Full-wrap, or 360° printing on a mug means the image covers the entire cylindrical surface with no white margins — for a standard 330 ml ceramic mug, the print area is then roughly 220 × 95 mm, leaving only a 3–5 mm gap near the handle where the glue and shape don't allow the colour to reach. Atta Print offers this type of printing using sublimation (ceramics, thermal mugs) and rotary UV printing (metal bottles, thermal flasks), starting from 1 piece, with a production time of 5–10 business days. The approximate price for 360° printing on a ceramic mug starts from €4.80 per piece at 100 pcs, and from around €8.50 if you only need a single mug.

What 360° printing actually means in practice

One-sided printing is a single rectangle on the side of the mug, usually 90 × 80 mm. Two-sided printing means two identical areas on opposite sides, with unprinted strips near the handle. With 360° printing, the image wraps around the entire body: the background, pattern or photo continues seamlessly, and visually the mug looks as if it were coloured rather than printed.

The key nuance: a truly seamless 360° wrap on a mug with a handle isn't possible. A small unprinted gap always remains near the handle. On bottles and thermal flasks without a handle, a full wrap is possible, but with rotary UV printing there's usually a 2–3 mm overlap strip at the seam, which is best hidden in the artwork with a plain background rather than a precise logo or text.

Technologies and where each one fits

Sublimation

Suitable for ceramic mugs with a polymer coating, thermal mugs (colour-changing), glass, and some plastic surfaces. The image is printed onto sublimation paper and transferred to the surface at 180–200°C over 3–5 minutes in a special wrap-around press. The result: full-colour, photo-quality print where the colour becomes embedded in the coating, so it won't rub off. Limitation — white can't be printed, and sublimation doesn't work on dark backgrounds.

Rotary UV printing

The cylinder rotates while the print head applies UV ink, which is instantly cured by a lamp. This method is used for printing on metal water bottles, thermal flasks and tinted surfaces — including with a white base layer, so a light logo on a black bottle stays light. UV printing also works when the volume changes due to a tapered shape, though very pronounced cones reduce the usable print area.

Laser engraving and screen printing

For stainless steel thermal flasks, engraving is often chosen: durable, single-tone, with a print area usually around 40–60 × 30 mm rather than 360°. Screen printing around the body makes sense for large runs from 250 pcs and 1–2 colours, but isn't suitable for photographic images.

Materials that work and those that don't

Sublimation requires an industrial polymer coating — an ordinary shop-bought mug without this coating will simply come out white after pressing. That's why we source mugs from our catalogue: standard 330 ml ceramic mugs, colour-changing thermal mugs, and mugs with a coloured interior and handle (the outside stays white, as that's the printable area).

For metal water bottles and thermal flasks, sublimation isn't an option — UV printing or engraving is used instead. Also note that most metal bottles aren't dishwasher-safe regardless of the printing method, and UV printing can suffer from mechanical abrasion against gritty surfaces. Ceramic mugs with sublimation printing withstand regular washing, though a gentle cycle up to 60°C will extend their lifespan.

Preparing the artwork

Approximate print sizes to prepare, with a 3 mm bleed on each side:

• Ceramic mug 330 ml, 360°: 220 × 95 mm
• Ceramic mug 330 ml, one side: 90 × 80 mm
• Thermal mug 330 ml, 360°: 215 × 90 mm
• Metal bottle 500–750 ml, full wrap: 210–230 × 130–180 mm depending on the model

Send logos as vector files (.ai, .eps, .pdf) and photos at 300 dpi resolution in CMYK colour space. Keep text and logos at least 8 mm away from the handle or seam. If an exact corporate colour is critical, let us know the Pantone code: both sublimation and UV printing can have slight colour variation, so for larger orders we recommend a single test sample before full production.

Approximate pricing

Prices are approximate and exclude VAT; they include the mug or bottle plus printing. The exact quote depends on the model, quantity and print area.

If you also need gift boxes, logo stickers or accompanying materials for your mugs or bottles, we can produce these as part of the same order — see promotional products with your logo.

Deadlines

After artwork approval, mug and bottle printing usually takes 5–10 business days: up to 50 pieces often takes 5–7 days, while larger quantities and less common models that need to be sourced take 7–10 days. Rush orders can be arranged by agreement if the relevant model is in stock. During the busy seasons (December, May), allow at least two extra weeks of buffer time.

Frequently asked questions

Is 360° printing on a mug really seamless?

Not on a mug with a handle — a 3–5 mm unprinted strip remains near the handle, since the press physically can't reach underneath it. On bottles and thermal flasks without a handle, the wrap is complete, but there's a 2–3 mm overlap at the seam, which we plan for in the artwork using a plain background.

How well does sublimation printing hold up to washing?

Properly pressed sublimation becomes embedded in the coating rather than sitting on top, so it withstands hundreds of washes. Long-term, we recommend dishwashing at up to 60°C and avoiding abrasive sponges.

Can a black or dark mug be printed all the way around?

Not with sublimation, since white can't be printed and the image disappears against a dark background. For dark surfaces, we offer rotary UV printing with a white base layer, or engraving.

What's the minimum order quantity?

We work with orders starting from 1 piece — for both mugs and bottles. The price per piece drops at higher quantities, with key thresholds at 10, 25, 50 and 100 pcs.

What format should I send the design in for 360° printing?

Vector files (.ai, .eps, .pdf) for logos, and 300 dpi CMYK images for photos, sized around 220 × 95 mm for a mug, plus a 3 mm bleed. If you don't have a design, we can prepare the artwork for you based on your logo and text.

Send us the model, quantity and logo to info@attaprint.lv or WhatsApp 25776699 — we'll prepare a quote with price and deadline within one business day. Call +371 25776699 if you'd like to discuss first which technology suits your particular product best.