Enamel pins!

If you’re not familiar with enamel pins, they are small bites of collectible art you can attach to many places. They are usually made of metal, though recently people have also been producing wooden and acrylic pins, anywhere from half an inch to a few inches tall and wide, and have sharp metal posts on the back to be pinned to whatever you like. Popular choices for display are bags, jackets, hats, cork boards and even special bags, called ita bags. Ita bags have clear plastic vinyl ‘windows’ to protect the pins while still being visible (plus you'll never lose a pin again!)

Now that we have talked a bit about what pins are, let’s talk about how to get some of your own made. The first thing to consider is what medium you want. Wood and acrylic are cheaper, but have their own drawbacks like not being as tough, or the art getting chipped off. If you are having metal pins made, there are two main types. Soft enamel, is good for complicated designs and small detail, but is softer and more prone to chipping or denting. Or hard enamel, which is better for solid shapes and little to no small details, as the last step is to grind the pin down to a nice level, smooth, shiny finish. When they are actually being produced, they start with your design, make a 3d mold of your art and cast many copies of it in metal. Syringes are then used to fill in the spaces with the colors of your design. Pantone colors (Colors that have a code and are universal, neat!) are used to get the same color every time, no matter how many times you get the same pin produced. There are also several effects you can utilize to make your pin stand out, though these vary from manufacturer to manufacturer so always check first. You can request dyed metal, or anodized. There are also extras such as a glitter or glow in the dark powder mixed into the enamel, there's also stained glass effects and screen printing that can be added to create any small details that can't be captured in the metal alone. Backstamps (having your logo or company name inscribed on the back) in my opinion are also vital, they are essentially your signature on the back side of the pin, and will always remind someone of where the pin came from!

As for ordering pins, there are many manufacturers that you can work directly with, though there may be somewhat of a language barrier. Always be kind to your manufacturers, as they are trying their best to help you and building a good relationship with them matters. To contact a manufacturer, send them an email with your pin design, quantity (places usually require a minimum order of 50-100) and either hard or soft enamel. They will reply with a quote including all the details and how to proceed. Generally after this reply you pay, then they will produce a sample for you to approve before making the rest and having them sent off to you! If you are unsure, you can always ask them, this is where building a friendly relationship with them pays off. Most companies are truly happy you choose them and will do what they can to make things right, but please be nice to them and don't take advantage. There are also 'middlemen' who will contact companies on your behalf, but they usually charge an extra fee and things take longer because they have to check with you, then the factory, then you again. They can be useful if you do not like talking to companies yourself. I have had a handful of pins produced, and never had an issue with contacting them myself. Pins take awhile to produce, so be sure to plan ahead. They can take anywhere from 25 days to over a month and since most factories are based overseas, shipping can also take awhile. I also want to add in that most people that sell pins have them on some sort of backing card. These are small business card-like papers that the pins are attached to before being sent off to their new homes. It's a really good idea to put all your information on them or anything else you want people to see when they receive your pin.

Pins are really fun to make, and so satisfying to see in your hands. I highly recommend doing it if you have the resources to. Feel free to ask about anything I didn't cover, and thanks for reading!