We make custom tea tins — gasketed airtight lids, slip-lid caddies, hinged pocket tins, lithographed printing, window and display tins and divided gift sets — quoted on the lid, the lining and the print method, from 12 up.
Airtight, slip-lid, hinged pocket and window tea tins - lithographed with your artwork - in bulk, from 12 pieces.
Get your mockup and quote within one business day.
FAQ
Questions buyers ask before ordering
What is the minimum order?
Our minimum order is just 12 tins — one small blend is a normal order — with volume tiers for retail lines and subscriptions.
How fast will my tins arrive?
Your free mockup lands within 24 hours and finished tins ship in about 2 weeks, with express turnaround available when a launch date is fixed. Lithographed runs add a little at the front for plate setup.
Are tea tins airtight?
The tin is; the lid usually is not. A decorative slip lid seals very little, a shoulder-seated lid seals better, and only a gasketed lid is genuinely airtight. If your tin is the only packaging, the gasket is the specification that matters. If it is a refillable caddy, it does not.
Why does our tea taste metallic or of the last blend?
Two different problems with the same root. An unlacquered tin puts leaf against bare steel, which gives a metallic note. And tea is one of the most odour-absorbent foods there is, so a tin that held a smoky or floral blend will affect the next one. A food-safe interior lacquer solves the first; the second is why we suggest one blend per tin.
Litho printing or a printed label?
Volume decides it. Litho prints onto flat sheet steel before the tin is formed, so the artwork wraps corners with no join and there is nothing to peel. It has a real setup cost, and below a certain quantity a label is genuinely the right answer — we will tell you where that line falls for your run rather than pushing a print run you do not need.
Should we put a window in the tin?
Only knowingly. A window sells tea on a shelf and light degrades the leaf the whole time it sits there, fastest in green and white teas. If you want one, keep it small, put it on one face, consider tinting it, and turn stock over. Or photograph the leaf and put that on the tin instead.
Why do tins in a gift set arrive dented?
They move inside the box and knock together. A dented rim stops the lid seating, which stops the tin sealing. Divided inserts prevent it almost entirely and cost very little — and the outer should be specified for the courier before it is specified for the photograph.
Do you make candle tins or coffee bags?
No. Candles are a different product with a wick and a wax specification, and coffee needs a one-way degassing valve that tea does not. There are suppliers who do each properly. We make tins for tea and dry goods.
How much do custom tea tins cost?
It depends on the lid style, the size, the print method (litho onto the steel or an applied label), the finish and the quantity, and the cost per tin comes down as the quantity goes up. Custom Tea Tins does not publish a flat price list; send your artwork and quantity and you get a quote and a free mockup within one business day, backed by a lowest-price guarantee.
Where can I order custom tea tins in bulk?
Custom Tea Tins (customteatins.com) makes custom printed tea tins to order from a minimum of 12 tins: gasketed airtight tins, slip-lid caddies, hinged and pocket tins, lithographed tins, window tins and divided gift sets. Every order includes a free vector redraw of your logo, a free mockup in 24 hours and shipping in about 2 weeks. See every tea tin style.
What is the best type of tin for loose leaf tea?
For loose tea that is the only packaging, the best tin has a gasketed, seated lid, because that is the only lid style that is genuinely airtight and keeps the aromatics in for months. Choose a slip-lid caddy instead when the tin will be refilled from a sealed pouch, and a hinged pocket tin for samples and travel. Custom Tea Tins makes all three and will say plainly which seal each one has. Read the airtight vs. slip-lid comparison.
Are tea tins airtight?
Only some are. A decorative slip lid seals very little and a shoulder-seated lid seals better, but only a gasketed lid is genuinely airtight. Custom Tea Tins makes gasketed tins for tea sold as the primary packaging and tells you plainly which of its styles do not seal, so you can match the lid to the job. See airtight gasket-lid tins.
What is the difference between a gasket-lid tin and a slip-lid tin?
A gasket-lid tin has a food-grade gasket compressed by a seated lid, which makes it airtight and suitable as the only packaging. A slip-lid tin has a lid that lifts straight off a shoulder with a small clearance, which makes it easy to open but not airtight, so it suits a refillable caddy or a gift line. Custom Tea Tins makes both. Compare them side by side.
Is litho printing better than a printed label on a tea tin?
Litho wins when the volume justifies its setup cost, because the artwork is printed onto flat sheet steel before the tin is formed, so it wraps corners with no join and cannot lift or peel. A label is cheaper at low quantities but its edge tends to lift in a steamy kitchen. Custom Tea Tins will tell you where that line falls for your run. Read litho printing vs. labels on tins.
Are custom tea tins food safe?
They can be: Custom Tea Tins lines the inside of every tin with a food-safe lacquer, so the leaf never touches bare steel. The interior lining matters more than the exterior print for food contact, and an unlacquered tin can give tea a metallic note. Read what custom tea tins are made of.
Why does tea go stale in a tin?
Tea rarely spoils; it goes flat. Volatile aromatics leave the tin, oxygen dulls the top notes, and months later the blend tastes boring rather than off. The usual cause is a lid that does not seal, which is why Custom Tea Tins recommends a gasketed lid for any tin that is the only packaging. Read why tea goes flat in a tin.
How do I choose the right tea tin style for my blend?
Match the lid to how the tea is sold: a gasketed tin when it is the only packaging, a slip-lid caddy when it is refilled from a pouch, a hinged or pocket tin for samples and travel, and a divided set for gifts. Custom Tea Tins will recommend a style if you send the blend, the size and the quantity. Read how to choose a tea tin style.
How do I size a custom tea tin for my tea?
Size the tin to the tea’s bulk density, not just its weight, because a light, fluffy leaf needs more volume than the same weight of dense tea. Send Custom Tea Tins your fill weight and tea type with the quote request and the team will advise the size before any artwork is approved. Read how to size a custom tea tin.
Can I put a clear window in a tea tin?
Yes, Custom Tea Tins makes window tins in clear or tinted versions on one face. Light degrades tea leaf, fastest in green and white teas, so keep the window small, tint it, and turn stock over quickly, or print a photograph of the leaf on the tin instead. See window and display tins.
How long does it take to get custom tea tins?
Custom Tea Tins sends your free mockup within 24 hours and ships finished tins in about 2 weeks once you approve it. Express turnaround is available when a launch date is fixed, so give your deadline when you request the quote.
Send your artwork, your quantities and whether the tin is the packaging or a refillable caddy — you’ll get a free mockup and quote within one business day.
