Start your custom order
We’re here to help make sure you get a great product without any headaches.
1. SET UP CUSTOM ART
New customers will need to set up any custom logos or graphics you want to have available for your mug orders. Our ceramic decal studio can produce decorations in two different printing methods.
Screenprinting : This is the time-honored, traditional way to produce ceramic decorations. The process is labor and material intensive and is a craft that takes years for employees to master. Setting up new multi-color screen printed decals require a minimum initial order of at least 25 pieces. This method is best for brighter more vibrant color with an image made up of solid areas of color, no gradients or shading.
Screen Printing Cost Breakdown
- $75 per color (one-time fee) with a limit of 6 colors for an individual logo or crest
- $50 art fee (one-time fee) for vectorization of your logo if necessary, and the production of films for screen exposure. For complex graphics, additional art time might be required.
- After completing this set up option, one screen printed custom decal will be included in the blank mug price.
Digital Decal Printing : This is cutting edge of technology for printing ceramic decorations. Special laser printers that have been modified to print with ceramic overglaze toner physically print the decals for us. Our designers convert the colors and details of your image into the print files we need to produce decals. Once applied to one of our ceramic products, it goes through the same firing process creating a durable image that is integral with the original glaze of the product. Digital decals have no minimum initial order requirement. They are best for complex images that can include, shading and gradients, and unlimited individual colors. Color might appear more muted or faded compared to screen print.
Digitally Printed Decals :
Full Color Digital Decal Setup Cost Breakdown
- One-time setup fee of $60 per logo with good artwork. Setup includes color conversion to our digital decal printers, and basic clean up work. Print files are stored indefinitely to support ongoing orders of mugs. Art fees can be quoted for clean up or vectorization work if needed.
- $3 per digital decal application (Added to price of Ceramic)
Simple Digital Decal Setup Cost Breakdown
- For one-off decal requests with a one-time setup of $30. Setup includes very limited clean up and basic color conversion work. Print files are stored temporarily and might not be available for future orders.
Black-only Digital Decal Setup Cost Breakdown
- Black and White graphics have a one-time setup of $30. This is a permanent setup like full color but do not require the color conversion work needed for a full color image. Print files are stored indefinitely to support ongoing orders. Art fees might be quoted, if clean up or vectorization work is needed.
- Note: The same product, lettering, and extra decal prices apply to mugs decorated with digitally printed decals, except that no decals are included in the price of the product, and there is no custom handle design.
Browse all of the mugs and other products that we offer.
Existing products around your shop with our name on the bottom is the best way to see what logos we already have for your organization. If we already have your artwork on file, you can move on to step two. You will always request custom logos by name on the order form. Only the stock decals published to our site are requested by a decal number. If you have new artwork or logos you want to make available for your mugs, just send the best graphic file(s) you have to art@ajmugs.com and we will confirm your setup options.
2. Send us your order form
Please download and fill out the order form below, then send it over to us at orders@ajmugs.com. We will review all of the details of your order and follow up with you within 2 business days.
Ordering Tips:
Accurately and completely filling out the order form is the best way to ensure prompt and accurate orders!
Due to space limitations on some coffee cups and steins, we reserve the right to use our artistic license and experience to create an aesthetically pleasing ceramic piece.
The front of the mug is considered facing away from the drinker when the handle is held in the right hand, and the back design faces the drinker when the handle is held in the right hand.
3. Pay your invoice
Watch your inbox for a QuickBooks invoice of the total cost including shipping and any applicable one-time setup/artwork fees. You can submit payment via the link in the email. We accept all major credit/debit cards, checks, cash and money orders.
4. Production
Most orders are shipping between 10-14 weeks from he payment date of the invoice.
We offer a rush service. The cost is 20% of the order subtotal or $75, whichever is less. Most rush orders ship in 1-2 weeks depending on new artwork, and blank mug inventory. At times we suspend this option due to a high volume of regular orders.
*Blank mug inventory or decal reprints needed might result in order delays. Any specific delivery dates requested might be attempted based on “our best effort”, but is not a condition of the sale. If you have a specific need, communicate it to us as soon as possible, even if your need falls outside our normal turn around times.
If you have a specific deadline for your order, make sure to let us know as early as possible.
