Inside the Stack-Cup Factory
Every cup that leaves Stack-Cup carries a story, and every story starts on the same factory floor in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham. We do not outsource. We do not import finished cups from overseas and put a UK sticker on them. The polypropylene goes in one end of the building, finished branded cups go out the other, and a UK quality team owns every step in between.
Here is how that production journey actually plays out, from raw material to dispatch.
Step 1: Smart Material Sourcing
We start with food-grade polypropylene (PP). It is BPA-free, fully recyclable at end-of-life, and tough enough to survive 500+ industrial dishwasher cycles. Where possible we use recycled PP and we never use the cheap, brittle plastics that warp on the first hot wash.
What we look for in raw material
- Food-safe certification: all material meets UK and EU food contact standards
- BPA-free: zero bisphenol A across the entire range
- Wash resilience: tested for hot industrial cycles, not domestic dishwashers
- Recyclability: mono-material PP for clean recycling streams
Step 2: Custom Artwork and Print Workflow
Once material is approved, our in-house design team works with each client to translate brand artwork into print-ready files. We accept AI, EPS, PDF, PSD, and PNG (vectors preferred). For most orders we run In-Mould Labelling (IML), where the printed label is fused into the cup wall during moulding. The result is a wrap-around photographic finish that does not peel, scratch, or fade across hundreds of wash cycles.
For tighter budgets we run single-colour screen print. Both options share the same 10 working day lead time. For a side-by-side, see our IML versus screen print breakdown.
Print methods at a glance
| Method | Quality | Wash cycles | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-Mould Labelling (IML) | Photographic, full-colour wrap | 500+ | Sponsor activations, multi-season cups |
| Single-colour screen print | Solid one-colour brand | 150 to 250 | One-off events, charity nights |
Step 3: Moulding and Quality Control
Cups are injection-moulded with the IML label set into position before the plastic enters the tool. Once moulded, every cup carries the same patented spiral handle that lets the Stack-Cup format interlock for one-hand multi-carry. Each batch is QA-checked on-site for fill line accuracy, structural integrity, and print clarity.
Step 4: UKCA / CE Compliance Testing
For pint and half-pint formats, every batch is tested against UKCA and CE legal measure standards before it leaves the facility. Internal fill lines (568 ml legal pint, 284 ml half pint, etc.) are checked for accuracy so your bar is licence-compliant from day one.
Step 5: Logistics and Dispatch
Standard custom orders ship within 10 working days from artwork approval. Express services are available when event dates move on you. Because we ship UK-to-UK, there are no overseas freight delays and no surprise customs paperwork.
| Stage | Standard Lead Time |
|---|---|
| Artwork sign-off | 1 to 2 days from quote acceptance |
| Production and IML print | 5 to 7 working days |
| QA, packaging, dispatch | 1 to 2 working days |
| UK courier delivery | 1 to 2 working days |
Step 6: Closed-Loop Reuse and Aftercare
The journey does not end at delivery. We operate a wash-and-reuse service across UK festivals and venues: cups are collected after the event, sanitised at industrial wash facilities, inspected, and stored ready for the next event. Cups that reach the end of their service life are recycled cleanly because we use mono-material PP.
Why Buyers Prefer the In-House Model
- Speed: 10 working day standard lead time, with express options available
- Quality control: single team owns the whole process
- Compliance: UKCA / CE testing on-site, not outsourced
- Carbon footprint: UK-to-UK shipping only
- Real human support: ring us, get a real answer
Working With Stack-Cup
Whether you need 50 cups for a charity event or 100,000 for a multi-stage festival, the process is the same: you send us a brief, we quote within 24 hours, you approve artwork, we build and ship within 10 working days. To see the range, browse our full product catalogue or jump straight to request a quote.
Internal Reading
- Stack cups: the UK festival classic decoded
- Festival cups: the complete buyer's guide for 2026
- How Stack-Cup leads the UK in sustainable drinkware
- How it works: the full process
- Our sustainability story
That is the Stack-Cup production journey, end-to-end, no outsourcing. UK-made, UK-tested, UK-shipped. Talk to us about your event.
