Frequently Asked Questions

Steelys® Drinkware is a B2B wholesale and promotional supplier. We do not sell individual cups and bottles direct to consumers at this time. We can sell direct to consumers if they are willing to purchase in case quantities.

We sell in case quantities. Minimum orders typically start at 48 pieces, but the quantities we package in each case and minimums required to order vary by product. Please check individual product pages for minimums on your Steelys® product of interest.

Yes, our full product line is available as blank goods, although we do specialize in custom imprinted product using customer-supplied artwork. Standard listed pricing applies on blank orders, but screen set up charges are waived. Some products include an additional discount for blank goods. Please contact us for details.

Our standard material is grade #304, 18/8 stainless steel that is tough, versatile and can last a lifetime.  The “18/8” indicates the makeup of steel, referring to the percentages of chromium (18%) and nickel alloy (8%), which provide the corrosion and oxidation resistant qualities that carbon steel lacks on its own. Stainless steel is easy to fabricate, simple to clean, naturally anti-bacterial, and looks great. It’s the dominant steel used in many industrial, architectural, manufacturing, medical, household and food and beverage industry applications – from commercial kitchen sinks to highly sterile surgical equipment. It’s non-reactive and non-porous and it doesn’t retain or impart flavors. It’s free of BPA, phthalates, and nasty toxins. Stainless steel is 100% recyclable. By recycling it, we return not only steel but nickel and chromium alloys to the production chain, reducing the need to mine and process more of these essential ingredients.

We’ve researched available data, engaged the sustainability community, and talked to scientists, engineers and designers who study this stuff. While there is debate on this question, our informed opinion is that stainless steel is by far the most sustainable material for a reusable cup or bottle when you assess its full life cycle. Producing a stainless steel bottle does require more resources than other materials during the processing and manufacturing phases. However, it is also much more durable and longer-lasting than paper, conventional plastics, compostable plastics, glass, ceramics, aluminum, and any other practical material used for beverage containers. If you join us in maintaining a Zero Waste philosophy of reducing and reusing, your stainless bottle becomes more eco-friendly with each use. With a little proper care, a Steelys® container can virtually last forever.

Our bottle, cup and tumbler tops are made of #5 polypropylene — except for the Soft Top Tumbler lid, which is made of silicone. All of our tops are BPA-free, phthalate-free, non-leaching and non-toxic. We chose polypropylene because it’s a durable food grade material that is resistant to cracking and staining, and it provides a tight seal that reduces leaks and spills. It has an international recycling symbol of “5” and is highly recyclable. Silicone is a very flexible inorganic rubber. Silicone is recyclable, although not through typical city-wide recycling programs.

Steelys® are manufactured responsibly in China, and imprinted in the USA. We closely manage our supply chain and have developed policies to guide social and environmental compliance to assure that responsible manufacturing practices are employed and workers are treated fairly. After manufacturing and QC testing, blank product is shipped to our West Coast and Midwest production facilities. From there, we imprint, package, and ship finished goods direct to our customers. Longer-lead orders over 1,500 pieces can also be imprinted offshore.

While Steelys® won’t crack or shatter like plastic or glass, even heavy gauge steel can get dinged or scratched when dropped onto a hard surface. But for ruggedness and reusability, it’s much more durable than plastics, aluminum, ceramics and glass. Because it is lightweight yet extremely tough, stainless steel is a preferred material for many product designers and engineers. Our double-wall insulated stainless pieces are the best performing of all. Since our products are made of pure food grade steel, with no liner on the inside, even dented containers can be reused and will remain totally safe and free of leaching substances.

Our merchandise is delivered in corrugate shipper boxes, which can be stored, reused for other purposes or recycled. We reuse our boxes whenever possible and do our best to package for efficient shipping and minimal waste. Decorated product is sometimes shipped in individual poly bags or gift boxes within our freight boxes. This is required in some cases for quality control purposes to protect each item — and its fresh imprint — in transit. Partial cases are sometimes shipped with filler to protect goods. Our production team and quality control staff make their best judgment on how to package each order, balancing our criteria for protecting goods with minimizing waste. Please advise us if you have special requirements for shipping, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your needs and preferences. 

Yes, Steelys® are approved to bring on commercial aircraft. Airport security will require that any reusable bottle or cup be emptied of liquids before boarding an aircraft.

