Why Souvenir Shops Keep Choosing Mugs: A Real Ceramic Customization Case

Some souvenir shops face the same problem today.
Tourists want something meaningful to take home, but they don’t want products that are heavy, expensive, or difficult to carry.

That’s why, among ceramic travel souvenirs, mugs and coffee cups have remained the most stable and popular products over the years.

In 2026, a client from the United States approached us to develop a series of city-themed ceramic souvenirs based on New York and Los Angeles. As usual, I work here in Jingdezhen, helping clients turn ideas into products that can actually sell in real stores.

From a buyer’s perspective, most shops prefer not just one design, but five or six different themes at the same time. This creates better display variety and gives tourists more choices.

The design process does not start with drawing.
It starts with understanding the market. Some clients provide their own logo or brand materials, while others share city images or references. We then combine iconic buildings, cultural symbols, or local elements into designs that work well on ceramic products.

After that, we move into the design stage.
The first decision is the clay material. Different grades of ceramic clay have very different costs, and this directly affects the final price, as well as the quality too. The second step is color and style. Usually, we present two or three design options for the client to choose from.

Since this is custom production, the client’s logo and branding are always included. This is what makes a souvenir product different from a standard retail item.

During the process, the main concern for clients is not only design, but the balance between cost and market price. Order quantity plays a big role here. Our minimum order quantity is relatively flexible — around 50 pieces per design — which works well for smaller brands and new projects.

Another important factor is packaging.
Ceramic products require packaging that is both safe for transportation and attractive for retail display. Many souvenir products already include gift packaging to reduce preparation costs later.

The process itself is quite straightforward. The client selects the cup shape and size, sends us their logo and requirements, we create paper designs, then produce samples. Only after sample approval do we move into mass production. Some clients visit Jingdezhen for quality inspection, while others approve samples before shipment.

At the end of this video, I’ll show some of the glaze options and design styles we used this year for mugs and coffee cups. Hopefully, this gives you ideas and inspiration if you are developing your own city souvenir or custom ceramic products.