Engraved souvenirs for caves, caverns and tour attractions
A cave gift shop sells one thing no other shop on the highway does: the cave. The best souvenir looks like the tour a guest just took, whether that was a lantern walk, an underground boat ride or a gem-mining stop. This page is for show caves, caverns and other seasonal tour attractions, and it covers the questions their owners have asked us, including the hard one about price.
Why a guest pays more for this cup than for a $20 one
A cavern owner asked us the question straight: if a guest can pick a $20 cup or a $36 one, why would they pay more, and what is the spec sheet? Our answer starts with what the cup is. It is a Polar Camel 18/8 stainless tumbler with a double wall and a clear slider lid, and the art is laser-engraved, so it will not peel or rub off the way printed souvenirs do. The guest can take it on the next trip, and it looks like the cave they came to see. At $18.99 wholesale a Signature Full-Wrap sells at a typical retail of $34.99 to $39.99. Ask us for the manufacturer's spec sheet if you need hot and cold details for a sign; we do not quote hours of insulation on a page.
Start with one design and one small case
Size an opening order to the shop, not to the minimum. The minimum is $300, drinkware is 4 per design, ornaments and magnets are 6 per design. As an example, 16 tumblers of one design at $18.99 come to $303.84. A shop can begin with one tour design on tumblers and a matching magnet, see what guests ask for, and add the rest at the reorder price, which is $125.
Cave and cavern catalog designs
Real catalog numbers from the Caves & Caverns chapter, which has 56 designs.
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W-073 The River Below
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W-074 Karst Country Above & Below
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W-100 Evening Flight: Out of the Dark
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W-160 Lantern Tour: Into the Deep
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W-190 Cave Entrance Descent Wrap
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W-193 Life in the Dark Cave Dwellers Wrap
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B-171 Cave Bats Night Flight Crest
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B-220 Boat Tours: On Still Water
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N-191 Boat Tour: On Still Water
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M-172 Boat Tour: On Still Water
Full wraps
W-073 The River Below, W-074 Karst Country Above & Below, W-100 Evening Flight: Out of the Dark, W-160 Lantern Tour: Into the Deep, W-161 Crystal Chamber: Formed in Stone, W-162 Spelunking: Rope and Lamp, W-188 Flowstone Draperies Wrap, W-189 Rimstone Pools Terraces Wrap, W-190 Cave Entrance Descent Wrap, W-191 Mirror Pool Wrap, W-192 Cave Diving Wrap, W-193 Life in the Dark Cave Dwellers Wrap.
Classic Badge
B-087 Cave Depth Marker Plate, B-169 Caverns Stalactite Shield, B-170 Feet Below Depth Plate, B-171 Cave Bats Night Flight Crest, B-172 Crystal Geode Lockup, B-173 Guided Cave Tours Name Plate, B-174 Karst Above And Below Section Plate, B-220 Boat Tours: On Still Water, B-221 Cave Tours Established Year Plate.
Ornaments and magnets
N-080 Cavern Chamber, N-082 Lantern Tour, N-190 The River Below: Underground Waters, N-191 Boat Tour: On Still Water, N-193 Above and Below: Karst Country, N-195 Cave Entrance: Open Year Round, N-201 Guided Cave Tours, M-047 Cavern Chamber, M-171 The River Below: Underground Waters, M-172 Boat Tour: On Still Water, M-218 Guided Cave Tours Magnet, M-225 Cave Entrance Magnet.
See every design, with photos, on the phone-friendly catalog.
Your cave only, and not every cave-country shop wants a cave
A tour attraction told us it wanted only its own attraction and name on its designs, not other attractions nearby. One cavern asked for five different concept directions for its underground boat ride before choosing, and to order ten of each of two styles. A canoe and kayak livery in the same cave country went the other way: its first package was rejected as too carnival, with no cave and no ice cream wanted, so we redrew it as nature only: a river under tree canopy, an eagle and a heron. Tell us which story is yours, and we draw that one. The catalog caves have no state or town in the name, so your cave name goes in the free name band.
Opening day, closed winters and vendor forms
Cave and tour attractions are seasonal. A tour boat attraction that is closed in winter wanted everything on the shelf by April 1. A cave that opens in spring asked for delivery by about May 1. A riverside livery whose season runs April to October asked for May 10. Winter is when these shops plan and approve, so start in January. Production is 5 to 10 business days after proof approval. One owner asked what our order document needs to show so he could approve it: vendor name, total, ship date and terms. Our written quote and invoice carry those, and a phone photo of the document was enough for him. Tell us what your approval needs.
Bottles, tumblers and guests who photograph everything
Cave guests expect to take photos, and one attraction owner said guests want full color on their phones. Our drinkware is engraved, not printed, so the color comes from the cup. Lead with the blank colors in your order, such as White, Warm Sand and Black / Rose Gold, and pair a 32 oz bottle with a 20 oz tumbler in the same art so they sit together on the display. Opening orders are prepaid by card, ACH or check, so a shop that avoids cards can pay by ACH or check; Net 30 follows for approved repeat accounts.
Ordering terms in brief
Production is 5 to 10 business days after proof approval. Minimums are 4 per design on drinkware and 6 per design on ornaments and magnets, with designs and colors mixed freely. The opening order is $300 and reorders are $125. Catalog name swaps are free; custom artwork is a $35 setup with one revision included, and nothing is engraved until you approve the proof. Opening orders are prepaid by card, ACH or check; Net 30 is available to approved repeat accounts and to institutions. Shipping is UPS Ground at cost from Prattville, Alabama, or your own carrier account. The full details are in the wholesale terms article.
Buyer FAQ
- Why would a guest pay more for this cup than for a $20 one?
- It is a Polar Camel 18/8 stainless double-wall tumbler with a clear slider lid, laser-engraved so the art will not peel or rub off. At $18.99 wholesale, a Signature Full-Wrap typically sells at $34.99 to $39.99 retail. Ask for the manufacturer spec sheet for hot and cold details.
- How small can a cave gift shop start?
- The opening order is $300, drinkware starts at 4 pieces per design, ornaments and magnets at 6. For example, 16 tumblers of one design at $18.99 is $303.84. Reorders are $125.
- Can the art show only our cave and not other attractions nearby?
- Yes. Tell us what is yours, such as the boat tour, the lantern walk or the formations, and we draw that and keep other attractions off the art.
- Can we get nature-only art without a cave on it?
- Yes. A canoe livery in cave country wanted a river under tree canopy, an eagle and a heron instead, and that is what we drew. Not every shop in cave country wants a cave.
- When do we order for a spring opening?
- Winter is the planning season for shops that open in April or May. Production is 5 to 10 business days after proof approval, so approve proofs in January or February for an April 1 shelf date.
- What does your order document show for our approval?
- Our written quote and invoice show the vendor, the total, the ship date and the terms. Tell us what your approval requires and we match it.
Related wholesale guides
Ask for a quote
Tell us the design numbers, the colors and how many you need. Email wholesale@woodunlimited.org or call Louie Hartley at (334) 310-4506 and you will get a written quote and invoice. You can also go back to the wholesale program overview for the line sheet request form.
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