Just about any beverage tastes great in our clean, pure, food grade stainless containers. Steelys® single wall stainless cups and bottles should be used only for cold beverages: water, juice, soda, wine, beer, liquor, ice, iced tea, smoothies, shakes, etc.  Our double wall insulated containers can be used for both hot and cold beverages, including the ones noted above plus heated drinks like coffee, tea or hot cocoa. Acidic or alcoholic beverages may require more extensive cleaning, using distilled vinegar or baking soda, to get the taste out.

Yes, our stainless steel containers and polypropylene tops are top rack dishwasher safe. However, to preserve the food-safe paints and inks we use on decorated goods, we recommend hand washing our bottles and tops. Dishwashing using commercial equipment is discouraged for screen printed goods, as the harsh detergents and extremely hot water of commercial machines can damage the imprint.

No. Products containing metal are not safe for microwave oven use.

Some products yes, some products no. For example, Steelys® Pint Cups and Mugs work great in the freezer. You can chill an empty Steelys® Cup or Mug before use for an amazingly refreshing cold beverage. However, do not freeze any Steelys® bottles featuring lids, and don’t freeze Steelys® with liquid inside. Freezing temperatures can crack or damage lids, and frozen liquid expands and can damage the container.

Our single wall stainless bottles are for cold drinks only. Our double-wall Insulated Cups and Bottles can be used for temperatures of 180 degrees and below. Insulated Steelys® are good for extra hot beverages and will retain heat (or cold) longer than other containers. Users should be mindful of liquid temperature so they don’t get burned while drinking.

Our Baja, Maui and Boulder bottles feature sport-style Flip ‘N Sip straws for fast hydration. Baja and Maui are single-wall stainless for cold beverages only. The insulated Boulder bottle can be used for cold or hot beverages. However, extra hot drinks can warp the Boulder straw, so we suggest you let the drink cool down a bit before use. The flip top, sip-through caps on our insulated Kona, Shasta and Tahoe tumblers don’t feature straws and they can withstand temperatures of up to 180 degrees and below. Users should be mindful of liquid temperature so they don’t get burned while drinking.

All of our bottles and tumblers are leak-resistant, but the most leak-proof product we offer is the 16 ounce Contigo Westloop Tumbler. We use the most convenient, comfortable, functional lids available, all of which have a tight seal to prevent spills. We have rejected many otherwise good bottle designs due to leaky or inferior lid performance. We offer only wide mouth openings because we’ve found that many narrow bottle tops tend to have threading problems that fail over time. Our standard stainless steel bottles and tumblers with screw-on, flip-top or sport-top lids are highly leak-resistant. Our Soft Top and Hard Top Tumblers are not leak proof, because they have exposed sip-through openings. Lids should be threaded and closed properly for a tight seal. Even bottles considered leak-proof should not be stored loosely at the bottom of a bag, where they can get tossed around among other important belongings or cause problems if not properly closed.

We recommend hand washing Steelys® before initial use and after every use. We suggest using warm, soapy water, rinsing well and then letting the piece fully drain, with lid or cap off and placed upside down in a dish rack, until it air dries. If your bottle sits with liquid for an extended period of time, we suggest a soak of baking soda or distilled vinegar, then scrubbing with a bristled brush and washing and rinsing normally. If you don’t have a brush, try putting some rice and distilled vinegar inside and shaking. We recommend that you do not submerge our double-wall tumblers under water, as water can work its way into the cavity and get stuck between the walls.

Our caps and lids are top shelf dishwasher safe, but hand washing is recommended. It’s best to clean tops regularly to keep them from clogging, accumulating sediments, or retaining beverage flavor. If your bottle sits with liquid for an extended period of time, or seems to be retaining smells, just soak the cap overnight using the same vinegar and baking soda mixture then washing and rinsing.

The premium grade 18/8 stainless steel we use is highly resistant to rust and oxidation. Rust should not occur with proper care and under normal conditions, but it can happen in rare circumstances. For example, acidic beverages such as juice have been known to cause a layer of oxidation to begin developing over time. If oxidation ever does develop, it is typically only a surface blemish that can be easily removed with the application of a metal cleaner like Barkeepers Friend or a solution of distilled vinegar, baking powder, water and a little scrubbing.

