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A sleeve for jacketing a container such as a beverage cup, where the sleeve is assembled by cutting and folding from a unitary flat panel, the sleeve having no outwardly projecting flaps or ridges. Inwardly folding flaps adapt themselves to the taper and diameter of the cup. Multiple layers of mater

A sleeve for jacketing a container such as a beverage cup, where the sleeve is assembled by cutting and folding from a unitary flat panel, the sleeve having no outwardly projecting flaps or ridges. Inwardly folding flaps adapt themselves to the taper and diameter of the cup. Multiple layers of material thickness in the sleeve may be realized using the templates and folding methods of the invention, and the sleeve is printable on either or both sides so that decorative or commercial indicia may be displayed according to the end user's needs or wishes. The invention finds use in making printed insulative sleeves having logos and other customized indicia, and may be folded according to the methods of the invention by the supplier or by the user of the sleeve.

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1. A method for making a cup sleeve from a flat panel of a foldable material, the sleeve having inside dimensions for jacketing a cup, the method comprising: (a) providing a two-sided flat said panel having a top edge, a bottom edge, a right edge, a left edge, a right flap, a left flap, and a waistl

1. A method for making a cup sleeve from a flat panel of a foldable material, the sleeve having inside dimensions for jacketing a cup, the method comprising: (a) providing a two-sided flat said panel having a top edge, a bottom edge, a right edge, a left edge, a right flap, a left flap, and a waistline extending from said right edge to said left edge and crossing said right flap and said left flap, said waistline defining an upper panel section above said waistline and a lower panel section below said waistline;wherein, (i) said right flap is defined by a right upper flap foldline extending from a rightwardly disposed foldpoint on said top edge to a right waistpoint rightwardly disposed on said waistline, and a right lower flap foldline extending from a rightwardly disposed point on said right edge to said right waistpoint, and further wherein said right flap is partitioned between said upper panel section and said lower panel section by a right waist foldline extending from said right waistpoint to a lateral foldpoint on said right edge, said right waist foldline defining a right hinge member dividing said right flap into hingedly foldable upper and lower right flap partitions;(ii) said left flap is defined by a left upper flap foldline extending from a leftwardly disposed foldpoint on said top edge to a left waistpoint leftwardly disposed on said waistline, and a left lower flap foldline extending from a leftwardly disposed point on said left edge to said left waistpoint, and further wherein said left flap is partitioned between said upper panel section and said lower panel section by a left waist foldline extending from said left waistpoint to a lateral foldpoint on said left edge, said left waist foldline defining a left hinge member dividing said left flap into hingedly foldable upper and lower left flap partitions;(iii) said right hinge member is obliquely foldable on said right waist foldline relative to said waistline such that said right flap upper foldline and said right flap lower foldline define an obtuse angle (θ4) around said right waistpoint, said left hinge member is obliquely foldable on said left waist foldline relative to said waistline such that said left flap upper foldline and said left flap lower foldline define an obtuse angle (θ3) around said left waistpoint, wherein angles θ3 and θ4 are equal and opposite;(iv) said upper panel section and said lower panel section are divided by a slit through said panel, said slit extending from said right waistpoint to said left waistpoint and having a slit length equal to half of an intermediate circumference of a cup to be engirdledly jacketed therein;(b) folding said flaps on said right and left flap foldlines so that said flaps are folded inwardly onto a first side of said panel;(c) hingedly folding said lower panel section inwardly-onto said first side of said panel over said upper panel section on said hinge members formed by said waistline foldlines and thereby locking said right and left flaps between said upper panel section and said lower panel section of said panel as folded;(d) with slit downwardly disposed, opening a generally annular center passageway between an inside wall of said upper panel section and an inside wall of said lower panel section, thereby forming an open sleeve with outside sleeve walls and inside sleeve walls; and,(e) inserting the cup into said center passageway of said sleeve and through said slit until engirdledly seated therein, thereby locking said right and left flaps between said inside sleeve walls and a sidewall of the cup engirdledly jacketed therein. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) is performed by a supplier and steps (b) through (e) are performed by an end user. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a) through (c) are performed by a supplier and steps (d) through (e) are performed by an end user. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein foldlines in said panel are formed by a process of perforating, creasing, scoring, kiss-cutting, or a combination thereof, as supplied. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said right and left lower flap fold lines are arcuately creased, scored, kiss cut, or perforated as supplied. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step for offset or laser printing an image on one side or on two sides of said panel as supplied. 7. The method of claim 6, including a step for selecting one of said two sides of said flat panel to be displayed by orientedly folding said flaps on said right and left flap foldlines over said first side of said panel and folding said upper panel section over said lower panel section on said waistline foldlines over said first side, thereby forming a sleeve having a second side outwardly displayed in step (d). 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said slit comprises a knockout piece and said method comprises removing said knockout piece. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said panels are made from foldable materials selected from paper, cardboard, cardstock, sheetstock, plastic, laminate, fabric, or rubber. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein said panels as supplied comprise embossed, textured, layered, or exploded materials. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein said panel is die-cut or laser cut from a unitary sheet or roll. 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying glue onto said upper or lower flap partitions before locking said right and left flaps between said upper panel section and said lower panel section of said panel as folded. 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing glue dots on or applying hot glue to said flaps before folding said sleeve. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein a step for applying adhesive to said flaps is performed before said steps (d) through (e). 15. The method of claim 13 wherein said step for applying adhesive to said flaps is performed using a machine. 16. The method of claim 15, comprising boxing folded sleeves and shipping the boxed sleeves to an end user for performing step (e). 17. The method of claim 1, which comprises folding said flaps inwardly at said center waistline slit; folding said panels above and below said center waistline slit onto each other, inside face against inside face; and gluing at least one said flap to one said inside face. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said lower flap is truncated as a triangular flap or gusset and smaller than said upper flap segment and said foldlines are angled for flexing during the folding process.