Printed Soda Cans
Digitally printed aluminum cans for craft soda, sparkling water, and non-alcoholic beverage brands.
We print custom soda cans for craft soda, sparkling water, functional beverage, and energy drink brands. We print 12 oz standard, 12 oz sleek, and 16 oz standard aluminum cans with standard LOE 202 ends. Printing is digital, so there are no plates to pay for and no 200,000-can minimums like traditional offset cans. We can reproduce 95%+ of the Pantone Plus Color Book.
Minimums are 1,556 to 2,024 cans per design, depending on size (four or five full pallet layers). Once you approve the digital proof, we make a pilot can within 5 business days. Think of it as a test print you can hold. Production then takes 10 business days. Quotes come back within 24 hours, and the quote is the final number. Cans ship by full or partial truckload, or you can pick them up.
Why brands choose printed cans over other can formats
Standard Finishing
Copy
A smooth, non-reflective finish that gives your cans a modern, understated look.
Copy
A shiny, reflective finish that makes colors pop and gives your design a vibrant, eye-catching appeal.
Copy
A selective gloss finish that adds contrast by highlighting specific areas of your design.
Copy
A raised, tactile finish that not only looks impressive but gives your can a unique feel that stands out to the touch.
Why Blue Label
Fast Production
We pride ourselves on speedy production and shipping times, producing your digitally printed cans in around 10 days from pilot can approval*.
Quotes in 24 Hours
Blue Label Packaging sets the bar for responsive service, providing customized quotes for custom label printing jobs in less than 24 hours.
In-House Expertise
Our in-house experts are involved in every step of the process, from helping you choose the perfect features to monitoring your custom printed can projects through all steps of the production process.
Low Minimum Order Quantities
Because we work with businesses of every size, we offer low minimum order quantities starting at 1,556 to 2,024 cans per design, depending on can size.
Ordering Process
Printed Cans Learning Library
Printed Soda Can Specifications
- Minimum order: 1,556 to 2,024 cans per design, depending on can size.
- Sizes: 12 oz standard, 12 oz sleek, 16 oz standard
- Materials: Aluminum cans, standard 202 ends (lids), other lid colors on request
- Finishes: Matte, gloss, spot gloss, high build (raised, tactile)
- Print: Digital, printed directly on the can. Full color plus white, matching over 95% of Pantone colors.
- Turnaround: Quotes in under 24 hours. Pilot can in 5 business days after proof approval, then production in about 10 business days.
- No tooling: No plates, no setup fees, and no plate charges.
- Pilot can: A physical sample can for your final approval before the full run.
Frequently Asked Questions
Copy
We print 12 oz. standard, 12 oz. sleek, and 16 oz. standard cans. That covers most of the formats craft soda, sparkling water, functional beverage, and energy drink brands use.
Copy
Yes, we offer standard LOE 202 ends (lids). Additional color options are available upon request, though lead times may vary depending on the option.
Copy
After approval, our standard lead time is around 10 days after pilot can approval*. This fast production allows you to get your product to market quickly.
Copy
Yes, our minimum is 1,556 to 2,024 cans per design, depending on can size. That’s far below the 200,000+ unit minimums traditional (offset-printed) cans require. We can run this low because we print digitally: no plate tooling means no large production run needed to justify the job. That makes smaller orders realistic for seasonal releases, limited runs, market tests, and smaller distribution footprints.
Copy
We can reproduce 95%+ of the Pantone Plus Color Book. We use a CMYK color strategy, enhanced with light cyan, light magenta, orange, and white inks to capture fine details and produce vibrant, high-definition images. This extended color range and precision mean your cans will stand out with bold, true-to-life colors.
Copy
We offer FTL and LTL shipping options as well as pick-up.
Copy
Our preferred file formats are Adobe Illustrator or High-Resolution PDF. You can view more guidelines on our printed can templates below.
12oz Standard Printed Can Template
12oz Sleek Printed Can Template
16oz Standard Printed Can Template
Copy
Yes, we provide a digital proof via email for your approval before printing. This allows you to review the design, including positioning, color accuracy, and text legibility. Once the digital proof is approved, we will produce a physical “pilot can” for your final approval before moving into full production. Our proofing process ensures your complete satisfaction.
Copy
While Blue Label Packaging does not directly offer label design services, we do have resources to help with your custom label design needs. We maintain a directory of Blue Label Approved designers who specialize in label design and understand the unique requirements and technical details involved. We also showcase a gallery of label designs for inspiration.
Copy
All dunnage (pallets, separator/slip sheets, and top frames) used to ship cans is re-usable and should be returned directly to Blue Label Packaging to receive full credit. For more details, view our dunnage return guidelines.
* after artwork approval for standard products