Customer supplied artwork should be provided to us as a Scalable Vector Art file. Acceptable file formats are: .EPS, .AI (Abobe Illustrator), and a scalable .PDF (Adobe Acrobat). With some exceptions, we can also accept .PSD (Adobe Photoshop), and High Resolution .TIFF files. All fonts in your artwork should be included, or converted to outlines, when sending us the file. If fonts are not outlined, we can reset the type or substitute the missing fonts, but the substitute fonts may not be exact. Multi color designs for screen printing on stainless should be flat “spot” colors, with no gradations. If you wish to print specific colors or have formal brand standards, your desired colors should be identified with a Solid Coated Pantone® Matching System (PMS) number (see below). We have the capabilities to print full-color, photographic-quality artwork on many of our products, but it’s not a standard production process, so it requires a custom bid. Contact us for details. Customer supplied art must to be reviewed by us prior to confirming a quote for imprinted goods. Please submit artwork with your quote request for faster turnaround and a more accurate quote.

Vector Art can be separated to film without loss of image quality. Because Vector Art is scalable, no matter what size we make it, the artwork’s edge quality is always clean and crisp so it will print to our high quality standards.

The Pantone® Matching System (PMS) is the industry standard for color. If you’re meticulous about your imprint colors or have brand standards requiring that specific colors be used, your provided artwork should specify desired Solid Coated PMS colors. On some products, additional charges may apply for exact PMS color matching. Customers who do not specify PMS colors are subject to our 'eye' match, where we will match your artwork, as it appears to us, using our best judgement. Our production team will make every effort to match your color as close as possible.

We can screen print virtually any color on Steelys® product. We have vast experience printing on both painted and raw silver stainless material and will help you get beautiful results. Some imprint colors will not necessarily translate well on certain product colors. If you want your imprint to really stand out, it’s best to choose imprint colors that strongly contrast the base color of the bottle. Because raw stainless silver is a neutral color, a closely matching silver or grey imprint color may not be very legible (but black or dark grey would read well). If you want a more subtle look, imprinting a lighter or darker shade of the base product color can also look good. For instance, a light blue imprint on a dark blue bottle can look pretty cool. Our customer service team will work with you to achieve the look you want, and we’ll provide free virtual mock ups of your order for approval before we go into production.

Our standard decoration method is screen printing, and it’s used in most of our projects. Our screen printing on stainless steel is top-of-the-line quality, but is typically limited to single or multiple flat “spot” colors, with no gradations in the artwork. We do offer additional printing methods on some product if your artwork is more complex, or if you’re looking for an imprint that is more permanent. We can provide two types of full-color printing on certain items — either digitally printed 4-color-process art, or screen printed 4-color-process art. These processes can accommodate color gradations and photographic quality images. However, full color imprint set up and run charges are typically more than screen printing, and the production times can be longer.  Some of our pieces can also be decorated with laser engrave or acid etch imprint methods. These processes allow for a more permanent imprint that can even withstand dishwashers, but they are limited to 1-color black or more subtle “tone-on-tone” imprint, which may not “pop” as much as screen printing. Timing, cost, imprint size, and production schedule varies for these alternative processes. We can consult with you on best options once we’ve reviewed the artwork you wish to print. Please contact us for more details. 

Yes, we will email you a digital proof confirming product selected, application and placement of your artwork, and imprint colors, prior to production at no charge. We can also make a one-off physical pre-production printed sample for your approval, prior to your full production run. However, our virtuals usually suffice, and printed physical samples are usually not necessary. Additional charges and production and approval time will apply for printed pre-production samples.

We have a talented design and production team who can get your files ready to print or design something cool for you. Artwork submitted that requires production fixes or substitute fonts to be print-ready may incur additional fees. If you need original design or illustration work based on your ideas or thumbnail sketches, we’ll be glad to help. Custom design projects are subject to staff availability and design or production fees will apply based on time required and complexity of work involved. This service is typically billed at a flat rate of $60/hour, billed in 30 minute increments.

Email your art files and/or mock ups to us at art@steelysdrinkware.com (please keep the file size under 10 mb.). Please call us at 415-558-8839 to advise that you’re sending the file. Unannounced files may not be downloaded or processed as quickly.
Please reference your order information or PO number along with the files.

Our customer service team will help you determine final pricing before we proceed with your order. Pricing is subject to review of your specs and artwork. You can calculate costs based on item selected, quantity needed, how many colors of ink are used, and size and number of imprints you desire on each piece. Minimum quantities, imprint sizes and screen set up costs vary by product, so please check each individual product page. Freight charges apply, and vary based on size of your order and where it needs to be delivered.

There is NO SALES TAX for orders delivered outside the state of California, or for orders shipped to California if sold “For Resale.” Sales Tax is required for orders delivered within the state of California. For California orders sold For Resale, a valid Reseller Certificate is required for sales tax to be waived.

