Paper Water Cups

Cups for the water cooler, the gym and the waiting room

Paper water cups do one job, and they do it many times a day. They sit beside water coolers in offices, filtered water stations in gyms and schools, dispensers in clinics and waiting rooms, and hydration tables at road races, charity walks and outdoor festivals. Nobody chooses a gym because of its water cups, but people notice when the dispenser is empty or the cups are flimsy. And a cup with your name on it, picked up ten times a day by every employee or member, is a small but steady reminder of who provides it.

Because water cups are used once and briefly, the right choice is the cheapest cup that does the job well, in the shape your dispenser needs. That is mostly a question of shape and size.

Cone cups or flat-bottom cups

A lot of buyers search for paper cones for water, and for good reason. Cone cups have a pointed base and slide into tube dispensers fixed to the side of many water coolers. They cannot be set down, which is the point: people drink and toss, and nobody leaves half-full cups on desks. Flat-bottom cups stand on a counter or table and suit coolers without a tube dispenser, as well as events where people carry water to a seat.

For printed cone cups specifically, see our custom printed paper cone cups, which focus on that pointed shape.

Board, coating and cost

Water cups do not need insulation or heavy board, since the drink is cold and the cup is held for a minute. Light food-grade SBS or kraft board with a PE or wax-coated inside is standard. Wax-coated cups have a slightly waxy feel and a long history in water service; PE-lined cups are smoother. Both hold water without softening during normal use. Sizes run from 3 to 12 oz.

Keeping board light also keeps the price per cup low, which matters for something used in the thousands each month. Recyclable and biodegradable options are available if your office or gym has sustainability goals. If you print, soy- or vegetable-based inks fit the same story.

Events are the exception to light board. At a summer race or a fair, cups get squeezed by tired hands, set on hot tables and filled from heavy jugs. A slightly heavier board avoids crushed cups and spilled water at the busiest moment. If the same event also pours juice or sports drinks, a single design can run across our wider range of drinking paper cups.

Printing a cup used a hundred times a day

Many water cups ship plain white, and that is a perfectly good choice for a clinic or a utility room. Printing them makes sense when the cup is seen by visitors or members.

• Gyms and studios: logo plus a short motivating line, or your class schedule QR code.
• Corporate offices: company logo in brand color. PMS printing keeps it accurate.
• Clinics: a calm one-color logo and the practice's phone number or website.
• Events and races: event name, date and sponsor logos; cups often end up in photos.
• Schools: the mascot and school colors, which kids like.

Keep artwork simple. Water cups are small, held briefly and often viewed from above as people fill them, so a single logo or a ring of repeated small marks works better than detailed artwork. Matte and gloss finishes are both available.

Running a water station

Place the dispenser at a comfortable height beside the cooler, with a bin within reach so used cups do not end up on the floor. For cone cups, load the tube from the top so the cups stay clean. For flat-bottom cups at events, pre-fill a row a few minutes before runners or guests arrive, and keep extra sleeves in a closed box under the table, protected from rain and splashes. Store cartons in a dry place; water cups are light and can pick up moisture in damp storerooms.

If the same building runs a coffee machine, a slightly larger cup for hot drinks avoids people burning their hands on thin water cups. Printed 7 oz paper cups handle both tea and water.

Ordering water cups

1. Check your dispenser: cone tube or flat counter.
2. Choose size and board, plain or printed.
3. Send your logo, or ask for our free design help.
4. Estimate monthly use and pick a quantity from 100 cups. Volume discounts help on regular reorders.
5. Approve the proof. Production takes 4 to 6 business days, and rush is available.

Free samples are available, so you can test the fit in your dispenser first. Shipping is free to the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia.