Our bottle caps are industy-standard in shape and function and will work where any standard 26mm crown cork cap will. They are suitable for pry-off (pop-top) bottles and twist-off bottles. All our caps are lined; our liners are standard PVC.

(Twist-off bottles can work, but a stand capper is recommended for good results, as more capping force is needed. We find that twist-off bottles generally don't last as long as pry-off bottles, so recycle them after one or two re-uses.)

Sanitization and Usage

The custom graphics are done with an innovative printing process that creates waterproof and durable images. We have tested iodophor, Star-San, bleach, and alcohol; all work fine when used for the short period necessary for them to work. (Iodophor needs only 2 minutes, and bleach only 5. Soaking overnight is not recommended due to danger of rust.) Excessive amounts of iodophor may stain the cap itself, but not the printing. Any other sanitization method is at your own risk. Boiling can detach or distort the PVC liners, and should not be used on our caps or any others with similar linings. Just to be clear: DO NOT BOIL. Boiling may work with some types of caps, but not ours. We recommend a quick rinse of the caps before sanitization to remove any debris from shipping.

All bottle caps can be scratched by rough handling, especially with sharp objects (like the edges of bottle caps); our printing is durable but can be damaged more easily than traditional caps. We ship caps packaged so they don't make contact with each other's edges; when loose, normal handling is fine, but drops or shocks to loose caps can cause damage. Our printing should survive the capping process with little or no damage. The magnetic insert in most cappers causes no problems, but if you observe any denting or damage in the middle of the cap, such inserts can usually be removed for trouble-free capping by unscrewing the capping cup.

Our Printing

We do digital printing directly on the top of the cap with a digital CMYK (Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Black) process. This is a very flexible technique that allows us to use any design provided, though like any digital printing we create most colors with small dots of ink which can be seen on close inspection. The digital look usually disappears when viewed from a normal reading distance. Our printing creates a matte texture, slightly raised above the base paint of the cap, which is different from the traditional laquered cap. The result usually works well, but please place a sample order if it worries you.

We currently offer only white base caps; we're still looking for a technique to allow any base color. Only the top of the cap is printed; the edges will remain the base color of the cap. Our printing process tries to match on-screen colors, but we cannot guarantee colors will match exactly the final product. Printing on white paper with a CMYK inkjet will provide a better approximation of the result than a computer screen. (Contact us to work on applications where a specific shade is needed.) Some colors will appear more pure than others due to the digital process and resolutions available; blues and grays in particular may appear "grainy".

Form

Our caps come ready to be put on a bottle, with the sides flared out. This "raw" form is somewhat different from the iconic bottle cap, which has the sides straight down. Crafters will probably want to "bottle" or "crimp" the cap. See the difference in these images:

Crown corks: raw (left) and used (right). BottleMark normally produces the raw version.

If you want the "used" form but don't have a capper, BottleMark can crimp before shipping for an additional fee. See the crafting store section for more information on this and other services.

Recycling

Check with your recycling center to see if they accept steel bottle caps. Most but not all are equiped to handle them. Our caps are the same as standard crown caps for recycling purposes.