Frequently Asked Questions

General Info

What is your current lead time?

Estimated lead times vary depending on order volume. Current estimated lead times are below.

• Premium Sleeves: 4-6 weeks
• Original Sleeves: 3-5 weeks
• Coasters: 3-5 weeks
• Custom Hot Cups: 3-5 weeks
• Custom Cold Cups: 4-6 weeks

When does order lead time begin?

Order lead time begins after design approval and payment. Transit time is not included in the lead time.

The Sleeve a Message™ team operates Monday through Friday 9-5pm (CST) and does not count weekends, holidays, or any days on which FedEx is not operating as business days.

How can I see my shipping costs?

Shipping rates are presented on the shopping cart page, and are based on the shipping address you enter. As you add items to your cart and continue shopping, the shipping rate will update to reflect the shipping cost for the total cart configuration.

Can you RUSH my custom order?

Rush orders can often be accommodated for an additional fee, which will be billed separately, and must be paid before production can begin.

If you need your product delivered by a certain date, please reach out to us at [email protected] to inquire whether we will be able to accommodate your desired delivery date before completing your online order.

Expedited shipping is not the same as expedited production. If you have not arranged rush production with us, your order will be printed according to our current standard lead time, then your chosen shipping method will be used when the order is completed.

Product Questions

Will I receive a proof before my order is printed?

All orders placed through the website require approval of a printed proof before production can begin. We may initially send you a graphic rendering to ensure the layout of your design is correct, and will then send you a photo of a test print.

If you would like to receive a sample in the mail, please let the sales representative know when they share your test print or proof.

Please note, we can only provide test prints (hard proofs) for Original Sleeves and Coasters, because they do not require creation of printing plates.

Design Specifics

What is spot color vs. process color?

Spot colors are solid colors created using a specific premixed ink, usually based on Pantone Matching System (PMS) colors. PMS colors are standardized, so the individual spot colors are consistent across different designers and print vendors. The majority of our Premium Sleeves are printed using PMS spot colors, as customers often want the color printed on their sleeves to match specific colors in their brand guidelines.

Process colors are created from four different ink colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). Tiny overlapping dots of CMYK inks blend together to build a broad spectrum of color. Our Original Sleeves are printed with CMYK ink. Spot colors can be approximated with CMYK print, but there are some limitations to the spectrum of color that CMYK can achieve. For instance, there is no combination of cyan, magenta, yellow, and/or black that can achieve white print. This is why we can only offer white ink as a spot color in our Premium Sleeve option (on kraft paperboard).

What image file type can I upload for my order?

Our site accepts the following file formats: .JPG, .PNG, .PDF, .ZIP. Other artwork formats or file types must be compressed into a .ZIP file.

File upload size is limited to 10 MB per file.

100% vector graphics are preferred (PDF or AI)

Please consult our sleeve or coaster “design specifications” page for further directions and downloadable templates.

For security reasons, we no longer accept EPS files through the website. If you only have an EPS version of your design, you can send it to us via email, and we will send you back a print-ready formatted file to upload with your online order. Turnaround time for artwork formatting is typically 1-2 business days.