# Coffee mugs are bleeding after being printed



## Raymond Smith (Dec 18, 2012)

Hi-
I have been selling my "Greetings from Hoboken" coffee mugs (and related merch) for years. I buy them from a large online vendor and they've always responded well to any issues.
Recently, I've had about 5 customers complain about the mugs bleeding after being put in a dishwasher. One lady said she didn't even put hers in a dishwasher! When these complaints started showing up, I tested what I had by pouring boiling water from a teakettle over some of them, and mine were fine. A friend of mine has had her mugs for a couple of years and has always put them in her dishwasher and they've been fine.

I found an image of someone's mug on the web that had a similar problem, but I didn't save the location, and can't find it now.

Does anyone know why the ink would do this?

Thanks in advance!


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## SaB (May 15, 2007)

Gordon just said that what they told you on dsf forum 

is coating thats the problem buddy.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

Very hot water can cause this, but usually only after fairly extensive time in the water. The top rack of a consumer dishwasher is unlikely to get hot enough to cause what you show.

I'd say you got a poor batch of mugs. The softer the coating the more this kind of thing can occur. Coating hardness is determined by such things as curing time when they coated the mugs, as well as the proper mix of the 2-part resin component used for the coating.

Send a bad mug to your supplier and see what they say. If they are unresponsive, find a new supplier. It's not like there aren't a bazillion sublimation mug suppliers out there.


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## Raymond Smith (Dec 18, 2012)

I don't print these myself, but I do sell enough to buy a gross at a time. Can any of you recommend a printer in the US that could do these for under $3 per piece?
I've done a bunch of research, but maybe you guys know someone I don't.


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

DiscountPhotoMugs maybe? Their Web site is showing 11oz all-color photo mugs for $2 at gross quantity. Add shipping and spread out the setup cost,, and you're at about $3/mug. 

I'm sure there are others. The promo biz is very competitive. If these were not sublimated mugs then the problem could be in the printing and curing. Mugs that are UV printed can run like this, too. You should send them a sample and get a credit.


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## Raymond Smith (Dec 18, 2012)

Can't find 'DiscountPhotoMugs'. I tried adding a dot com, but no result. I'm pretty sure these are dye-sub, how does UV work? Would the coating issue be the same type?

Does anyone know of an effective low-tech way I can test my mugs for this issue before I put them out for sale? Apparently boiling water isn't enough.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

ADG Promo....


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

Try DiscountMugs.com.

For a price of $2 their's are not likely sublimated, as subbing involves too much manual labor. UV printing is possible, though so is CMYK pad printing and some others. These are basically done on all-automated machinery, and are well suited for mass production.

Your mugs may be sublimated. The color migration is occurring mostly (or only) on red, which traditionally is the most problematic for low-energy dyes of the type used with sublimation.

Would be best to ask your supplier for an explanation, as they could have changed their production methods. They might be using a different brand of ink, mugs with a lesser coating, just about anything.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

GordonM said:


> For a price of $2 their's are not likely sublimated, as subbing involves too much manual labor.


Not sure why you would think this......There are several vendors in the US that do sublimation mugs at a quantity of 144 for 2.00 or less.....


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

I don't doubt it, but in comparison to the other full color mugs where they mention they are sublimated the price for this particular one is much lower. Maybe it's just a much cheaper mug, but others are in the $3-4 range for the same quantity.

All I know is *I* wouldn't be subbing for $2 each! I'd invest the bucks in a flatbed printer with a rotary axis if I were doing that kind of business.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

Gordon you are confusing me.....Are you saying that you think you can not buy 144 sublimated mugs for 2.00 each?.....If that what you are saying, I am saying you can....


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## saliery (Feb 21, 2014)

Raymond Smith said:


> I don't print these myself, but I do sell enough to buy a gross at a time. Can any of you recommend a printer in the US that could do these for under $3 per piece?
> I've done a bunch of research, but maybe you guys know someone I don't.



Hello Raymon!!! My name It's William.. I Own William's Graphic Design... Printing and Advertising... I'll be Interested in produce the coffee mugs for you at $3 each... please get back to me if you are interested!!!!

THX in ADV!!!

PH: 330.932.0478 [email protected]


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## saliery (Feb 21, 2014)

Hello Raymon!!! My name It's William.. I Own William's Graphic Design... Printing and Advertising... I'll be Interested in produce the coffee mugs for you at $3 each... please get back to me if you are interested!!!!

THX in ADV!!!

PH: 330.932.0478 [email protected]


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