5. Enjoy your Order!
Tag us in a post with your new mug using #AJmugshop
faq
frequently asked questions
All orders for personalized mugs must be submitted using our A&J Mug Shop Order Form. This requires the ability to modify a Microsoft Excel document and email it to orders. You can request a blank order from by email at orders@ajmugs.com, or download a copy from our website (form linked above).
Our order form is your opportunity to communicate directly with our decorators. For the best accuracy and efficiency, a complete entry for each unique, individual mug of your order should be included on your order form. Each mug entry should be complete including Product ID, Quantity and Font Preference. If you want a certain space on the mug to be blank, simply leave that field empty.
The order form itself includes instructions for how we divide the decorating areas of our mugs. We will typeset your lettering EXACTLY as you have it entered on the order form. We DO NOT recommend Old English in all capital letters (unless it’s an abbreviation or rank), as it can be difficult to read.
Stock decals MUST BE requested using the decal number that is published on our website. These numbers sometimes change, so please verify that the number you enter on our order form corresponds to the image that you want. Our decorators go only by the decal number, even if a decal description is provided. We will not be able to replace a mug when the decal number entered on the order form does not match the description.
If it is impossible for you to manage an Excel document, contact us and we will create a solution to place personalized orders for mugs. We are not able to take personalized orders over the phone.
To ensure efficiency and accuracy for our decorators, we request that all orders are filled out using our order form.
For new, custom, multi-color screen printed graphics, we request a minimum initial order of 25 pieces, in any combination of our various ceramic products. There is no minimum order after your first order is complete, and no minimum for digital decal setup.
Send us the best graphics file you can find of the custom artwork you want to put on a mug. We can put any digital image on a mug, but for best results, vector-based graphics are preferred. File types that support vector graphics include, .ai, .eps, .svg, and sometimes .pdf. A file in this format does not guarantee it is vector based, but send it to us, and we can review the file.
If vector graphics are not available, pixel-based images such as .jpg and .png files can be sent. We prefer high resolution images with dimensions of at least 800 pixels high or wide. If you are searching the web for an image, use the tools provided in search engines to restrict your search results to “Large” images.
We can put any digital image on a mug that is supported by Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office or Apple iWork Suite. The general quality of an image that you provide will have a direct impact on the final quality of your mug.
Yes, we have printing options to accommodate almost any size organization. Once we see the custom graphics you want on a mug, we can help find the right setup for you.
Up front, one-time setup fees can range from $60 to $500 depending on the type of setup, and the details of your logo or image. Email your art files to art@ajmugs.com for a setup quote.
We can put any digital image on a mug that is supported by Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office or Apple iWork Suite. The general quality of an image that you provide will have a direct impact on the final quality of your mug.
We offer a curated selection of stock images for a wide range of military insignia. Reach out to us if you feel like something is missing, and we can help you find it, or consider adding it to our collection.
Size adjustments cannot be made at the time we are decorating your order. If requested images do not fit in the decorating area, our decorators will make adjustments to the locations of your decals to produce the most aesthetically pleasing presentation of your mug. Please indicate in the comments field which images have greater significance when you request multiple images in the same decorating area.
We are willing to decorate ceramics or glassware that you bring in or send to us. Keep in mind that anything you bring us will need to be able to survive the kiln firing process. Mugs with mixed materials, or leaded crystal will not work in our kilns.
There is no character limit on lines of lettering; However, all lines of lettering are condensed to 3”, so extremely long lines are harder to read.
New Century School Book or Old English
We only use black lettering.
See mug maps.
We list all of our available ceramic products on the website. We are not able to process custom orders on black mugs, or any other colors.
We also offer glassware which like ceramics, are kiln fired, but at a lower temperature. The ink used for imprinting glass is a different chemistry from ceramic, so any existing setups you have for ceramics would not cover our glassware offerings. There are some great, relatively low-cost options in our high volume and satin etch glassware products.
Yes, all items are dishwasher safe; however, items that contain gold we recommend hand-washing to preserve the integrity of the gold.
If the item contains gold, it is NOT microwave safe.
The turnaround time for orders with new custom images is 4-8 weeks from the date of payment. For returning customers, the turnaround time is 2-4 weeks.
Rush orders will be assessed a fee of 20% of the orders subtotal. Rush orders will be moved to the front of the line for each stage of production, and are typically finished in about a week. This time might be extended if you are setting up new artwork. Rush fees do not include expedited shipping charges which will be quoted at the time the order is placed and/or when the order is ready to be shipped based on your deadline.
