CUSTOM PINS ARE THE FANDOM’S NEXT TREND
Move over, big corporations — fans of enamel pins are getting their hands on pins of their own characters to trade and sell with other fans.
You’ve seen them in theme parks across the country: enamel pins based off characters from beloved movies, television shows, and cartoons. But did you know that you could have your own custom pin based off your character or pet? A community of custom pin holders has built up around a small 2018 start-up company: Fursona Pins.
The company began out of a desire to see friends’ characters as enamel pins. The question started as, “what would it be like to have our own pins, and be able to trade with others?” but quickly grew to, “what if we could collect pins of our favorite fandom characters?” That idea, which began with creating five custom enamel pin designs for five friends, has grown into a bustling enterprise servicing forty customers a month with custom pin orders and hundreds of subscribers to a “Pin of the Month” mystery box.
This venture has not only been profitable for Fursona Pins, but for its customers, too. For $185, customers can order fifty custom enamel pins, which often sell for $10 or more each — resulting in $500 in revenue and a big profit margin.
“I feel like there’s a solid market just for the name, even if the design is plain,” says Arie, a customer of Fursona Pins. She commissioned her character @SerlingPancan in November, and has already seen the profits. When asked if she’s made money from her Serling pins, Arie said, “Oh yes. It was super easy. Just set up a Google Doc.”
Some custom pin owners, like Alex, came into the community worried that they may not be popular enough to sell their pins. “I thought the pins were for ‘popufurs’ only,” Alex says. Alex is the owner of a pin named @Dizzythebat, who was concerned about whether he could sell his pin with only 200 Twitter followers. “However, when I got into the Telegram chat on here, the overwhelming support and demand alike for Dizzy’s pin had absolutely shocked me. This initial reaction was when I knew I had to make pins for myself. I have currently traded more than sold and still have made all of my money back from the initial cost of making the pin (plus some extra!).”
Though there’s plenty of profit to be made for customers, many have found the Fursona Pins trading community to be a second family. “The best part is feeling like I’m part of a big community that is not only friendly, but helpful,” says Alex. “With all of the questions I’ve had recently about how to properly ship my pins, it’s amazing how nice the reactions have been.” Alex is part of a large Telegram chat for Fursona Pins collectors, where the majority of sales are made. “Everything has been made easier because of this welcoming and easygoing community.”
Many owners have used their pins to show appreciation to their fans. “I love being able to give them to people who’ve helped me or been kind in the past,” says Arie. “I handed them out like candy at my last con and people were always so excited to get them.” The custom pins are used in everything from free raffles to business marketing as companies like Denfur, Painted Desert Fur Con, Heads & Tails Studio, and Soap Pony have Fursona Pins for their company’s mascots.
Custom pins are definitely the hottest new trend for fandom members. Want to get in on the fun? Fursona Pins commissions open every month on the first of the month, with anywhere from twenty to forty custom slots available. More information can be found on FursonaPins.com.
Cy Mendoza has been a writer for decades, but spends most of their time enjoying fursuiting, drawing, and running Fursona Pins. Follow Fursona Pins on Twitter.