You have a logo, you have a brand, and you know that a printed shaker is a good medium. The problem starts with the request for quotation: is a Canva file enough, how many pieces do you need to order, when will you see the design before printing. These questions block more people than they should.
The whole process is simpler than it looks on paper. Below are six steps — from choosing a supplier to receiving the delivery. We are writing as a manufacturer, so we describe how it looks for us, and at the same time what to demand from any other supplier.
Step 1: Check if you are talking to a manufacturer
Not every company offering printed shakers is a manufacturer. A large part of the market consists of resellers and gadget distributors who order goods from an external supplier and add a margin. This lengthens the lead time, limits the choice of specifications, and reduces control over print quality. A direct manufacturer means a shorter chain, a specific contact person, and real influence on the details of the order.
Three things to check before your first inquiry:
Material documentation. Does the supplier have a document confirming that the plastic is approved for food contact — and will they send a scan? Our shakers are produced using plastic compliant with PPWR, and we provide the document upon order.
Minimum quantity and pricing method. What is the minimum number of pieces and what does the price depend on.
Visualization. Will you get a design preview before production starts, how long will it take, and is it paid?
Red flags: no print area template available for download, a fee for visualization before placing an order, refusal to provide a specific deadline upon the first inquiry, evasive answers to questions about certificates. A supplier who cannot provide the print area in millimeters probably does not have control over their own process.
Step 2: Determine product parameters
Everything else starts here – these decisions set the framework for the graphic design and pricing.
Capacity. 400 ml works well for a standard serving of supplement, for events, and for welcome packs. 700 ml is the choice for active users and offers a larger surface area for graphics. If you are unsure, ask for a visualization of both versions with your logo — comparing on a mockup takes a moment, and the decision becomes obvious.
Series and cap color. There are 12 standard cap colors to choose from and two body series: Black and White and transparent. The choice has a direct impact on logo reproduction — on a white background, the print comes out exactly as in the design; on a transparent one, colors can be less saturated, and light elements may disappear without an underlay.
Number of print colors. This is the only parameter that really affects the price. The size of the graphic does not matter — a full-wrap print costs the same as a small logo on the side.
It is also worth knowing that our product is a 2in1: construction: one container with two interchangeable caps acts as a shaker and as a leak-proof meal container. The same personalization supports both functions.
Step 3: Prepare the file
Most production delays stem from the file, not the machine. A well-prepared design eliminates a whole round of corrections.
Requirements:
- Vector format: AI, EPS, or PDF
- Texts converted to outlines (without this, we will see a different font or an error)
- Color space CMYK or colors indicated in Pantone
- Raster elements: minimum 300 dpi at 1:1 scale
- 3 mm bleeds and safety margin from the edge of the print area
- File cleaned of working layers and masks
A file exported from Canva or a screenshot from PowerPoint will usually not pass verification – pixelation during scaling is inevitable.
Practical tip: prepare three versions of the logo right away — color, black, and white. They will be useful when matching to different body and cap colors during visualization approval.
And most importantly: download the print area template before commissioning the design to a graphic artist, not after. The template contains exact dimensions, safe zones, and takes into account the curvature of the cylinder. A design made without it often requires rework.
Step 4: Visualization - the most important step in the entire process
This is where most costly mistakes are weeded out.
Manufacturers print on a curved, three-dimensional surface, and you approve the design as a flat file. This is a fundamental discrepancy that only visualization catches. Errors that are invisible on a flat PDF and only reveal themselves on the finished product: graphic shifted outside the print area, wrong logo shade on the chosen plastic color, letters too small that become illegible on the curve, graphic cut off at the edge of the cap.
Not all visualizations are equal. A 2D mockup is a flat graphic applied to a product photo — it gives a general impression but does not show how the print wraps around the edges or how the pattern joint looks. For a full-wrap print, this is not enough. A 3D render or 360° preview reproduces real curves and allows you to check every centimeter of the surface.
