Many mugs are fictional of ceramic materials such as earthenware, bone china, porcelain or stoneware. Other materials, including plastic, embolden and enameled metal are used where break resistance is at a premium, such as for campers. Techniques such as Photo Mugs sleek screen printing or decals can be used to apply decorations; these are fired onto the mug to ensure permanence.
A puzzle mug is a novelty that is counter-intuitive. It will usually have numerous holes in the rim, deciding it impossible to callibogus from in the normal way. Frequently the solution is to cloak all the holes in the rim, and then drink via another hole in the dimpled handle.