Frequently Asked Questions

Our current production schedule can be found in the dropdown menu at the top of the page. There is a reason our lead times are long – everything worth having is worth the wait. We believe you deserve more from an item with your logo on it than a throw-away tchotchke that is shipped overnight.

Our current production schedule can always be found in the dropdown menu at the top of our site. Making mugs by hand takes time and demand for our mugs remains high. Consider increasing the size of your order to ensure you are able to keep them in stock.

REORDER YOUR MUGS

Once we receive your design work, we add you to our art wait list. You will typically receive an art proof in 1-2 weeks. Production on the order will not begin until both the design and mug order are approved and the prepayment is received. Production times change often, please refer to the production schedule dropdown at the top of the web page for the most up-to-date lead times.

You can begin your order by filling out the form on our Order Page (or Reorder Page for returning customers). A Customer Support Specialist will then reach out to you to complete the process. Our current production schedule can always be found in the dropdown menu at the top of our site.

Once your artwork is approved, you will need to choose your mug style(s) and glaze color(s). After those choices are made, a final order confirmation and art approval will be sent to you by our customer support team. Production on your mug will begin after you approve the confirmation and submit payment.

Glazes get their color from molecular changes in the firing process and can be unpredictable. Creating a stable glaze can take many months and sometimes hundreds of iterations. Color matching is not available but you can order a sample mug with the glaze of your choice from our online store.

The short answer is 96. Why 96? Well, mainly because it is our minimum order. However, that order can be split into two mug styles (48 each) and four glaze colors (24 each). But, the bigger question is: when you sell out, will you be able to wait to get your second order? It does take time for our artists to hand-throw your mugs, and we want you to have enough, so you don’t disappoint your customers with: “I’m sorry, we’ve sold out.”

We strongly recommend placing a re-order as soon as the thought crosses your mind. Our production times can fluctuate. Refer to the production schedule in the dropdown menu at the top of the page for up-to-date lead times. You can start your order by going to the Reorder Page and a member of our Customer Support Team will reach out to you. If you would rather reach someone directly you can either email your Customer Support Team Member or give us a call at 1-866-369-7415.

REORDER YOUR MUGS

The suggested retail price is between $19.95 and $29.95.

Rush orders are available on a limited basis, it is dependent on your requested ship date, are subject to approval and incurs a 25% fee. Make sure to mention you would be interested in a rush option when you submit your order inquiry.

Generally we are not able to increase an order quantity once an order has been approved. We can get another order into our schedule for you. We are able to decrease your order as long as you maintain the minimum required quantity per mug style. Please contact your Customer Support Team Member for assistance.

Our process does not allow for individual mug personalization. The minimum per design is 48 pieces for any of our signature mugs.

We test the thickness and apply the same dipping distance from the rim, the flow can range from the top third to over two-thirds of the mug. This is perfectly normal and is a characteristic to be expected and celebrated. In short, because they are handmade. The total coverage of the marbling will vary on each mug.

It is important to know that both of our gift boxes are for presentation only. We ship either to you flat and they are easy to assemble. The Heavyweight box is more durable while the Lightweight boxes have an auto-fold bottom, making them quick and easily to assemble.

No. Our gift boxes are made for presentation only. Uline makes a shipping box that is 6x6x6 and will fit any of our signature mugs for individual shipping. Additional packaging should also be used to ensure the mug arrives in one piece. View our packaging guide for more information.

Most orders are shipped using FedEx. The cost averages around $1-$2 per mug depending on the destination and weight of the package. Orders shipping to Alaska, Hawaii or internationally will be shipped using USPS. Ask your Customer Support Specialist for a quote on orders shipping via USPS.

There are instructions on your packing slip indicating the steps to take in order to make a claim. You can also view our guide on dealing with damaged or broken packages. If you have any questions, give us a call at 888-646-0238.

