Coffee sleeve and cup carrier
Kraft200 minimum · 10 to 12 business daysA coffee sleeve is a glued E-flute kraft band that slides over a hot cup, and a cup carrier is a die-cut paperboard tray that holds 2 or 4 cups by the base. We produce both from 200 units, one or two colors, in 10 to 12 business days after proof. Sleeves fit 8 to 24 oz cups; the 4-cup carrier is 7.5 inches square.
When to choose it, and when not to
Choose printed sleeves and carriers when the cup is your billboard. A coffee walks down the street for 20 minutes with the sleeve facing out, and a carrier sits on an office desk all morning. One color on kraft is the standard and it looks right on a cafe counter. The 2 and 4 cup carriers fold in a second and hold cups by the base, so they work with any lidded paper cup from 8 to 20 oz. Cafes, roasters, food trucks and hotel breakfast rooms all use them.
Choose a kraft paper shopping bag when a customer buys more than four drinks or adds food, since a carrier has no room for a bag of pastries. Choose a take out box for the food side of the order, because a carrier is built to hold cups by the base and nothing else.
Specifications
| Board | E-flute kraft for sleeves, 20pt kraft paperboard for carriers |
|---|---|
| One or two color flexo, water-based ink | |
| Finish | Natural kraft, uncoated |
| Closure | Sleeves glued at the seam, carriers fold and lock without glue |
| Cup fit | Sleeves cut to the cup taper, carriers with 3 inch base holes |
| Insert | Optional center well in the 4 cup carrier for a pastry bag or sugar |
| Minimum | 200 units |
| Lead time | 10 to 12 business days after proof |
| Ships | Flat, sleeves in stacks of 100, carriers in bundles of 50 |
| Sizes we run | sleeve for 8 to 10 oz cups sleeve for 12 to 20 oz cups 2 cup carrier, 7.5 x 3.75 x 2 in 4 cup carrier, 7.5 x 7.5 x 2 in any size from a 4 oz espresso cup to a 24 oz cup |
Materials that suit it
Questions people ask
Will the sleeve fit my cups?
Sleeves are cut to the taper of the cup, so tell us the cup size or send one. A 12 to 20 oz sleeve fits most cafe cups because they share a taper; the 8 to 10 oz sleeve is narrower. A sleeve that is a quarter inch off will slide, so the cup sample matters more than the oz figure.
Does the sleeve touch the coffee?
No. The sleeve sits on the outside of the cup and never contacts the drink, so it is not a food-contact item and is printed on the same water-based ink as our boxes. The cup itself is the food-contact surface. We do not supply cups, only the sleeves and carriers that go around them.
How many cups does the carrier hold?
Two or four. The 2 cup carrier is a folded tray 7.5 by 3.75 inches; the 4 cup is 7.5 inches square. The base holes are 3 inches, which suits the bottom of an 8 to 20 oz cup. A center well on the 4 cup carrier takes a pastry bag, sugars or a small sandwich box.
Kraft carrier or molded pulp?
We produce paperboard carriers, which fold flat, print in one or two colors and cost less to store. Molded pulp carriers are stiffer and hold heavier cups, but they cannot be printed sharply and take five times the shelf space. For 20 oz cups with milk, tell us and we go to a heavier 24pt board.
Can I print full color?
On kraft, one or two colors look best; full color on kraft comes out muted. If you want a photograph or a gradient on the sleeve, we can run a white top liner, which changes the board and adds a couple of days. Most cafes stay with one color on kraft because it looks right at the counter.
How is the coffee sleeve and cup carrier different from the beverage carrier box?
The coffee carrier is for hot cups at the counter: E-flute kraft sleeves glued to fit the cup taper, and 20pt kraft trays that hold 2 or 4 cups by the base, printed one or two color flexo, from 200 units in 10 to 12 business days after proof. The beverage carrier box is a closed retail multipack for cans and bottles with a handle, from 500 units in 8 to 10 business days. Cafes need the sleeves and cup carriers; packaged drinks on a shelf need the beverage carrier.
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Ready to price your coffee sleeve and cup carrier?
Send the size and quantity for a quote and a dieline, usually within one business day. Your digital proof follows, usually within one business day of your artwork. Design help and the Swatch Book of materials are free.