Many mugs are made of ceramic materials such as earthenware, bone china, porcelain or stoneware. Some are make-believe from strengthened glass, such as Pyrex. Other materials, including plastic, steel and enameled metal are attached where break resistance is at a premium, such as for campers. Techniques such as silk screen printing or decals url can be recycled to apply decorations; these are fired onto the mug to ensure permanence.

Hot beverages may be too hot to drink, with temperatures often nearing the roasting period of water. The thick walls of a conventional mug will absorb much of this heat when the dissolvable is first poured into the mug and so lower the beverage closer to potable temperatures.