B2B bar and table production · cork · slate · ceramic · per-unit AMD pricing
A coaster is one of the cheapest items in a corporate merchandise range and one of the few that sits between a customer and a glass for the entire evening. It is read from a seated angle, picked up at the start of a conversation, and slipped into a bag by the customer who liked the design. That is why coasters are bought in two distinct patterns: as tableware for hospitality venues that want a quietly branded surface beneath every drink, and as promotional items distributed at tastings, launches, and trade fairs where the coaster carries the brand back to the buyer's home and survives long after the event ends.
The first decision a buyer makes is the substrate, because the coaster surface dictates the decoration method, the absorption rate, the noise under a glass, and the rate at which the printed mark ages under nightly dishwasher cycles. Natural cork agglomerate is the workhorse of the hospitality trade: warm to the touch, absorbent enough to catch condensation from a chilled glass, and inexpensive enough to be replaced every quarter. Cork takes a single-colour or two-colour screen print with a flexible ink that survives a wipe, and a Pantone swatch printed on paper will shift on the natural texture of the cork. Buyers who want photographic artwork on cork should be told that before they brief the design studio. MDF and HDF composite coasters sit one tier above: a hardboard core faced with a printed paper or a printed melamine sheet, finished with a cork base for grip and a polyester top coat for moisture resistance. They are the right pick for photographic artwork because the print sits on a flat white ground. Slate coasters — natural split stone cut to a 100 mm square or round with edge-softened corners — are the premium hospitality line. Slate takes a UV flatbed print, a laser-etched mark, or a vinyl transfer; the print feels matte and tactile because the ink sits in the texture of the stone, and a Pantone reference defines a colour window rather than a single hue. Ceramic and porcelain coasters behave like a tile: glazed, dishwasher-safe, and decorated by ceramic-enamel screen print that fuses into the glaze during a second firing. They are the most durable surface in the range but the heaviest, and buyers usually order them for executive gifts or for restaurants that want the coaster to last a full cycle of commercial dishwashing. Leather and vegan-leather coasters are a hospitality niche, usually specified for hotel suites, cigar rooms, and whisky bars; they are decorated by hot-foil stamping, blind embossing, or laser engraving, and the substrate is sold as a sealed ring or as a stitched pad. Two procurement points matter more than buyers expect. First, base construction: a coaster without a felt or cork base will scratch a varnished table, and the base material is part of the unit cost, not an add-on. Second, replacement cadence: hospitality programmes often run on a four to six month refresh, so a buyer who wants to test a design should order a small pilot run of 100 units before committing to a 1 000-unit quarterly order. On pricing, indicative per-unit bands for Yerevan-delivered runs run from roughly 950 AMD for a single-colour screen-printed cork coaster at 1 000 units to about 6 800 AMD for a laser-etched slate coaster with a felt base at 200 units; per-unit figures are quoted in AMD inclusive of 20% VAT and confirmed in writing before production.
Standard 100 mm square or round cork coasters with a single-colour mark and a cork base, refreshed every quarter under the hospitality programme. Runs of 1 000 to 5 000 units are typical, with a per-unit cost driven by the print method and the substrate thickness. Annual repeat ordering keeps the artwork setup cost amortised across the year, and a small printed back stamp lets the venue rotate stock between bar, lounge, and outdoor service.
Higher-value sets built around a leather or vegan-leather coaster, a matching tray liner, and a small printed welcome card. Runs of 100 to 400 sets are typical because the unit cost is driven by the leather cut, the foil block, and the stitching. Programmes of this kind are usually planned for the spring or autumn hospitality season so delivery lands before the property's own refurbishment window closes.
Slate or ceramic coasters for distillery tastings, brand launches, and trade fairs. Slate takes a UV flatbed print that survives an evening of glass rotation, while ceramic takes an enamel print that survives a commercial dishwasher. Buyers usually request a small photographic asset on one face and a tasting note or QR code on the reverse, and the run is split between event distribution and a small retail reserve.
A coaster set presented in a kraft or rigid-board gift carton, with a cork or felt base and a foil-stamped mark on a leather or vegan-leather face. Runs of 50 to 200 sets are normal because the unit cost is driven by the finishing steps rather than the substrate. Sets of this type are usually photographed for the buyer's archive and kept on a shelf for senior partner visits, board meetings, and ceremonial presentations.
This page is written for B2B buyers planning branded coaster programmes in Armenia. Corp-Merch is an independent supplier and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or acting as an official supplier to any hotel, bar, restaurant, brand or event mentioned on this page. Pantone colour references and substrate specifications describe industry frameworks and do not imply any certification or commercial relationship with Pantone LLC or any substrate manufacturer. Per-unit AMD figures are indicative bands including 20% VAT and are confirmed in the written quote before production.