Soft Enamel Pins
Soft Enamel Lapel Pin
A soft enamel lapel pin is die struck the same way as a hard enamel pin, but the colour is left sitting below the raised metal lines instead of being ground flat.
Overview
Product Overview
A soft enamel lapel pin is die struck the same way as a hard enamel pin, but the colour is left sitting below the raised metal lines instead of being ground flat. You can feel the ridges with a fingertip, and the relief catches light in a way a flat pin does not. It is the most common finish in custom pins because it costs less than hard enamel, tolerates more colours in one design, and copes with detailed illustration work. Minimum order is 100 pieces per design, with production generally 10-15 days after sample approval.
Why It Works
Key Benefits
- Costs less per piece than hard enamel at the same size and colour count
- Raised metal outlines give the artwork a tactile relief a flat pin cannot
- Handles busy multi-colour illustration without the colours bleeding together
- Optional clear epoxy dome adds protection where the pin will be worn hard
- Same die serves reorders, so a club or series stays consistent year to year
Where It Is Used
Application Scenarios
Club and society badges issued to new members each season
Character and mascot pins for fan merchandise and conventions
Awareness and campaign pins handed out in volume at events
Staff badges where the design changes annually and budget matters
Trading pins swapped at tournaments and youth sports events
Fit
Who It Is For And What It Fixes
Who It Is For
- Clubs and societies ordering member badges on a fixed annual budget
- Merchandise buyers producing character or mascot pins for fans
- Charities running awareness campaigns that need volume at low unit cost
- Distributors who need a colourful pin without a premium price tag
Problems It Solves
- Hard enamel quotes come back above budget for a badge that is worn occasionally
- Detailed illustration loses its line work when flattened into a smooth surface
- Designs with many colours become expensive in processes that fill each one separately
- Buyers want visible metal outlines rather than a flat printed look
Construction
Technical Features
- Die struck from a steel mould cut to the buyer's vector outlines
- Enamel filled into the recesses and cured, left below the metal line
- Optional clear epoxy dome over the face for extra scratch resistance
- Plated before filling so the raised metal lines carry the finish
- Attachment welded or glued to the back before final inspection
Data
Specifications
| Minimum Order | 100 pieces per design |
|---|---|
| Base Metal | Brass or iron |
| Colour Fill | Soft enamel, cured and left recessed below the metal lines |
| Surface Option | Bare enamel or clear epoxy dome |
| Plating Options | Gold, silver, nickel, black nickel, antique finishes |
| Attachment Options | Butterfly clutch, rubber clutch, safety pin, magnet |
| Artwork Formats | Adobe Illustrator preferred; JPG, PNG or PDF accepted |
| Sample Lead Time | 3-5 days |
| Production Lead Time | 10-15 days |
Making It
Materials And Manufacturing
Materials
- Brass for crisper metal lines on detailed illustration work
- Iron where the design is simple and unit cost drives the decision
- Soft enamel matched to the colour reference supplied with the artwork
- Clear epoxy resin when a domed protective face is specified
Manufacturing Process
- Artwork review and vector clean-up
- Steel die cutting
- Die striking
- Trimming and edge finishing
- Plating
- Soft enamel filling
- Curing
- Optional epoxy doming
- Attachment welding
- Inspection and packing
Control
Quality And Customization
Quality Control
- Vector proof approved by the buyer before the die is cut
- Pre-production sample approved before mass production starts
- Colour checked against the approved reference while the pieces are filled
- Every piece checked for surface faults, plating marks and attachment strength before packing
Customization Options
- Any outline cut from your own vector artwork, including irregular shapes
- Bare enamel or clear epoxy dome depending on how hard the pin will be worn
- Plating in gold, silver, nickel, black nickel or an antique finish
- Glitter enamel, glow enamel or transparent enamel in selected areas
- Backstamp and numbering for limited runs
- Individual poly bags, backing cards or pouches for hand-out quantities
Trade-offs
Compared With Other Options
| Hard enamel pin | Soft enamel costs less and gives relief you can feel; hard enamel is flat and stands up to daily wear better |
|---|---|
| Offset printed pin | Soft enamel gives real metal outlines; printing wins when the artwork is photographic |
| Woven patch | A patch is cheaper in volume and sews on; a pin transfers between garments |
| Silkscreen pin | Silkscreen holds fine flat detail; soft enamel gives depth and a heavier feel |
Practical Notes
Use Guide
- Send vector artwork so the metal outlines can be drawn at the finished size
- Add an epoxy dome if the pin will live on a bag or a work jacket
- Keep separate colours divided by a metal line, since recessed colour needs a wall
- Specify a rubber clutch for pins children will handle
- Order a little over the headcount, because hand-out pins always go missing
See Also
Related Products
Soft Enamel Pins
Glitter Lapel Pin
Metallic flake makes a small pin visible across a crowded room or trade stand
View Product →
Hard Enamel Pins
Silkscreen Lapel Pin
Handles fine detail, small text and gradients that enamel cannot reproduce
View Product →
Hard Enamel Pins
Transparent Color Pin
Clear epoxy coating protects the enamel color from everyday handling and display wear
View Product →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum order for soft enamel pins?
100 pieces per design, the same as every other product we make.
Will I feel the texture on the surface?
Yes. That is the defining feature: the colour sits below the raised metal lines, so the face has relief you can feel.
Should I add the epoxy coating?
Add it if the pin will be worn daily or carried on a bag. For an event badge worn once, bare enamel is usually enough.
How many colours can I use?
As many as the design needs, provided each colour is separated by a metal line. Send the artwork and we will confirm what holds at your size.
What artwork do you need from me?
Adobe Illustrator vector files are best, because the die is cut from outlines. JPG, PNG and PDF are accepted too, and we redraw them when the detail needs it.
Can I change the design once production has started?
Sometimes. Depending on how far the run has gone it may be free or chargeable, because a die that has been cut cannot be altered.
How are the goods shipped?
By FedEx, UPS or DHL, chosen to suit the destination and the deadline.
Get A Price For Soft Enamel Lapel Pin
Send the artwork and the quantity and we will price soft enamel lapel pin against your design. Minimum 100 pieces.