How to See Your Logo Before You Order in Bulk: Free Proofs, Samples & What to Expect (2026)

Updated October 2026

A logo that looks sharp on your screen doesn’t always look the same engraved into glass, stainless steel, or wood. Fine lines can fill in, gradients disappear, and brand colors become a single tone. When you’re ordering 50 tumblers for clients or 200 glasses for an event, that’s not something you want to discover when the boxes arrive.

That’s why we now offer three levels of proof before any bulk order goes into production, from a free mockup to a finished piece with your logo that you can hold in your hands.

We engrave every order ourselves in Merrillville, Indiana, with no outsourcing. The people who make your proof are the same people who run the lasers on your order.

Request a free proof or sample →

The Three Sample Options, Compared

	Free Digital Proof	Physical Sample	Custom Engraved Sample
Cost	Free	$6.99	$60, credited back on your order
What you get	A mockup of your logo on the product at actual engraving size	A real engraved or printed item with a stock logo	One finished piece with your logo on the exact product
Turnaround	About 2 business days	Ships to you	Mockup first, then typically about a week after approval
Best for	Confirming layout, size, and how your logo is simplified	Judging weight, finish, and engraving depth in hand	Large orders, client or executive gifts, detailed logos

1. Free Digital Proof

Upload your logo, tell us which product you’re considering, and our design team sends back a mockup showing your logo laid out on that item at actual engraving size. There’s no cost and nothing to ship. This is the right starting point for almost everyone, because it shows how your logo will be simplified for engraving before you spend anything.

2. Physical Sample — $6.99

Sometimes a screen isn’t enough and you need to feel the product. We’ll ship a real engraved or printed item so you can judge the blank itself: its weight, finish, and engraving depth. The sample carries our logo or a stock design rather than yours, which is what keeps the cost to shipping only.

3. Custom Engraved Sample — $60

This is the full pre-production proof. You get a digital mockup first. Once you approve it, we engrave and ship a single finished piece with your actual logo on the exact product you plan to order. Nothing goes into production on your bulk order until you’ve held it and signed off. We recommend it for client and executive gifts, large runs, and any logo with fine detail.

How the $60 Sample Credit Works

If you go ahead with your bulk order, the custom sample effectively costs nothing:

• We build your cart for you and apply the $60 as a discount before you pay
• Valid for 12 months from your sample date
• Applies to orders of 12 pieces or more
• One $60 credit per bulk order, even if you ordered more than one sample

What Your Logo Will Look Like on Each Material

Engraving isn’t printing. The laser marks or removes the surface, so the result depends on the material:

• Clear glass (whiskey, wine, pint, champagne, ornaments): a soft white frosted etch that stands out most when the glass is full
• Coated stainless steel (tumblers, can coolers): bright silver steel showing through the colored coating
• Natural wood (frames, wine stoppers): a dark burn on a lighter surface

On every material, your logo becomes a single-tone mark rather than appearing in its brand colors. That’s the main reason a proof is worth the couple of days it takes, especially for logos with thin lines, small text, or shading.

Popular Custom Logo Products to Sample

Each product below can be proofed or sampled first. Prices are per piece at the 12-unit minimum, and the per-piece price drops automatically as quantity goes up, with no setup fee.

Samples are available on 22 products in all. Browse all custom logo gifts →

Need Your Logo in Full Color? Engraving vs. Sublimation

Not every logo should be engraved. If yours depends on its colors, such as a gradient, a photo, or more than one brand color, sublimation printing reproduces it in full color. The ink is permanently bonded into the surface rather than sitting on top like a sticker or decal. We print and ship these from the same Merrillville building, on products like ceramic mugs, printed ornaments, photo frames, and pillows.

Not sure which method suits your logo? Order the free digital proof and mention in the notes what you’re planning. We’ll mock it up both ways and tell you which one we’d recommend.

What Logo File to Send

• Best: vector artwork (.ai, .eps, .pdf, or .svg) for the cleanest engraving
• Good: a high-resolution .png with a transparent background
• Send it anyway: if all you have is a low-resolution image or a photo of a sign, upload it. We’ll tell you honestly whether it can be engraved or needs to be redrawn first.

Why Businesses Choose Lifetime Creations

Frequently Asked Questions

See Your Logo Before You Commit