Enamel pins, AKA lapel pins, are among the most popular event swag items at the moment.
They feel nice and sturdy to hold and look exceptional worn prominently at the event and then on a backpack, cherished as a collectible.
Let’s take a look at the two enamel pin options and which may be best for your project 👀
Hard Enamel Pins
Hard enamel essentially means that the colored filling is level with the metal frame. These are smooth across the pin to the touch.
The Process
Enamel is added and polished flat, flush against the outline of the metal frame. Each color in the design is baked at high temps in a special oven individually, which adds to the time and cost of this option. The pins are then plated and polished again to ensure a super smooth and level surface.
Benefits over soft enamel:
- They are more elegant and polished looking (literally)
- More scratch-resistant and usually slightly more durable
Soft Enamel Pins
The colored filling for soft enamel pins is high at the edges where it meets the metal frame but then dips inward. Soft enamel pins are bumpy to the touch because of these dips.
Epoxy can be added to these pins to help with overall durability and luster while making the bumpy texture less dramatic. One thing to consider when deciding on epoxy, however, is that fine details may be reduced since it creates a shiny dome effect.
The Process
In the production of soft enamel pins the design is stamped into the metal and cut to the designated size. After plating, the enamel is added into the recessed areas and baked until hardened, at a lower temp than hard enamel. The dried enamel fill becomes elevated along the edges where is meets the plating.
Benefits over hard enamel:
- Less expensive since the process for creating them is faster
- Can show clearer detail in designs due to lack of polishing
Color Matching
The best way to make sure there are no color surprises once you receive your pins irl is to send along the corresponding Pantone Solid Coated number for each.
The Pantone color system provides a wide range of premixed and numbered colors, allowing for a level of consistency that is not possible through RGB and CMYK. This number is accessible in tools like Adobe Illustrator by selecting Edit > Edit Colors > Recolor Artwork.
From this selection you can find and select the tiny grid item as highlighted below:
From this menu select Color Books > Pantone Solid Coated. The color panel going forward will provide the closest Pantone Solid Coated match for each selected color in your design, which you can document for the printer.
The C in the color number stands for “coated”, which means that the printing will take place with a coasted, glossy surface (like enamel!). Alternatively something like a shirt or paper card stock printing would warrant an uncoated color number.
Platting Options
Plating refers to attaching a fancy colored metal, such as gold or nickel, to the metallic base of the pin’s structure which is generally made of stainless steel or aluminum. It is then polished to a shiny finish. The range of plating options will vary by vendor, but common ones include: gold, silver, nickel, copper, black dye, black nickel, antique gold, antique silver, and rose gold.
One way to help narrow down your options is to consider the overall design and select a plating that provides highest contrast. For example, gold, silver, and nickel would work well with a darkly colored design, while black dye and antique gold would work well with bright colors.
Card Backings
The presentation of the pins becomes nearly as important as the design and quality of the pins themselves. A big ol’ bowl of pins to fish through is not going to have the same draw and impact as neatly displayed pins on custom card backings that echo the event’s theme, branding, and social media details for sharing.
When ordering, you can specify that you would like the pins pre-mounted on these cards and individually wrapped when produced for an additional, small charge.
Clutches and Pin Backings
There are standard/included options for clutches, such as metal butterfly clutches or rubber backings, with the option to upgrade the backing for an additional fee. Alternative options usually include tack clutches, magnets, safety pins, earring posts, screw backings, cuff links, and button clutches.
These backings get lost easily and it may prove helpful to buy an extra bag of these at a craft store in case an attendee misplaces one. Also, if you go with something that may prove difficult for some people to use, such as butterfly clutches, consider getting a bag of low cost, rubber backings to serve as an alternative.
Pricing
The price of your custom lapel pins will vary greatly depending on the vendor you use, size, enamel type, quantity, and number of colors, but generally you can expect to budget for roughly $2.75-$3.00 per pin.
Vendors
Here are a few vendors that have come highly recommended to us for enamel pins in regards to quality and customer service:
A Note on Ordering
These are definitely a swag item you want to get right the first time, as reproducing can eat up your budget and the turnaround time is not as speedy as stickers and buttons, for example. Be sure to include any notes you have with your order and request a proof. These companies often have very friendly customer support staff that are eager to help ease this potentially intimidating process.
Best of luck and bye for now,
🐟 Joni
