How Spot UV Varnish Can Elevate Matte Drinkware

While full-color, seamless, vibrant images are often heralded as the primary reason to digitally decorate drinkware, today we explore the complete opposite. At FESPA Amsterdam 2024, the Inkcups Europe team showcased a striking alternative: printing just varnish on semi-opaque Tritan-based water bottles in the Personalise Make Wear Smart Factory Experience.

FESPA Amsterdam 2024

The Personalisation Experience 2024 at FESPA centered on advancements in digital print personalization, encompassing cutting-edge technologies, sustainable practices, and strategies implemented by industry frontrunners. Inkcups Europe participated in the Smart Factory segment, showcasing our premier solution for personalized drinkware, presented as a complimentary revenue stream for those companies specializing in personalized apparel.

Amidst the catwalk, live demos, and sewing machines pumping away, Inkcups demonstrated the seamless personalization capabilities of the Helix® cylindrical inkjet printer, allowing for swift transitions between different artworks. Surprisingly, one of the most sought-after designs didn’t rely on a full-color wrap or trendy graphics. Instead, it utilized only clear varnish to wow. By embracing minimalism and forgoing vibrant hues, this technique delivers breathtaking results on matte products.

How was Spot Varnish Utilized at FESPA?

During the show, Inkcups demonstrated the effectiveness of solely printing with varnish. UV inkjet printing offers unrivaled precision, ensuring precise varnish placement that is instantly cured by UV light to prevent ink spreading or bleeding, resulting in sharp images. Often referred to as spot varnish, during the printing process only varnish is jetted, creating areas that are highly glossy.

UV varnish printed on the semi-opaque drinkware created a beautiful effect that allowed full transparency where the design was, creating stark contrast with the matte finish.

To watch Bobby Grauf, Managing Director Europe, please visit: Eye on Display’s interview at FESPA Amsterdam 2024 We recommend watching the entire clip, but if you want to jump ahead go to time stamp 2:30.

UV Ink

All seven of our digital UV ink series for drinkware feature cyan, magenta, yellow, black, white (sometimes an additional vivid white ink) and clear varnish. Varnish can be utilized both on top of color, or standalone to enhance the appearance of the vessel itself.

For more information, please visit: What is Spot Varnish in UV Printing?