoid bamboo-fibre plastic cups for Great Britain: the Food Standards Agency advises people not to use them for food or drink.
Specify branded reusable cups from China: material, lid seal, hot-drink use, print method and food-contact evidence, and which cups to avoid for Great Britain.
Products and search terms
reusable coffee cups, branded coffee cups, travel mugs, tumblers, keep cups, promotional drinkware
Choose the material before the design
The material decides most of what follows: how the cup handles a hot drink, whether it survives a dishwasher, what evidence you need and what it costs to ship. Stainless steel double-wall, polypropylene, glass with a sleeve and silicone collapsible cups are different products from different factories, so compare quotes within one material, not across them.
Do not order bamboo-fibre plastic cups for Great Britain. The Food Standards Agency says products combining plastic with bamboo or other plant material can leak substances including formaldehyde and melamine into drinks, especially when hot, and advises people not to use them for food or drink. Products made solely of bamboo are a different matter. We could not open the agency's formal notice on authorisation, so this page does not state the legal position beyond that advice; if a factory offers a bamboo cup, ask what it is actually made of.
Write the specification the sample is judged against
A photograph and a capacity do not describe a cup. Use the table to keep quotes comparable, and state which parts may not be substituted, especially the lid and its seal.
| Part | Specify | Approve on the sample |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Material and grade, wall construction, capacity to the brim and to the fill line, colour | Measured capacity, finish and how hot the outside gets with a hot drink |
| Lid and seal | Lid material, seal material, whether it is splash-resistant or leak-proof, and how that will be checked | Fit, seal and the agreed leak or tip check with hot liquid |
| Use claims | Hot-drink use, dishwasher and microwave claims you intend to make | Evidence behind each claim for this cup, not a similar one |
| Food contact | The declaration and test evidence you need for the materials that touch the drink | Documents naming this model and its materials |
| Branding and packing | Print or engraving method, colours, position, gift box or bulk carton, carton marks | Print colour and durability after the washing you will claim it survives |
Food-contact evidence that follows the cup
Everything that touches the drink is a food-contact material: the body, the lid, the seal and any coating. Ask the factory for its declaration and test evidence for those materials, check that the documents name this model, and keep them with the approved sample. Food contact materials explains the controls on importing.
Melamine and polyamide kitchenware originating in or consigned from China or Hong Kong has its own Great Britain import control, with a declaration and laboratory report required. If any part of your cup is melamine, that control applies before the goods arrive, not after.
Where China gives you the most
China is strongest when you want your own colour, lid, shape or packaging, or a run large enough for freight to spread thinly. Compare the landed price, not the factory piece price.
We add no minimum of our own, so a first run of a few hundred or a thousand is fine; factory minimums per colour and print are real, and minimums and sampling covers them. For an enquiry, send the material, capacity, lid type, claims you want to make, artwork, quantity, destination and date.
Frequently asked questions
Are bamboo fibre coffee cups safe to import into Great Britain?
Avoid those that combine plastic with bamboo or plant fibre. The Food Standards Agency advises people not to use them for food or drink because substances including formaldehyde and melamine can leak, especially when hot.
What documents should a reusable cup come with?
Food-contact declaration and test evidence for the body, lid, seal and any coating, naming this model. Melamine or polyamide parts from China also need the declaration and laboratory report required at import.
Where is China strongest for branded cups?
Your own colour, lid, shape or packaging, and larger runs. Compare the landed price, not the factory piece price.