Custom engraved water bottles in Bali: laser vs UV printing
Planning a gift, event or branded bottle? Learn the difference between laser engraving and UV colour printing, and how to prepare artwork.
A custom engraved water bottle feels different from one off the shelf. Maybe you are planning a gift, a team welcome pack or a bottle that carries your own logo. At Bottles for Earth, our Bali-based range of reusable stainless-steel bottles can be personalised in two ways: UV colour printing and laser engraving. Here is how they differ, which one suits your idea, and how to get your artwork ready.
Two ways to personalise your Bottles for Earth bottle
Our personalisation page sets out the two methods we offer.
- UV colour printing adds colour artwork to your bottle.
- Laser engraving suits names and simple one-colour artwork or logos.
The right choice depends mostly on your design. If it is a name or a single-colour mark, think engraving. If colour is the whole point, think UV printing. The next two sections walk through each case.
When laser engraving is the right choice
Laser engraving is our suggestion for names and for simple one-colour artwork. A few ideas where that fits well:
- A first name on a bottle for a birthday or a farewell gift.
- A simple one-colour logo for a small business or community group.
- A short, clean line of text or a basic symbol that everyone on a team will recognise.
The golden rule is to keep it simple. A clear name or a bold, uncluttered mark tends to read best, so if your artwork has lots of fine detail or several colours, it is worth reading the next section before you decide.
When colour UV printing is the right choice
If your design uses colour, UV colour printing is the method to look at. It is the one for artwork where the colours matter: a brand palette, an illustration or a playful design that would lose its charm in a single tone.
A quick way to decide is to picture your design in one colour only. If it still looks great, engraving may be all you need. If it falls flat, colour printing is probably the better match. Not sure? Ask us before you order, because we would rather help you choose well than have you guess.
How to prepare your artwork
Good artwork makes the whole process smoother. According to our personalisation page, your files need to meet these requirements:
- Vector images only, in .PSD, .AI or .PDF format
- A transparent background
- File size under 40MB
One more note from the same page: unfortunately we cannot trace an image that is not transparent, so send artwork that is ready to use. If you work with a designer, send them this list first. It saves a round of back and forth.
Which bottles can be customised
Many of our products are tagged “Customisable”. Look for that tag on the product page before you fall in love with a particular bottle. Browse our Audrey range or the wider shop and check each product page for the tag.
It is also worth thinking about how the bottle will be used. Single-wall bottles are for medium-temperature water, while double-wall bottles are suitable for hot or cold drinks, so choose the style that fits what your recipient will pour into it. A name on the right bottle is a gift that gets used every single day, and that is the whole idea.
Bottles for teams, events and gifts
We think of our bottles as fun, quirky and relevant, and many of them are bought as gifts. Personalisation takes that one step further. A bottle with a name makes a gift feel considered, and a matching set can bring a team, a group of guests or a school class together around a simple habit: refilling instead of buying single-use plastic.
That habit is why we exist. We want to reduce single-use bottles and coffee cups in Bali, and a bottle people are happy to carry every day is the best way we know to do it.
If you are thinking bigger than a single gift, our corporate branding page describes how it works for larger orders:
- Contact us and tell us how many bottles you need and which ones.
- Send your artwork. For corporate orders we prefer a vector file in .ai or .eps format.
- Printing and engraving starts once the artwork is approved. The time to complete varies with quantity and the printing queue.
- Shipping. We then ship your bottles to you.
How to start your custom order
Before you begin, it helps to have three things in mind: what you want on the bottle, which method suits it, and which bottle you would like. You do not need everything perfect on day one. Having a rough idea, even a sketch, makes the conversation with us quicker and the result better.
For a single bottle or a small set, here is a simple path:
- Read the personalisation page to choose between UV colour printing and laser engraving.
- Open our customise page, where a short form lets you choose your bottle (search by model, colour or size) and add your logo.
- Prepare your vector artwork as a .PSD, .AI or .PDF file with a transparent background, under 40MB.
- Choose a bottle that carries the “Customisable” tag.
Pricing and payment options are covered in step 3 of the personalisation page, so check there before you order. You can also drop by our retail outlet and gift shop in Kerobokan to see the whole range in person.
Ready to make a bottle that is truly yours? Start on our personalisation page, then browse the shop to pick your bottle.
