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Lapel Pins

Lapel Pins are a large product group for promotional products. Used for corporate identification, incentives, recognition, awards, fund raising, affinity group, trading, or a myriad of other purposes, Lapel Pins are an effective and prized promotional product. There are several ways to make a Lapel Pin; each, however, has its own advantages and disadvantages.

The descriptions of each type below should take some of the mystery out of Lapel Pins. As always, though, the Aura staff will be able to help you to select the best, most cost effective Lapel Pin for your client.

Cloisonné. These pins are the original lapel pins and are the most highly prized by collectors.

• Manufacturing Process: A brass plate is stamped by a steel die creating the pin shape and surface. The design requires a thin gold line to separate colors.
• Color & Finishing Process: The recessed color wells are hand filled with Aoki glass pigments one color at a time and then fired between each coloring to a hard, glassy finish. When all colors have been applied, the pin is ground to remove excess cloisonné pigments and polished to create a lustrous sheen. The finished surface is smooth with no variation. The metal in the pin may be finished in gold, silver, pewter, or other metallic color. The finished surface is smooth with no variation.
• Benefits: This is the “genuine” cloisonné lapel pin. The pin has a jewelry-like appearance and the colors are vibrant.
• Limitations: This is the most expensive process. The colors available are limited to a select group of colors of cloisonné glass powders. This pin cannot have very fine details. Colors must be “spot” colors; there cannot be screens or gradients.

Semi-Cloisonné (also called polymer enamel). These pins have all of the aesthetic beauty of true classic cloisonné pins with the benefit of Pantone color matching. 

• Manufacturing Process: A brass plate is stamped by a steel die creating the pin shape and surface. The design requires a thin gold line to separate colors. 
• Color & Finishing Process: The recessed color wells are hand filled with enamel color one color at a time and then put in an oven after each color is applied to harden the enamel. The pin is then ground to remove excess enamel and polished to create a lustrous sheen. The metal in the pin may be finished in gold, silver, pewter, or other metallic color. The finished surface is smooth with no variation.
• Benefits: This pin has the overall appearance of a Cloisonné Hard Enamel pin but offers many colors and PMS color matching.
• Limitations: This pin cannot have very fine details. Colors must be “spot” colors; there cannot be screens or gradients.

Brass Photo Etched. This is a good alternative to the other pin types to have fine detail for a lower cost.

• Manufacturing Process: The pin detail is created by etching the surface of a plate with acid. The base metal must be brass.
• Color & Finishing Process: The recessed color wells are hand filled with enamel coloring after which the pin is put in an oven to harden the enamel. The metal in the pin may be finished in gold, silver, pewter, or other metallic color. If desired, a clear epoxy dome can be applied.
• Benefits: The pin design can have fine detail.
• Limitations: Colors must be “spot” colors; there cannot be screens or gradients.

Silkscreen or Offset Printed. This process is required when the image has a photo or gradient colors or colors must touch (i.e. not be separated by a thin metal line).

• Manufacturing Process: A brass plate is stamped with a steel die creating the pin shape.
• Color & Finishing Process: The image is printed directly on a blank pin with a silkscreen or offset process one color at a time.  This process works best for solid color designs, although screens and photographs can be printed.  The metal in the pin may be finished in gold, silver, pewter, or other metallic color. The finished surface is smooth with no variation.
• Benefits: Photos and color gradients can be reproduced using this process. Colors can meet.
• Limitations: Image has a “flatter” appearance.

Die Struck With Soft Enamel Coloring. This is the most popular method of making a lapel pin. It will have a variable surface similar to a coin.

• Manufacturing Process: A brass plate is stamped with a steel die, creating the pin shape and surface.
• Color & Finishing Process: The recessed color wells created by the die are hand filled with soft enamel coloring.  The metal in the pin may be finished in gold, silver, pewter, or other metallic color. If a glossy finish is desired, a clear epoxy finish can be applied.
• Benefits: The pin design can have fine detail.
• Limitations: Colors must be “spot” colors; there cannot be screens or gradients.

Misty Finish (die stamped without color). Comment: This is the same as the Die Struck Soft Enamel process but without the color.  This pin has a variable surface similar to a coin.

• Manufacturing Process: A brass plate is stamped with a steel die creating the pin shape and surface.
• Color & Finishing Process: The metal in the pin may be finished in gold, silver, pewter, or other metallic color and may be polished or dull. The raised surfaces may be polished to contrast with a dull matte or sandblasted background.
• Benefits: This process creates a rich looking pin.
• Limitations: None.

Die Struck Iron. This pin represents a economical method to make a lapel pin. Like the Die Struck With Soft Enamel pin described above, it has a variable surface similar to a coin.

• Manufacturing Process: A steel plate is stamped with a steel die creating the pin shape and surface.
• Color & Finishing Process: The recessed color wells created by the die are hand filled with soft enamel coloring. The metal in the pin may be finished in gold, silver, pewter, or other metallic color. If a glossy finish is desired a clear epoxy finish can be applied.
• Benefits: The pin design can have fine detail. Because the base metal used is iron rather than brass, though, the cost of an iron pin is significantly less than an equivalent brass pin.
• Limitations: Colors must be “spot” colors; there cannot be screens or gradients.