Custom Shape
General information
With a custom shape you do not simply print a logo on an existing product: the object itself is manufactured in the shape requested by the customer. Starting from the logo or subject to be reproduced, a two-dimensional or three-dimensional design is developed and, from this, a dedicated mould with which the item is mass-produced. This is the technique used for soft PVC shaped keyrings, USB drives shaped like mascots or products, magnets, stress relievers and made-to-measure gadgets. Colours are embedded in the material, area by area, and an optional 3D relief gives depth to the subject. The result is a unique object, recognisable at first glance and impossible to confuse with a catalogue gadget: the highest expression of customisation for truly distinctive merchandising
Main characteristics
✅ Advantages
- Unique object, designed 100% around the brand
- Maximum recognisability and perceived value
- Colours embedded in the material, area by area
- Optional 3D relief effect
- Great freedom of shape within the possibilities of the mould
❌ Disadvantages
- Requires a dedicated mould: set-up cost
- High minimum order quantities
- Long development and production times (design and sampling)
- Expensive changes once the mould has been made
- Solid colours only, not photographic
Customisation and Production Times
The journey starts with the graphic draft, continues with mould development and sampling, and ends with mass production. Each stage requires customer approval: overall lead times are therefore longer than catalogue gadgets and should be planned well in advance of the desired delivery date.
Colours and Materials
The most common material is soft PVC, alongside silicone and resins depending on the product. Colours are cast area by area against Pantone references: each area of the subject has its own solid colour, with a clean, well-defined effect that enhances the design.
Maximum Number of Colours
The number of colours is linked to the areas of the design: each area receives its own dedicated solid colour. Photographs and continuous gradients cannot be reproduced, but a well-designed subject can rely on a rich palette faithful to the brand colours.
Printing Costs and Customisation
The mould set-up cost is the main item and is amortised over quantity: as the run increases, the unit cost drops significantly. Custom shapes are therefore recommended for medium-to-large volume orders, where the result amply repays the initial investment.
Products suitable for custom shapes
The classics are soft PVC shaped keyrings, USB drives shaped like mascots, logos or products, magnets, stress relievers and shaped erasers. The technique is perfect for product launches, corporate mascots and collectable merchandising.