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There are various types of lapel pins are available in the market. Do you know their types? Through the inquiries we often receive, we noticed that our customers are often unsure about the type of lapel pins they want.
If you are new to lapel pins, this article will help you understand the different types. If you are in the lapel pin business, this article will make you more professional. It will also assist you in expanding your business by exploring different types of lapel pins.
What Are Lapel Pins?
A lapel pin is a small metal plate with engraved logos and text. It serves as an accessory, adding charm to your backpack, clothes, and jacket. Lapel pins are diverse in design, affordable, and easy to use. They are adored by fashion enthusiasts and young people.
8 Types of Lapel Pins
Enamel pins are a great way to show your personality and style. There are many different types of enamel pins, from hard enamel pins to soft ones. Here are some of the most popular types of enamel pins:
1. Hard Enamel Pins
Hard enamel pins are the most popular type of enamel pin. Also known as cloisonné, hard enamel pins are the top-tier among all lapel pins. They have a smooth surface and vibrant colors, showcasing a jewelry-like craftsmanship. They are durable, fade-resistant, and can be used for up to 10 years under normal conditions.
Hard enamel pins are suitable for military pins, souvenirs, and designer pins. Nowadays, Luxury brands also use hard enamel craft for keychain pendants and charms.
The application of hard enamel craft is wide. For instance, necklace pendants, earrings, and luxury bag metal labels utilize this craft.
2. Soft Enamel Pins
Soft enamel pins are popular for their reasonable price and good quality. They have a textured surface with raised metal lines and recessed color areas. They are baked at high temperatures, so they don’t fade.
The quality of soft enamel pins on the market varies. Some manufacturers skip high-temperature baking to save costs, which leads to fading over time.
Soft enamel pins are suitable for school emblems, promotional items, exhibitions, national flag pins, sports pins, 3D pins, and employee pins.
Soft Enamel vs Hard Enamel Pins: Know The Difference
3. 3D Die Casting Pins
If you want your pins to have a three-dimensional effect, then you should consider getting them to die cast. Die casting is a process where molten metal is injected into a mold to create a three-dimensional shape.
3D pins offer a strong visual effect. If your logo has a three-dimensional design, like a building, plane, or shell, then 3D lapel pins are a good choice. This kind of pin has a simple design, often without color or with at most 1-2 colors, to emphasize the 3D effect of the logo.
3D pins are suitable for brand logos, company logos, and character commemorative pins.
4. Printed pins
Printed pins are made by printing images or designs on a metal sheet. They are suitable for complex patterns, small logos, or designs with gradient colors.
Printed pins are made of various metals, including brass, stainless steel, and aluminum.
5. Spinner Pins/ Sliding Lapel Pins
Spinner lapel pins have a rotating disc on top. The disc can display different images or designs. They are a popular choice for those seeking a unique and eye-catching pin.
Spinner lapel pins consist of 2-3 pieces. One piece is fixed, the other can rotate.
6. Hinged Lapel Pins
Hinged lapel pins can be opened and closed like a door. They are usually used for book or door designs. Although innovative, they are more expensive.
7. Glitter Lapel Pins
If you’re looking to add a little extra flair to your outfit, why not try adding a glitter lapel pin? Glitter pins are a great way to add some sparkle and personality to your look. They can be added on soft enamel pin, hard enamel pins, and printed pins. And best of all, they’re relatively inexpensive and easy to find.
8. Lapel Pins with Chain
Chain lapel pins are excellent neck decorations. They add cute elements to your white shirt. Chain lapel pins consist of two pieces, connected by a thin chain in the middle.
Which Type Of Pin Is Suitable For My Design?
In choosing the type of lapel pin for your design, consider the following:
1. Personal preference
Hard enamel pins, soft enamel pins, and 3D pins are the most common types. Which one do you prefer?
2. Design
If your design is colorful, we suggest you make an enamel pin. Both soft enamel and hard enamel pins are suitable for simple designs. If your design is complex, we recommend you choose soft enamel pins, as they can accommodate more intricate colors and are not too expensive. If your design involves some 3D elements, we suggest you opt for 3D pins to match your original design.
3. Budget
If you have a limited budget, soft enamel pins should be your first choice over hard enamel pins.
4. Fast Turnaround
Some blogs write that soft enamel pins are faster to produce, some say 3D pins are quicker, and others say printed pins are the fastest. In fact, these are not accurate. From a lapel pin manufacturer’s perspective, the main factor determining production speed is the design of the product. If your product design is very simple, without color, we can complete it within 4 days. Another factor is the factory’s production line schedule. If the production line is not busy, all processes can be prioritized. If it is busy, it’s hard to say.
If your design is relatively complex, then the production speed of soft enamel and printed pins will be faster.
Here, you may want to know How to Design Enamel Pins?
Conclusion
That’s it!
When you research, you can find more categories of lapel pins, such as die-casting pins, die-struck pins, stick pins, magnetic pins, etc. It’s really dazzling. However, these categories can generally be attributed to the types of lapel pins we discussed above. For example, the craft of hard enamel pins can be die-struck or die-casting. Stick pins and magnetic pins are named after the accessories they use, which do not affect the main craft as they are assembled.
After reading this article, do you have a better understanding of the categories of lapel pins? If you still have questions or need help, please contact us. We offer free advice and provide professional suggestions based on your design.
