gifts, promotional products and party supplies / Buying guide
Custom logo printing in China
Printing is quoted separately from the product, carries its own minimum, and is charged per colour and per position. On a small run those set-up charges, not the ink, are what you are paying for.
The single most useful thing you can do is insist on a physical proof before the run. Everything that goes badly wrong in this category goes wrong because someone approved a screen image.
In this guide
Methods and what they suit
- Screen print — flat surfaces, one to four spot colours, cheapest per unit at volume. The default for totes and apparel.
- Pad print — small curved or irregular surfaces: pens, keyrings, bottle caps.
- Heat transfer — full-colour images on textiles, better for complex artwork, less durable than screen.
- Laser engraving — metal and wood, permanent, no colour, looks more expensive than it costs.
- Sublimation — full-wrap full-colour on polyester and coated mugs, needs the right substrate.
- Embroidery — caps and apparel, priced by stitch count rather than colour count.
What you will be charged for
A set-up or plate charge per colour, per position. A two-colour logo on the front and a one-colour on the back is three set-ups, and set-ups do not scale down with quantity.
A per-unit print cost, which does scale with quantity.
A sampling charge for a physical proof, often credited against the order if it proceeds.
The three approvals worth insisting on
- Artwork proof — a layout showing size and position on the actual product, not a mock-up on a stock photo.
- Colour reference — supply a Pantone number. "Navy" is not a colour specification and will come back as whatever navy the shop had.
- First-article photograph — one printed piece photographed before the run continues. This catches position and colour errors while they still cost one unit.
Artwork that works
Send vector files — AI, EPS or PDF with outlined text. A JPEG of a logo will be traced by hand and the result will be approximately your logo.
Simplify for small print areas. Fine detail and thin strokes that read on screen disappear on a pen barrel, and the shop will not tell you before printing.
Questions & answers
Common questions
- What is the minimum for printing?
- Commonly 500 to 1,000 pieces for single colour. Some booths will do 200 with a higher set-up charge.
- How long does a printed order take?
- Roughly 7–14 days for a proof, then 15–30 days for production after you approve it, before shipping.
- Can I supply my own artwork colours exactly?
- With a Pantone reference and a physical proof, closely. Without both, no.
Your next step
Have a link you want checked?
Send a 1688 or Taobao product link and you get back the specification in English, the supplier check, and the landed cost to your country before you commit to anything.
Get a quote