Custom logo printing turns every accessory your practice hands out into a branded touchpoint. Every case, cloth, or bag that leaves with a patient carries your clinic's name — not the supplier's. For Canadian optical practices, it's one of the most cost-effective forms of ongoing brand visibility available.
This guide explains exactly how the pad printing process works, what you need to provide, what lead times to expect, and how minimum order quantities work across different product lines.
What is pad printing?
Pad printing is the standard method for applying logos to curved or irregular surfaces like eyeglass cases, lens cloth pouches, and bags. A silicone pad picks up ink from an etched plate and transfers it onto the product surface — the flexibility of the pad allows it to conform to curves and texture that flat printing methods can't handle.
The result is a clean, durable single-colour imprint. Most optical accessories are printed in one or two colours — typically your logo in black, white, or gold — with the colour chosen for contrast against the product's base colour.
What you need to provide
To set up a custom print run, your supplier needs your logo in a vector format — specifically an .AI (Adobe Illustrator), .EPS, or high-resolution .PDF file. A PNG or JPG photo of your logo is not sufficient for printing; it needs to be a clean vector file with clearly defined outlines.
If you don't have a vector file, your graphic designer or sign shop will have one. If your practice was set up years ago and the original file is lost, a designer can typically recreate it from a photo in an hour or two — this is a common request.
- Accepted formats: .AI, .EPS, .PDF (vector), or high-resolution .SVG
- Provide your preferred print colour (Pantone reference if you have it, or describe the colour clearly)
- Specify if there are elements you want omitted — e.g., 'logo only, no tagline'
- Let us know your product base colour so we can recommend the right ink colour for contrast
The proof process
Before any production run begins, a reputable supplier will send you a printed proof — a photo of your actual logo printed on the actual product at the actual size. This is not a digital mockup; it's a physical sample from the production equipment.
Reviewing the proof is your opportunity to confirm the size, placement, colour, and overall appearance before the full order is produced. If anything needs adjusting, the plate is revised and a new proof is sent. Production does not start until you approve.
At Top Flight Canada, proof approval is required before every new logo run. We do not start production without it.
Minimum order quantities for custom printing
Custom print runs typically have higher minimum quantities than plain (unprinted) products, because there is a setup cost — the plate creation, ink mixing, and machine configuration — that is amortized across the run. The economics improve significantly at higher volumes.
- Most custom-printed lines start at 100 units minimum
- Mixing colours or sizes within one product line may affect the minimum
- Re-orders using the same logo plate often have lower minimums than the original setup run
- Request a quote for your specific product mix — quantities and mix affect pricing meaningfully
Lead times for custom orders
A typical custom logo order from proof approval to delivery runs 2–4 weeks, depending on product type and current production capacity. Lens cloths with screen printing tend to be faster; metal cases with pad printing may take longer.
Plan your first custom order well in advance of any event or campaign. Once you've completed the proof process and have your plate on file, re-orders are significantly faster — the setup work is already done.
Which products can be custom printed?
Top Flight Canada offers custom logo printing on most of our key product lines:
- Eyeglass cases — soft, plastic, and most metal hard cases
- Microfibre lens cloths — our highest-demand custom product
- Retail bags — drawstring and slip-in styles
- Some lens cleaner bottle labels — ask for current availability
How to get started
Contact us with your logo file and an idea of the products and quantities you're interested in. We'll confirm printability, send you a quote with setup and per-unit costs, and guide you through the proof process. There's no obligation before you see and approve the proof.
Browse wholesale microfibre cloths
See the range, then request pricing tailored to your practice's volumes.