We only bill for what we ship. With the process of hand making pottery occasionally a small number of pieces won’t pass inspection. If the total quantity is less than 10% we will not remake them as this percentage falls within our under-run outlined in our terms and pricing.

We use a freight forwarder of your choice for international wholesale customers. The best cost value when using them is to order in full pallets (720 mugs), but we can do smaller half-pallet shipments as well. Contact your Customer Support Specialist to help you with this request.

The Glaze-Engraving™ process was developed in the late 1980s, trademarked in 1982, and allows us to integrate crisp lines and amazing detail into our specially formulated claybody.

We do offer digital mock-ups for $25 per design. However a digital mockup will not fully depict the color and detail of the final product.

Due to the large variety of mug styles and glazes, as well as the many variations in handmade stoneware, we are unable to make digital color mockups part of our standard art approval process, therefore they accrue an extra charge.

We can do a single color backfill in the medallion. Click here to learn more.

We make medallions as large as we can without sacrificing the quality of the mug. Our Tankards have a slightly larger medallion. If you want a bigger medallion we suggest ordering a larger piece.

Each mug that we make is touched by over 24 pairs of hands at our studio in St. Paul. Although amazingly similar because of the unique handmade origins, no two mugs are exactly alike. Since all of our pottery is made by hand, at times there will be slight variations in size, capacity, color and glaze consistency. From the throwing rings on the inside to the marbling on the outside, these beauty marks are a true testament to the art of handmade stoneware.

There’s the old saying, “If you love something you should wash it by hand”…our mugs are so durable that you can absolutely put them in a dishwasher. We work with many full service restaurants that cycle their mugs through industrial dishwashers multiple times a day and they will hold up great! However you should avoid any sudden extreme temperature changes with all pottery.

Yes – our mugs are safe for use in a Microwave. They are also freezer safe, so you can chill mugs or tankards for cold drinks. We do not recommend going from one extreme to the other.

Our mugs are completely lead and heavy-metal free and are totally safe to drink from! You can even use them in the dishwasher, microwave, oven, and freezer – however ​We do not recommend going from one extreme to the other.

That is also absolutely true. We often use our Soup Mugs to bake off extra cake batter at home. Many innkeeping clients create egg dishes for bake and individual popovers that are served right to the table. Let’s not forget about french onions soup as well!!! The cheese melts so well at 300o F. However, you should avoid putting a cold mug directly into a hot oven.

Our mugs are very durable but not unbreakable. When force comes in contact with stoneware it can cause it to break or crack and as a result the integrity (and liquid proof-ness) will be compromised. The crack might be as unnoticeable as a hairline but the leaking liquid will be easy to spot. At this point your mug will need to be relegated to desk duty where it can still hold pencils and pens. Please reach out to the retailer where you purchased the mug. If they are unable to help you, contact our customer service.

We are not currently able to ship internationally for individual mug orders placed on our retail store. We suggest having your order shipped to someone you know in the United States who could then forward on to you.

Visit our online store by following the Buy a Mug option in the navigation, or by clicking this link.

You can purchase an individual mug from our online store. While we have made many awesome designs we ship them out to our customers and they are the ones that sell them. Our customers own the rights to their logo which prevents us from being able to sell their designs directly to you without their express consent.

This is an extensive process due to the large number of combinations in our database so we are unable to offer this service at this time. 

The majority of our customers’ mugs are shipped directly to our customers and we do not keep any extras at our facility. If you are looking for a mug with a specific logo or from a specific company, it is best to reach out directly to that company to see if they have any mugs available.

We are unable to make custom glazes. Glazes get their color from molecular changes in the firing process and can be unpredictable. Creating a stable glaze can take many months and sometimes hundreds of iterations.

Deneen Pottery loves making charitable donations. Each year at our 4QTR board meeting we review the candidates who received donations from the previous year and discuss what organization they will work with in the coming year. If you know of an organization that would benefit from a donation, send their information here.