Branded aluminium cups in Dubai start at AED 580 for 200 plain 12 oz cups — AED 2.90 each — and fall to AED 1.82 each at 5,000. Velvet cups with a gold or silver foil-stamped logo start at AED 1,690 for 200 cups, or AED 8.45 each, dropping to AED 2.33 each at 2,000. Both have a minimum order of 200 pieces, both include 5% VAT in the prices shown, and plain aluminium cups can be ready in a single working day.
These are the two upgrades from a standard printed paper cup, and they solve two different problems. Aluminium answers Dubai's single-use plastic rules with a reusable, infinitely recyclable cup. Velvet answers the opposite brief — a cup that makes a wedding, an opening or a VIP lounge feel expensive. This guide gives you the full price tables for both, the lead times, and a straight recommendation on which to order.
Why these two cups exist on the same page
Most of what is written about cups in the UAE stops at paper. Paper is the right answer for high-volume daily service, and the paper cup printing guide covers sizes and prices in full. But two situations break it:
- Compliance and sustainability. On 1 January 2026 the final phase of Dubai's single-use plastic ban took effect, restricting plastic beverage cups and their lids. A laminated paper cup is also rejected by most recycling streams because the plastic lining cannot be separated economically. Aluminium goes into the same metal stream as a drinks can and can be remelted indefinitely without losing quality — and making aluminium from recycled metal uses up to 95% less energy than making it from ore.
- Impression. At a wedding, a brand opening or in a hotel suite, a printed paper cup quietly undersells the room. A velvet cup with a single foil logo does the opposite — it is felt before the logo is read.
Aluminium cups: 12 oz, reusable, recyclable
The 12 oz aluminium cup (approximately 350 ml) is the familiar party-cup shape made in metal. It does not split at the rim when someone grips it, it does not sag after twenty minutes with a cold drink, and because metal takes the temperature of its contents immediately, a cold drink in it feels colder — the same reason a can does.
How the branding works — read this before ordering
Aluminium cups are branded with full-colour UV DTF logo stickers, up to 5 × 3 cm per side, supplied on A3 sheets together with the cups. The stickers are not applied to the cups — you peel and stick them yourself. That is the trade-off that keeps the price where it is, and it is worth knowing before 2,000 cups arrive. For a sponsor-logo event it is twenty minutes of work for a couple of people; for a daily café operation, plan the labour or order plain.
Gradients, photographs and multi-colour logos all reproduce on UV DTF, so there is no colour limit and no plate fee. Choose one side or two sides — on two sides the sticker cost doubles.
Aluminium cup prices — 12 oz, VAT included
| Quantity | Plain (no printing) | Stickers — 1 side | Stickers — 2 sides | Per cup (1 side) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 | AED 580 | AED 880 | AED 1,180 | AED 4.40 |
| 500 | AED 1,290 | AED 1,790 | AED 2,290 | AED 3.58 |
| 1,000 | AED 2,205 | AED 3,095 | AED 3,985 | AED 3.10 |
| 2,000 | AED 4,150 | AED 5,600 | AED 7,050 | AED 2.80 |
| 5,000 | AED 9,085 | AED 12,185 | AED 15,285 | AED 2.44 |
All prices include 5% VAT and are for cups without lids. Lids add about AED 0.145 per cup. Plain cups are ready in 1 working day; cups with stickers in 2 working days, counted from artwork approval. Above 5,000 cups, message us for a quote.
Read the per-cup column rather than the totals. Plain cups run from AED 2.90 each at 200 down to AED 1.82 each at 5,000 — so the jump from 200 to 1,000 cuts your unit cost by more than a third. If you run events monthly, ordering the quarter in one go is the single biggest saving available on this product.
Velvet cups: 8 oz, double wall, gold or silver foil
Velvet paper cups are wrapped in actual soft-touch velvet — not a print that imitates it — with the logo hot-stamped in gold or silver foil. The 8 oz cup is double wall, so hot karak, coffee and tea stay hot and no sleeve is needed.
Two details decide whether these are right for you. First, foil shines harder on velvet than on any other surface, because the matt pile swallows light and the metal stands out against it. Second, fifty velvet colours are held in stock — quoted by code, for example VP 24 Paris — so your brand colour is usually already in the range, and a custom match is possible with two extra weeks. Screens misrepresent velvet, so ask for a physical swatch before committing on a wedding or a launch.
Velvet cup prices — 8 oz, VAT included
| Quantity | Price per cup | Order total |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | AED 8.45 | AED 1,690 |
| 500 | AED 4.40 | AED 2,200 |
| 1,000 | AED 3.03 | AED 3,025 |
| 2,000 | AED 2.33 | AED 4,660 |
Prices include 5% VAT, are for cups without lids, and gold and silver foil cost exactly the same — the choice is purely aesthetic. Velvet cups are made to order up to 2,000 pieces, and production is 8–10 working days after proof approval, because the cups are wrapped and foiled by hand. Payment is taken in full before production, and nothing is stamped until you approve your design.
