Two very different materials solve the same brief. A straight comparison on shape freedom, colour, durability, perceived value and cost.
A lot of briefs can be answered in either material. A keychain, a magnet, a coaster or a badge can be metal or soft PVC, and the decision changes the cost, the look and where the item can be sold.
The useful way to decide is to ask what the piece has to do: carry a shape, carry a colour, or carry perceived value.
Soft PVC is moulded, so the outline follows the subject. A landmark, a bottle, a fish or a mascot is cut to its own silhouette rather than printed inside a rectangle, and relief is built up in layers.
Metal can be cast to a shape too, but the tooling is more expensive and there is a practical limit to how fine the outline can get before the piece becomes fragile.
Soft PVC takes any colour to a Pantone number with no colour surcharge, and the colour goes through the material rather than sitting on it. For a design with six colours that is a significant saving.
Metal carries colour as enamel or print, and enamel is filled one colour at a time.
Soft PVC flexes rather than cracking, which is why it survives a luggage carousel and a dropped keyring. Metal is harder, heavier and will not deform, and it can be plated and engraved.
The difference buyers actually feel is weight. A cast metal coaster reads as a gift; a moulded PVC coaster reads as a promotional item. Both are correct answers to different briefs.
Choose soft PVC for characters, landmarks, product silhouettes, children's items, bright colour ranges and anything that has to be soft against a surface.
Choose metal for awards, collectibles, engraved items, formal gifts and anything where the recipient should feel the weight.
| Shape freedom | Soft PVC: moulded to any outline. Metal: cast shapes possible at higher tooling cost. |
|---|---|
| Colour | Soft PVC: any Pantone, no colour surcharge. Metal: enamel filled one colour at a time. |
| Durability | Soft PVC: flexes, will not crack. Metal: hard, will not deform, can be plated. |
| Perceived value | Soft PVC: promotional. Metal: gift or award. |
| Engraving | Soft PVC: not engravable, text is moulded. Metal: engraved or laser etched. |
Soft PVC is usually cheaper per piece, especially on multi-colour designs where enamel would be filled colour by colour.
No. Text and logos are moulded into the piece instead, which is more durable than engraving would be.
The colour goes through the material. Keep items out of prolonged direct sunlight, as with any coloured plastic.
Yes, and some ranges do exactly that, with metal as the premium line and PVC as the volume line.
Soft PVC. It has no sharp edges and it weighs less.
Send the artwork and the quantity. We will tell you which process suits it, and the first sample is free either way.
