Sublimation mouse pads are one of the lowest risk categories a print shop can stock. Nothing breaks, there is no sizing, and a case takes up almost no shelf space. Photo USA carries four ORCA Coatings mouse pad blanks, and choosing between them comes down to two questions: how thick, and what shape. Here is how to decide.
Most sublimation categories come with a catch. Apparel has sizing. Ceramic breaks in transit. Drinkware needs lids and gaskets that have to be right. Mouse pads have none of that.
They press flat on a standard heat press with no attachment, no wrap and no jig. They do not shatter, so your damage rate is close to zero on both the inbound case and the outbound order. They ship cheaply because they are flat and light, which protects your margin on retail orders where the customer expects free shipping. And the unit cost is low enough that you can attach one to an existing order without the customer thinking hard about it.
They also stay visible. A mug gets used at one desk for a few minutes a day. A mouse pad sits under someone's hand for eight hours. For a corporate client deciding where the branding budget goes, that is an easy argument to make.
The Photo USA mouse pad range is deliberately short. Two rectangles at different thicknesses, plus a round and a heart in the same soft 1/8 inch build. All four are sold wholesale by the case with the case quantity published on the product page.
| Blank | SKU | Size | Thickness | Imprint Area | Case Pack | Case Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rectangle, black edge | 72021 | 9.25" x 7.75" | 1/4" (0.25") | 9.35" x 7.85" | 100 | 28 lbs. |
| Rectangle | 72011 | 9.25" x 7.75" | 1/8" (0.125") | 9.3" x 7.8" | 160 | 27 lbs. |
| Round | 72012 | 8.0" x 7.75" | 1/8" (0.125") | 8" x 8" | 160 | 27 lbs. |
| Heart | 72013 | 9.25" x 7.75" | 1/8" (0.125") | 8" x 9.5" | 160 | 27 lbs. |
All four blanks are rubber bodied with an ORCA Coatings sublimation surface, and all four press at the same settings: 190C / 375F for 80 seconds. That means you can run a mixed order of shapes without changing your press between pieces.
This is the premium option. At 1/4 inch it is twice the thickness of the standard pad, which changes how the finished product feels in the hand and how it sits on a desk. The extra body keeps it flat, and the black edge gives the finished piece a clean border instead of the raw look of a printed blank.
It ships in cases of 100. Stock this one when you are quoting corporate swag, executive gifts, or retail photo gifts where the customer is comparing your product against something they could buy in a store. SKU 72021.
Same footprint, half the thickness, and 160 to a case instead of 100. This is the volume blank: rubber body, smooth fabric top, and a lower per unit cost that gives you room to price competitively on large group orders.
Reach for this one on conference giveaways, gaming merchandise, school orders and anything where the quantity is high and the per piece budget is tight. SKU 72011.
The round pad is the everyday shape. Roughly 8 inches across at 1/8 inch thick with a grippy base, it takes a full color print across the whole surface, and the circular format suits logos, monograms and single image designs without any cropping headaches.
It is the natural partner to a mug. A printed round pad and a matching sublimation mug make a desk set that photographs well and prices better than either piece alone. Ships 160 to a case. SKU 72012.
Same 1/8 inch build, cut into a heart with an 8 by 9.5 inch imprint area. The shape does the selling here, which means a simple photo or a name and date is enough to make a finished product people want.
This is a seasonal and occasion blank: Valentine's lines, wedding favors, anniversary gifts, couples' keepsakes. Because it ships 160 to a case at a low unit cost, you can carry it year round without tying up much cash waiting for the season. SKU 72013.
Not sure which thickness to order? Tell us what you press and what your typical order size looks like, and we will point you at the right case. Photo USA blanks are US stocked and ship from our US warehouses. → Contact Us Directly.
Mouse pads are a category where buying wholesale sublimation blanks by the case pays off quickly. They do not expire, they do not break, and a case takes up very little space, so leftover stock costs you almost nothing to hold.
Run the numbers the same way you would on any blank. Take the case price, divide by the case quantity, and add freight spread across the same number of units. That per unit figure is what you build your retail price on, and it is the only number worth comparing between suppliers. Current case pricing and volume tiers are listed on each product page.
Two things to check before you commit to a case. First, confirm your press platen is large enough for a 9.25 inch pad if you are ordering the rectangles. Second, remember that the 1/4 inch pad is twice the thickness of the others, so plan on adjusting your pressure setting even though the time and temperature stay the same.
The strongest use for mouse pads is not selling them alone. It is attaching them to orders you are already taking.
An office ordering branded mugs also needs something for the desks. A gaming client ordering tumblers also wants a pad with the same artwork. A wedding client ordering favors is a natural fit for the heart. A photographer selling a portrait package can add a round pad to the print order without redoing any design work.
In every one of those cases the customer relationship already exists and the artwork is already done, so adding a mouse pad to the quote costs you almost nothing and raises the order value. That is also the argument for keeping the range short. Four blanks is enough to say yes to nearly any request without carrying inventory you are not turning over. Browse the full sublimation mouse pad blanks range, or see the rest of the Home & Living category for products that pair with them.
Stock the 1/8 inch pad if your orders are large and price sensitive, such as conference giveaways, school orders or promotional runs. It ships 160 to a case, which lowers your per unit cost. Stock the 1/4 inch black edge pad if you are selling to corporate clients or retail customers who are comparing your product against something they could buy in a store. The extra thickness sits flatter and feels more substantial, and the black edge gives the finished piece a cleaner border. Both are 9.25 by 7.75 inches, so the artwork and the press setup are the same either way.
Case quantities differ by product. The ORCA 1/4 inch black edge mouse pad ships 100 per case. The 1/8 inch rectangle, the 7.75 inch round pad and the 7.75 inch heart pad each ship 160 per case. Exact case quantities and volume pricing tiers are listed on every product page at photousacorp.com, so you can work out your true per unit cost before ordering. All Photo USA blanks are US stocked and ship from our warehouses in Fremont, CA and Shepherdsville, KY.
Yes. Mouse pads press flat on a standard clamshell or swing away heat press with no wrap, jig or attachment, which is why they are one of the easiest categories to add to an existing setup. The only requirement is a platen large enough for the blank, so confirm your press can accommodate a 9.25 inch pad before ordering the rectangles. All four blanks press at 190C / 375F for 80 seconds, so a mixed order does not need a settings change between shapes.
Photo USA Corp. stocks four ORCA Coatings sublimation mouse pad blanks and sells them wholesale by the case. Orders ship from warehouses in Fremont, CA and Shepherdsville, KY, most within 24 hours, so transit times stay short across the continental US. Case quantities are 100 for the 1/4 inch black edge pad and 160 for the 1/8 inch rectangle, the round pad and the heart pad. Volume pricing tiers are listed on each product page at photousacorp.com. Contact us directly for wholesale pricing and case quantities.
