A custom enamel pin looks simple: a small piece of metal with a few colors and a clutch on the back. But each one goes through a surprising number of steps before it reaches a lapel, a backpack or a trading lanyard.
Knowing how enamel pins are made helps you design better pins, understand your quote and avoid surprises. Here’s the whole journey, from idea to finished pin, plus the main factors that affect what custom pins cost.
Step 1: Your idea becomes production artwork
Everything starts with your design. It might be a polished vector logo, a hand sketch or just a description. Before anything can be made, the design has to be turned into production artwork.
During this stage, a designer:
- Converts the design into clean vector lines.
- Defines the metal lines that will separate each color. In enamel pins, every color sits inside its own area surrounded by raised metal.
- Matches your colors to Pantone references.
- Sets the size and the plating color.
- Adjusts details that would be too small to reproduce at pin size, such as very thin lines or tiny text.
The digital proof
You’ll then receive a digital proof: an image showing exactly how your pin will look, with its size, colors, plating and backing. This is your chance to catch spelling mistakes, check colors and ask for changes. Production doesn’t start until you approve it.
Tip: Review your proof at actual size, not just zoomed in on screen. If a detail is hard to read at actual size, it will be hard to read on the pin.
Step 2: Making the mold
Once the artwork is approved, it’s used to create a mold (also called a die). The design is engraved into a hard metal block in reverse, so the areas that will be raised on your pin are recessed in the mold.
The mold is one of the key reasons custom pins have setup costs. It’s made specifically for your design, and it’s what gives every pin in your order the same shape and detail.
Step 3: Striking or casting the metal
Next, the mold is used to form the pin itself.
- Die striking: a sheet of metal (commonly iron, brass or copper) is placed under the mold and struck with a press. The pressure stamps the design into the metal, creating raised lines and recessed areas.
- Die casting: for complex shapes, cutouts or 3D designs, molten zinc alloy may be poured into a mold instead.
After striking or casting, each pin is cut out to its final shape and the edges are cleaned up.
Step 4: Attaching the post
The pin post, the small metal pin that goes through fabric, is attached to the back of each piece. It’s usually soldered in place. Other attachments, such as a magnet or a safety pin, can be used instead depending on how the pin will be worn.
Step 5: Plating
For soft enamel pins, the bare metal is plated at this point (hard enamel pins are usually plated after polishing; see Step 6). Common finishes include:
- Gold or silver
- Nickel or black nickel
- Copper or bronze
- Antique finishes, which add a darker tone in recessed areas for a vintage look
- Dyed or colored metal finishes
The plating color becomes the color of the metal lines on your finished pin, so it has a big impact on the final look. Black nickel, for example, makes bright enamel colors stand out.
Step 6: Filling the enamel
This is the step that gives enamel pins their color, and where soft enamel and hard enamel pins go different ways.
Soft enamel
Colored enamel is carefully filled into each recessed area, one color at a time, often by hand with a fine applicator. The enamel is filled below the top of the metal lines, so the finished pin has a textured surface you can feel. The pins are then baked to cure the enamel.
An optional epoxy dome, a clear protective coating, can be added on top to smooth the surface and add shine.
Hard enamel
Hard enamel is filled up to or slightly above the top of the metal lines. After the enamel is baked and hardened, the pin is polished down until the enamel and metal are perfectly level. Because polishing takes off the top layer of the metal, hard enamel pins are typically plated after polishing so the metal lines look clean and bright.
The result is a flat, smooth, jewelry-like surface that’s very durable.
Not sure which is right for you? See our comparison of soft enamel vs. hard enamel pins.
Step 7: Special effects and add-ons
If your design includes extras, they’re added at this stage or during the steps above. Common examples include:
- Glitter enamel
- Glow-in-the-dark enamel
- Translucent enamel over a textured metal background
- Printed areas for gradients or photos
- Moving parts like spinners, sliders and danglers (popular on trading pins)
- Pin-on-pin layering
Step 8: Backing and packaging
Finally, a backing is added to each pin. The most common choices are:
- Rubber clutches: comfortable and secure.
- Metal butterfly clutches: the classic option.
- Locking backs: for extra security on pins that move a lot.
- Magnetic backs: no holes in clothing, great for suits or uniforms.
Pins can be packed in individual poly bags, mounted on a custom backing card with your logo and message, or placed in gift boxes for awards and recognition.
Step 9: Quality check
Before shipping, pins are inspected for color accuracy, filling, plating, edges and backing so the order matches the approved proof.
What affects the cost of custom enamel pins?
Every pin project is different, so pin pricing is quoted per project. These are the main factors that move the price up or down.
Size
Larger pins use more metal and more enamel, and they may need a larger mold. Size is one of the biggest cost drivers.
Quantity
Setup work, such as artwork and the mold, is shared across every pin in your order. In general, the cost per pin goes down as quantity goes up.
Soft enamel vs. hard enamel
Hard enamel requires extra polishing and finishing, so it usually costs more than soft enamel.
Number of colors
Each color is filled separately. Simple designs with fewer colors are typically more economical.
Plating
Some platings and special finishes cost more than others.
Add-ons and special effects
Glitter, glow-in-the-dark enamel, moving parts, cutouts and epoxy all add steps to production.
Backing and packaging
Magnetic backs, locking backs, custom backing cards and gift boxes add to the cost, but they can also make your pin much more presentable.
Shipping and timeline
Where your pins need to go and how quickly you need them both affect the final price.
Tip: If you’re working to a set budget, tell us. We can suggest ways to simplify the design, adjust the size or choose a different enamel to get you closer to your number.
Reordering pins
Once your design and mold exist, reordering the same pin is usually simpler, since the artwork has already been approved. PINS has its own offices in Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile and Argentina. For organizations with teams in Mexico, Costa Rica or Chile, the approved mold and artwork can be reused by our offices in those countries, so your teams there can order the same pin without starting from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
How are enamel pins made?
Your design is turned into production artwork, a mold is made, the metal is struck or cast, plated and filled with soft enamel or hard enamel, then baked, finished, backed and inspected.
What metal are enamel pins made of?
Common base metals include iron, brass, copper and zinc alloy. The pin is then plated in a finish such as gold, silver or black nickel.
Why do custom pins have a mold cost?
The mold is made specifically for your design. It’s what gives every pin its shape and detail.
Can I change my design after approving the proof?
Changes after approval can delay your order and may require a new mold, so review your proof carefully before you approve it.
Why can’t you give me a price without details?
Because price depends on size, quantity, enamel type, colors, plating, add-ons, packaging and shipping. Share those details and we’ll send you a quote.
Get a quote for your custom enamel pins
Have a design in mind? Send it to us, even if it’s just a sketch, along with the size and quantity you’re thinking about. We’ll prepare a digital proof and a quote for your custom soft enamel or hard enamel pins.