Templates for Cup Sleeves & Cups
How to Design Custom Coffee Sleeves & Cups You Love
Hotshot offers free, ready-to-use templates to help you design your custom printed packaging with confidence. You can download templates for coffee cup sleeves, double wall coffee cups, and plastic cups. While our templates are optimized for Adobe Illustrator, you can also create your custom cup and sleeve designs using tools like Canva or Photoshop.
Before you start designing your coffee sleeves or cups, take some time to think about the visuals and message you want your custom packaging to communicate. Whether you are aiming for bold, eye-catching colors with detailed graphics or a clean, minimal look, your printed coffee cups should reflect your brand’s personality. There is plenty of creative flexibility when it comes to designing custom cups and sleeves.
After your artwork is submitted for Custom Coffee Cup Sleeves using our sleeve template, or for cups using our coffee cup template, our team will carefully review your files and create a proof for your approval before moving forward.
Preparing Artwork Files
| FIle Type | For the best results, please submit Adobe Illustrator files with artwork left in layers. If you're creating a design that needs to extend beyond the trimmed area, make sure your work extends past the die line. | |
| Fonts | To ensure a high quality result, please convert all fonts to outlines or provide us with the necessary font files. | |
| Color Mode | Please submit all graphics and colors in CMYK mode. If they are given as RGB, we will be required to convert them into CMYK. | |
| Number of Colors | STANDARD sleeves require that the number of print colors be limited to 2 (shades of the colors are permitted). In addition STANDARD sleeves have a defined imprint area | |
| Resolution | For optimal print quality, ensure that all images are 300dpi at their final size. Keep in mind that enlarging an image decreases its resolution and embedding them rather than leaving as links is the best practice | |
| Graphics / Logos | Graphics and logos should be left as vector whenever possible. Graphics should be embedded and not left as links | |
| Pantone (PMS) Colors | For both the PREMIUM and STANDARD sleeves, all Pantone PMS colors will be transformed to their nearest CMYK equivalent. If you're using PMS colors when designing, please only refer to the C (coated) version of your desired color rather than U (uncoated), as our printing is done on coated paper stock. | |
| Arcing Artwork | Artwork should be arced so that text and graphics appear horizontal when the sleeve is placed around the cup. You can do this or our prepress department will do this (only for vectory artwork) |
Send us your artwork files
Please place your order online before sending us your files.
You may email files up to 20 MB. For really large files please send files via services such as DropBox or WeTransfer.
Please email files to: graphics@coffeesleeves.ca
*** Only send to the above email address for orders that are in production. If you have not yet placed an order and have sales related questions then email your questions and files to info@coffeesleeves.ca
Review and Approve your PDF proof
Once we have received your files we will prepare a PDF for your review. Upon approval of the proof we will put your sleeves into production.
Templates have been set up using Adobe Illustrator.
Our sleeves are meant to fit Hot Cups only. Our sleeves are not meant for cold cups or double wall cups unless specified.
Cup Sleeve Templates
Premium corrugated Templates
PREMIUM templates are for sleeves with more than 2 colors and/or you are printing with bleeds (full background printing).
Most common size
The industy standard.
Additional sizes
At this time we only produce Corrugated Sleeves in the 12-20oz size. For other sizes please refer to our Classic Sleeves.
Standard corrugated templates
For sleeves printing in 1 or 2 colors and you DO NOT require printing right to the edge of the sleeve (bleeds).
Most common size
Additional sizes
At this time we only produce Corrugated Sleeves in the 12-20oz size. For other sizes please refer to our Classic Sleeves.
Double Wall Paper Cup Templates
Clear Plastic Cup Templates
Let HotShot design your coffee sleeve for you – No extra cost!
Let HotShot make your dream coffee sleeve come to life – with no additional fees! All we ask is that you provide us with a few key details and then leave the rest up to us. Upon receiving your information, our team will reach out should any questions arise or get started on designing right away. You’ll receive a PDF proof of the design ready for print shortly
Please provide us with the following:
- To create the perfect sleeve layout for your product, please provide us with a written and/or sketched overview of what you want.
- Send over all logos, graphics and images that must be included
- We prefer to receive graphics in vector formats including Adobe Illustrator, EPS or vector PDF whenever possible
- To guarantee the best possible printing results, please supply us with high-resolution graphics in JPEG, PNG, PSD or BMP formats whenever possible. Should you be unsure of which file type to provide us with then send everything that is available and let our team determine what works best for your designs.
- STANDARD sleeves permit printing in only 1 or 2 colors so all graphics and text must make use of the same colors.
- Email the above information to graphics@coffeesleeves.ca
Design Time Restrictions
With a STANDARD sleeve order, you get 15 minutes of complimentary design layout time. Meanwhile, with a PREMIUM sleeve order, you can take advantage of up to 30 minutes FREE! Generally speaking the given timeframe is enough for preparing your design—however, if it looks like more time would be needed (such as fixing any supplied graphics/logos) we will inform you ahead of starting the project. Please note that additional charges may apply in cases where there are numerous client changes requested.