With us, visualization is free and ready in 24 hours from sending the file — no preparation fee and no advance payment. You will see your logo on the chosen model, in the chosen cap color, with the full-wrap print layout, before you make any commitment.
What to check before approval:
- logo proportions relative to the entire surface
- text legibility at actual scale — evaluate the visualization also in miniature, just as someone will see the product from a meter away
- contrast between the body, cap, and print color
- continuity of the pattern at the joint for full-wrap prints
- correctness of the brand name, website address, and contact details
A rule that saves the most: if something looks “almost good”, it is not good enough.
A correction at the visualization stage costs one email. After production starts — time and money.
Approve the design in writing or by email. This is the formal start point of production and the basis for any potential complaint.
Step 5: MOQ and pricing
The minimum order quantity is one carton: 60 pieces for 400 ml, 56 pieces for 700 ml. We fulfill orders in multiples of a carton, so when planning the quantity, round up to a full carton instead of adding a percentage buffer.
The one-carton threshold is a real test budget — you don’t have to order hundreds of pieces to check how the product looks in customers’ hands.
The cost structure looks like this: base price of the shaker + marking cost depending on the number of colors + any production preparation. The unit price drops with the quantity and increases by a fixed amount for each additional color.
Items that are easy to forget when ordering for the first time:
- production preparation (one-time cost, significantly increases the price per piece for small quantities)
- individual packaging, if each shaker is to be packed separately
- domestic transport
- surcharge for urgent mode
Always ask for the total net cost, not just the unit price – without preparation and delivery, it is a misleading reference point, especially for smaller quantities. And ask for a quote for two or three quantities at once. You will see at what quantity the calculator balances out, and you will shorten the email exchange from a week to one day.
What to include in the first inquiry:
- capacity (400 ml or 700 ml) and preferred cap color
- number of pieces, preferably in two–three variants
- number of print colors
- planned delivery date — a specific date, not “as soon as possible”
- format of the graphic file you have
- question about material documentation
Step 6: Production and receipt
Lead time is from 7 working days counted from the approval of the visualization and payment posting, plus courier. Pay attention to the moment from which the deadline is counted — some suppliers count it from payment, others from design approval, and still others from delivery of the correct file. Always ask directly.
The bottleneck is usually not production, but approval on the client’s side. The faster you approve the design or send a correction, the faster we start.
If the shakers are to be ready for a trade fair, event, or product launch, plan at least three weeks in advance. This buffer includes design preparation, visualization, production, and delivery.
Upon receipt, check:
- quantity compliance with the order
- print quality: no blurring, color consistency with the approved proof, logo legibility
- cap tightness on a few random pieces
- condition of packaging and lack of mechanical damage
Take photos upon receipt and report any objections within 24–48 hours.
Summary
The sequence is always the same: choice of manufacturer → product parameters → file → visualization → approval → production → delivery. None of these steps are complicated if you know what to expect.
A well-prepared file and quick visualization approval save the most time. The most money is saved by a correction reported before production, not after it.
Send your logo and choose the capacity – you will see the visualization tomorrow.
FAQ
What is the minimum number of pieces to order?
One carton: 60 pieces for a 400 ml shaker, 56 pieces for 700 ml. We fulfill subsequent orders in multiples of a carton.
How long does fulfillment take?
From 7 working days from visualization approval and payment posting, plus courier delivery time. The key factor is the speed of design approval on the client’s side.
Do I have to have a vector file?
A vector (AI, EPS, PDF) is the preferred format because it scales without loss of quality. If you only have a raster file, it must have at least 300 dpi at the target print size. Files from Canva or PowerPoint usually do not meet these requirements.
Is the visualization paid?
No. The visualization is free and ready within 24 hours of sending the file, without advance payment and without obligations.
Does a larger print cost more?
No. The price depends solely on the number of colors. A full-wrap graphic costs the same as a small logo on the side.
Can MOQ be negotiated?
The one-carton threshold results from the packaging method and production launch. For non-standard projects, it is worth asking — we set some conditions individually.
