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Bottle Printing

Bottle printing is the process of applying direct-to-substrate decoration onto cylindrical containers such as glass, plastic, or metal bottles. Depending on the design and production requirements, bottles can be decorated using a pad printing machine or a UV digital printer.

For seamless wraps, gradients, or photo-quality images, a cylindrical, or rotary, UV bottle printer is the ideal choice. For smaller designs covering up to 25% of the bottle’s circumference, pad printing is the most efficient and cost-effective method.

Beer Bottles / Growlers

The Helix® printer makes beer bottle printing easy. These may look like adhesive labels but they are actually custom printed , seamless, and full-wrap images printed directly onto beer bottles or growlers (jugs) using the Helix®.

Products used: Helix®, DL UV Ink for glass, MagiCoat glass primer

Learn more about the Helix® Rotary Inkjet Printer for Bottle Printing

Wine Bottles 

This stunning wine bottle was printed on the Helix ONE® with the LV-R Series UV Printer Ink. Each bottle is held with custom tooling as the bottle is digitally decorated. Brands can elevate their product presentation further by offering haptic prints through the use of strategically placed varnish.  

The Helix ONE® is an excellent choice for UV glass bottle printing.

Learn more about the LV Series UV Ink

Sports Bottles

Sporting a highly flexible design, bike bottles, sports bottles, and reusable water bottles all possess a key attribute: their adaptability. Frequently nestled into bike or backpack holders, these bottles are easily squeezed to dispense water into the user’s mouth. By using flexible UV inks, digital images stay vibrant without flaking or peeling—ensuring your designs remain durable through daily activity.

Learn more about UV Inkjet Ink for Sports Bottles

Spirits Bottles 

Wider round bottles with narrow necks, such as spirits bottles, are ideally suited for digital decoration. Given that distilled spirits often boast a longer shelf life—ranging from 1 to 3 years for opened bottles and decades for unopened ones—it’s crucial to approach the decoration of spirits bottles with meticulous care to enhance branding and label quality. With techniques like contour printing, brands can replicate embossed textures with raised digital prints, enhancing both branding and consumer experience.

Read: Custom Liquor Bottle Labels, Digitally Printed

Opaque Wine Bottles 

This impressive insulated wine bottle was printed on the Helix® by one of our customers, Proper Goose for their customer Partner in Wine. Holding a full 750ml bottle of wine, consumers can customize these stunning bottles for a more personalized experience. 

Read a Case Study within a Case Study

Measuring Cups

These custom designed measuring cups were pad printed using the B100 – 1 color table-top machine. When accuracy in alignment is key to printing, such as the lines of the measurements, the B100 laser alignment tool will guide the part to the right position.

Products used: B100 pad printing machine, CG pad printing ink, 1000 HGL hardener

Learn more about the B100 Pad Printing Machine

Why Choose Digital Bottle Printing Over Screen Printing?

While screen printing stands as a prominent method for labeling bottles, digital printing presents unmatched advantages in speed, quality, and versatility. Unlike UV digital printing, which also employs ink, screen printing imposes limitations, such as a restricted color palette—oftentimes capped at five colors—contrasting with the boundless color possibilities achievable through digital printing.

Digital Bottle Printing vs. Screen Printing

 

Factor Digital Bottle Printing Screen Printing
Color Range Virtually unlimited colors using CMYK and additional ink channels Typically limited to a small set of spot colors (often up to 5)
Artwork Complexity Handles gradients, photos, fine detail, and full-wrap designs Best suited for simple logos and solid shapes
Setup Time Minimal; artwork changes are made through digital files Higher; each design requires separate screens and setup
Short-Run Viability Highly efficient for small batches and frequent design changes Less efficient; costs increase with short runs and multiple SKUs
Customization & Versioning Supports personalization, variable data, and limited-edition designs Customization requires new screens, increasing time and cost
Consistency & Quality High repeatability and precise color control across production runs Quality depends on screen condition and manual setup

 

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