In the world of branded merch, “how” is just as important as “what.” Choosing the right decoration method is the difference between a product that sits in a junk drawer and one that becomes a daily essential.
Here is a breakdown of our decoration options and how to use them like a pro.
1. SimpliColor®
If your brand lives in high definition, SimpliColor® is built for the “social media age” of design. Think vibrant gradients, complex shading, and even full photography.
The Tech:
For Pens: We use a specialized digital transfer process (often referred to internally as the “Casino” process), digitally printing your CMYK artwork onto a release film before transferring it directly onto the pen barrel. Select styles also offer SimpliColor 360, allowing decoration to wrap around the full barrel.
For Ceramic Mugs: High-quality CMYK dye sublimation inks transfer your design into a durable polymer coating on the mug’s surface, creating vibrant, long-lasting full-color decoration.
For Stationery: The same digital process is used on select stationery items, delivering detailed, full-color decoration.
Approach: High energy, modern, and visually loud.
Tip: Use SimpliColor® for multi-color logos, gradients, or photographic artwork when detail matters.
2. ColorJet (Full-Color Inkjet)
When your artwork demands flexibility and high-definition detail on hard surfaces, ColorJet delivers vibrant, high-impact results directly to the product.
The Tech: We use a CMYK+W direct digital inkjet process. By printing directly onto the surface of drinkware (excluding ceramic), pens, and stationery, we achieve a crisp, “ink-on-product” feel with a wide color gamut.
Approach: Modern, precise, and expressive.
Tip: This is the go-to for multi-color logos on metal or plastic tumblers and pens where you want the decoration to feel naturally part of the product.
3. Full-Color Heat Transfer
For soft goods like bags, this method excels at reproducing complex images, photographs, and detailed graphics that need to withstand the flex and wear of fabric.
The Tech: This is a digital inkjet process (often called DTF or Direct-to-Film). We print liquid CMYK+W ink onto a specialized film, which is then transferred onto the bag using heat and pressure. The White (W) ink acts as a primer, ensuring designs stay bold and opaque on dark materials.
Approach: Bold, durable, and retail-ready.
Tip: Vector artwork is required for best results. Maintain a minimum 7pt font and 2pt line weight.
Important: Label any white print areas as “Spot White” in your artwork file.
4. Silkscreen & Pad Printing
Sometimes, less is more. Silkscreen and pad printing are the heavy hitters for high-contrast branding. This is about rich, saturated color that makes a logo unmistakable from across the room.
The Tech: These methods apply color-matched liquid ink in a solid, opaque layer directly onto the product’s surface. For silkscreen, the ink is pushed through a fine mesh screen, for pad printing, a soft silicone pad transfers the ink onto curved surfaces. Once applied, the ink is cured for a durable, permanent finish.
Approach: Clean, professional, and authoritative.
Tip: Stick to single-color logos for maximum clarity. PMS color matching is available on drinkware.
5. Laser Engraving & LaserMAX®
If you want to communicate that your brand is built to last, start using the power of light. Laser engraving etches your logo directly into the material, creating a mark that is durable and permanent.
The Tech: Standard laser removes surface paint to reveal the aluminum barrel beneath. For a high-impact look, Mirror Laser reveals a reflective, mirror-like layer. LaserMAX® offers a taller imprint height, allowing for larger, more prominent logos on select metal and mirror pens.
Approach: Executive, premium, and long-lasting.
Tip: Perfect for metal pens and premium gifts.
6. Ceram•X
Take it to the next level with Ceram•X, a specialized laser marking process designed to etch directly into ceramic glaze. It handles intricate linework that would normally get lost with standard engraving, giving your drinkware a high-end, gallery-quality texture.
The Tech: Ceram•X uses precision laser marking calibrated for ceramic glazes, allowing for finer lines, sharper detail, and consistent results, even on curved drinkware.
Note: Due to the laser engraving process used in Ceram•X, subtle linear striations may appear within the material and imprint; this is a natural characteristic of this decoration method.
Approach: Artisanal, detailed, and meaningful.
Tip: Use this for intricate, fine-line illustrations on drinkware. It feels like a custom gallery piece.
7. Deboss
By pressing your logo into faux leather or soft-touch materials, you create a 3D “sunken” effect. It’s a favorite for brands that prefer a sophisticated, understated aesthetic.
The Tech: A custom metal die is heated and pressed into the material to create a permanent, recessed impression using only heat and pressure.
Approach: Minimalist, high-end, and “boutique.”
Tip: Best for journals, notebooks, and portfolios where texture does the talking.
Still Not Sure?
We’ve Got You.
The right decoration method depends on three things:
- Your artwork (simple vs. complex)
- Your product material & type
- The impression you want to make
When in doubt, your Goldstar® team is always here to help guide the decision. Click here for more info.