The Guide to Branding Glass & Crystal: Methods, Use-Cases and Things to Avoid

If you sell awards and corporate gifts, the “how” of branding is what makes or breaks the final piece. Below is a clear, no-nonsense guide to every decoration method we offer, when to use it, when not to and how to brief it so you don’t lose margin fixing mistakes later.

Sandblast Engraving (with or without Colour Infill)

What it is: A mask is applied to the item, then the design is etched with abrasive blasting for a crisp, frosted mark. It’s permanent, tactile and premium.

Best for: Optical crystal, jade/clear glass, paperweights, vases and awards where a timeless look matters.

Depth & detail: Excellent for line art, crests and type.

Add colour: We can colour infill the engraved area (highly recommended on darker glass) for contrast and legibility.

Avoid when: You need Pantone-critical colour.

Full-Colour Digital (UV) Printing

What it is: High-resolution, full-colour print directly to the surface, great for photos and brand gradients.

Best for: Flat-faced items and our Acrystalic/Acrylic formats (see below). The tech is only suitable for flat products and is ideal for photos, logos with gradients and multi-colour designs. 

Avoid when: The surface is heavily curved, or you need kiln-fired durability (see High/Low Fire below).

Bespoke Acrylic & Acrystalic Awards

What they are: Acrylic can be cut to any shape; Acrystalic combines a full-colour printed acrylic shape mounted to a clear crystal base, brilliant impact with off-the-shelf pricing logic.

Best for: Bold shapes (logos, icons), colour-heavy brands, sustainability stories (we also offer 100% recycled acrylic bespoke awards). 

Avoid when: You need deep, tactile etch or sub-surface effects.

3D Sub-Surface Laser Engraving

What it is: A laser focuses inside optical crystal to form points of light, creating a floating image in 2D or 3D. Zero surface mark; ultra-clean. 

Best for: 3D models (products, buildings, vehicles), intricate crests, long-service awards where “wow” matters.

Avoid when: You want bold colour, or on glass that isn’t optical-grade.

High-Fire Transfer Printing

What it is: A colour transfer that is fired at high temperature; incredibly durable.

Best for: Single-colour graphics where extreme durability is required (dishwasher/handling resistance). Cannot reproduce full-colour; think solid logos/line art. 

Avoid when: You need multi-colour images or Pantone-accurate matching.

Low-Fire Transfer Printing

What it is: A lower-temperature transfer process designed to reproduce full-colour images, ideal for complex logos. 

Best for: Full-colour branding on curved items where direct (UV) print isn’t appropriate.

Avoid when: The item will see harsh industrial cleaning, high-fire is tougher.

Decals (What People Usually Mean)

In glassware, “decals” are the transfers used in both high-fire and low-fire processes. Choose high-fire for single-colour, ultra-robust marks; choose low-fire for full-colour reproduction. 

Pantone Matching on Glass - How Close Can You Get?

Short answer: close, but not always exact.

• Low-fire transfers are your best bet when Pantone fidelity matters; we can target specific Pantones within the limits of ceramic/organically pigmented inks and kiln variables. 

• High-fire tends to be single-colour and less about Pantone nuance. 

• Digital (UV) print is excellent for photos and gradients, but is built on CMYK not spot inks so it’s “visually close”, not Pantone-swatch exact.

Reality check: Glass substrate, translucency and viewing light all affect perceived colour. If Pantone is mission-critical, ask us to produce a signed colour swatch on the actual item.

Bespoke Builds (Logos, Letters, Landmarks)

We routinely manufacture bespoke crystal and acrylic awards in the shape of logos, letters, buildings, maps and more, often pairing those forms with engraving or print. Send a sketch/CAD and we’ll quote. 

Foil Blocking (on Presentation Boxes)

What it is: Metallic foil stamped onto presentation box lids (not onto the glass).

Best for: Elevating perceived value, gift boxes with blocking or embossing on the lids. Use for awards ceremonies, VIP gifting or retail. 

Avoid when: You need the branding on the glass itself, pair with engraving or print on the item.

Can You Mix Methods on One Award?

Often, yes and it can elevate the result:

• Sandblast Engraving + Colour Infill for contrast and readability. 

• Acrystalic + Engraved Base: full-colour story up top, classic engraved message below. 

• Low-Fire + Engraved Personalisation: durable colour logo plus etched names. 

We’ll flag combinations that conflict (e.g., attempting UV print on complex curves).

Redraw: From Fuzzy Logo to Sharp in 24 Hours

When a customers supplied artwork won’t cut it, we’ll fully redraw the mark into clean vectors and supply an engraving-safe and print-safemaster. This protects your future orders and slashes proof ping-pong.

“Can You Do Acrylic, UV, Decals…on Everything?”

No. Respect the physics. A few guardrails:

• Digital (UV): stick to flat surfaces. 

• Sub-surface laser: needs optical crystal, not generic soda-lime glass. 

• Colour infill: brilliant on marble/coloured glass; less impact on very light frosts. 

Packaging That Looks the Part

The best branding can be undercut by poor packaging. We stock and produce presentation boxes and can foil-block or emboss lids for a premium finish. 

How to Brief Us (and Save Yourself Rework)

Use this Artwork Label in your email/PO so nothing gets lost in translation:

• Item code & size

• Branding method (e.g., BP Engraving + Colour Infill / Low-Fire Transfer)

• Artwork file (vector preferred: .ai/.pdf/.eps; fonts outlined)

• Engraving/Print size & position (mm), plus orientation

• Pantone (if applicable) and finish (e.g., infill colour, metallic foil on box)

• Personalisation list (spell-checked, CSV/Excel)

• Specials (mix of methods, 3D model for sub-surface, proof by date)

• Dispatch target (so we sequence correctly)

Quick chooser (don’t overthink it)

• Want timeless, premium? → Sandblast Engraving (+ Colour Infill for dark items). 

• Want photographic/gradient? → Full-Colour Digital (UV) on flat items, or Low-Fire Transfer for curves. 

• Want ultra-durable single-colour? → High-Fire Transfer. 

• Want wow/3D? → Sub-Surface Laser (2D/3D). 

• Want brand-shaped statements? → Acrystalic/Acrylic or Bespoke crystal.

One last thing…

If your current supplier keeps saying “yes” to anything anywhere, they’re risking your margin on reworks. We’ll tell you what will and won’t work up front, back it with proofs and ship packaging that lands perfectly.