Note the shape of that price curve: 200 cups cost AED 8.45 each, but 1,000 cost AED 3.03 — a third of the unit price for five times the cups. If a wedding needs 200 and the company has an Eid gifting plan in the same quarter, combining the two orders is worth real money.
Choosing gold or silver
Gold on deep velvet — red, navy, purple — reads classic and ceremonial, and is the usual pick for weddings, national occasions and majlis service. Silver on pale and grey velvet reads modern and restrained, and suits clinics, executive offices and contemporary retail. Because foil is a one-colour process, send a vector logo (AI, EPS or PDF with clean outlines) and avoid gradients, drop shadows and hairline detail — foil cannot reproduce them.
Aluminium or velvet? A straight answer
| Your situation | Order this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Café, juice bar or restaurant needing a compliant cup now | Aluminium, plain or 1-side sticker | Reusable and recyclable, and ready in 1–2 working days |
| Festival, sports day or sponsored event, 2,000+ cups | Aluminium, 1-side stickers | AED 2.80 per cup at 2,000, and guests take them home |
| Wedding or engagement, 200–500 guests | Velvet, foil in the event colours | Photographs beautifully; names and date in foil |
| Hotel suites, majlis and VIP lounge service | Velvet, 8 oz double wall | Insulated for karak and gahwa, no sleeve needed |
| Brand opening or luxury retail activation | Velvet | A cup guests photograph and post |
| Beach club or pool bar | Aluminium | No broken glass near water |
| High-volume daily takeaway coffee | Printed paper cups | Lowest unit cost at volume — see the paper cup guide |
For daily service at scale, neither of these beats paper on cost — a 12 oz double-wall paper cup is a fraction of an aluminium one. These two products are for the occasions where the cup itself is part of the message, or where plastic is no longer an option. If you also need sleeves, lids and stirrers to match, the coffee shop branding checklist covers the full set, and the plastic cup guide explains what is still permitted for cold drinks.
How to order
- Pick quantity and branding on the aluminium cups or velvet cups page. The price updates as you choose, with lids as an option.
- Send your logo on WhatsApp +971 52 210 0909 or call 0522100909. Vector gives the cleanest result — essential for foil. Design is free with every order.
- Approve the proof. Nothing is printed or stamped before you have seen and approved it. For velvet, ask for a physical colour swatch at this stage.
- Production: aluminium 1 working day plain, 2 with stickers. Velvet 8–10 working days, plus two weeks if you need a custom velvet colour matched.
- Delivery anywhere in the UAE — Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates. Free within Dubai on orders over AED 800, or collect from 32 Sheikh Zayed Road, Office 706, Dubai, open daily except Sunday, 09:00–21:00.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum order for aluminium or velvet cups in Dubai?
200 cups for both. That is deliberately low so a single wedding, opening or event can be run without committing to thousands of pieces.
Can aluminium cups replace plastic cups under Dubai's ban?
That is what they are for. The final phase of the single-use plastic ban, effective 1 January 2026, restricts plastic beverage cups and their lids. An aluminium cup is reusable and recyclable rather than single-use plastic — rinse it and use it again.
Are the logo stickers applied to the aluminium cups for me?
No. UV DTF stickers up to 5 × 3 cm per side are supplied on A3 sheets with the cups, and you peel and apply them. If you need the logo on both sides, choose 2 sides and the sticker price doubles. Plan the labour for large quantities, or order plain cups.
How much do velvet cups cost per cup?
AED 8.45 each at 200 cups, AED 4.40 at 500, AED 3.03 at 1,000 and AED 2.33 at 2,000 — VAT included, without lids. Gold and silver foil are the same price.
How many velvet colours are available, and can you match my brand colour?
Fifty velvet colours are held in stock, each with a code such as VP 24 Paris, covering royal blue, navy, red, purple, black and white among others. A custom colour can be matched to your brand — allow two extra weeks on top of production.
Why do velvet cups take longer than printed paper cups?
Because they are wrapped in velvet and foil-stamped by hand, which is 8–10 working days after proof approval rather than the 3–5 of a standard printed cup. Build that into an event timeline and order the velvet first.
Do the cups come with lids?
Aluminium lids are optional and add about AED 0.145 per cup — 200 plain cups are AED 580 without lids and about AED 605 with. The velvet prices quoted are for cups without lids.
Get a quote today
Send your logo, quantity and event date on WhatsApp +971 52 210 0909 or call 0522100909 — we confirm the price, the branding method and the exact delivery date before you pay anything. Browse the aluminium cups range if compliance and reuse are the priority, or the velvet cups range if the cup needs to make the room feel expensive. Design is free, you approve a proof first, and delivery is free within Dubai on orders over AED 800.