Our prices include a one color screen print, in one location, at standard imprint size, unless specifically noted. On each product page, below the "Price Box" and within the "Pricing Information" tab you will see the words "Price Includes…"  This will explain if and how the product is printed (how your artwork is applied to the product). If you want your artwork printed larger than the standard size listed, or if it needs to print in more than one location, or in more than one color, additional set up and run charges may apply. If your imprint requires specific Pantone® Color matching beyond our standard available ink colors, additional charges may apply. If you require non-standard imprint options such as acid etch, laser etch, or 4-color-process with gradations, additional set up and run charges may apply. We will be glad to provide a detailed quote once we review your art and needs.

We are happy to accept checks, cash, wire transfers, MasterCard, VISA and American Express. Acceptance of American Express cards will incur a 2% surcharge.

Orders are typically pre-paid. Payment terms or Purchase Order payment is available to customers with pre-approved credit and is handled by written agreement and offered at our discretion. Please contact us for details and a credit application.

We sell goods by the case and minimum orders vary by product. For some products, minimum orders start at 48 pieces. For others, they start at 72 or 144 pieces. Please check the individual product pages for minimum order requirements. We may be able to sell some items “below minimum” quantities, however, additional charges will apply and absolute minimum is 48 pieces.

Please click here to review how easy it is to find and order goods.

You can get your order started online or place it directly via email at orders@steelysdrinkware.com, or by phone at 415-558-8839. Due to the custom nature of our orders, each transaction will require some human interaction to be confirmed and completed. Once you contact us by filling out a brief quote request form — or by contacting us directly — our customer service team will work with you to determine final pricing, review production issues, and resolve payment method to process your order.  

We make the best effort to process orders as quickly as possible. Imprinted orders typically take 7-10 business days from approved digital proof, plus freight time. Blank goods typically ship within 1-3 days, plus freight time. Our customer service team will confirm an estimated schedule for your order, and keep you posted as it proceeds. We can sometimes expedite delivery, but rush production or freight charges may apply. We ship goods from our facilities in the Midwest or West Coast, and we try to use the most efficient location to minimize environmental impacts, freight costs, and timing. For high volume overseas orders, production time is about 12-14 weeks including ocean freight, customs clearance, and domestic truck delivery to your final destination.

Yes, we maintain a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and the highest standards in product quality, safety and compliance. All Steelys® products — including any paints and inks used — are regularly tested to meet and exceed all applicable federal and state regulations, laws and standards for drinkware products, including, but not limited to, those applicable to FDA and California Prop 65. All of our products, lids and accessories comply with all applicable safety regulations, including those for lead, cadmium, phthalates, and BPA (Bisphenol A).

Yes, all of our products conform to California Prop 65. Please see our Statement of Prop 65 Compliance.

Yes, all of our products, lids and accessories are BPA-Free.

Yes, Steelys® are Phthalate Free.

We use food-safe acrylic paint that contains no toxins or lead. To preserve the quality of the paint, we recommend hand-washing our products and not using abrasive agents to clean it.

We use screen printing inks that are lead-free, phthalate-free and food safe. Our inks contain no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), no heavy metals, and are cured by ultraviolet light. We do all of our pre-production and screen printing work at facilities in the USA, except for some high volume made-to–order projects produced at our factories offshore. We use strictly controlled closed-loop printing facilities, as an added measure, to eliminate any potential discharge in the imprinting process.

Yes. The stainless steel used in our products is 100% recyclable. The #5 polypropylene used in our leak-resistant lids and tops is also highly recyclable.

At Steelys®, we are committed to leveraging the benefits of our products and the buying power of our customers as a force for positive change in the drinkware industry. We have created various sections of this site to provide useful information for any individual looking to learn more about the general principles of Sustainability and Zero Waste, as well as the risks and challenges associated with plastics and our growing global landfill crisis. In addition, we have established policies and procedures to assure that our products are manufactured and decorated responsibly, that workers are treated fairly, and that goods are tested for health and safety compliance. We have also addressed the important issue of sourcing challenges in today's global marketplace. Please browse our Sustainability, Compliance and Supplier Code of Conduct sections for more information. The health and sustainability data we present is based on research we’ve compiled from credible published sources, as well as our own experience and analysis. We’re a young organization dedicated to doing our part to make the world a better, safer and healthier place. We welcome your thoughts, suggestions, constructive criticism, questions, and active participation in being part of the solution.