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Guides for planning and ordering custom pins

Compare suppliers, prepare a useful brief and choose the artwork, quantity and construction for the project.

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  • Free proof in 24 hoursAn artist draws your pin to scale, every color matched to Pantone.
  • Proof before productionRevise your digital proof before we make your pins.
  • Duties includedDelivered to the US, Canada, UK and Australia with shipping and import duties paid.
  • Photos before shippingYou see your finished pins before they leave the factory.

Prepare the purchase

Quantity, total cost, supplier comparison and the next run.

  1. How to compare custom pin suppliersCompare suppliers with the same artwork, quantities and delivery requirement. A useful quotation identifies the complete specification and the approval path.2 min read
  2. How much do custom pins cost?A custom pin can cost $1 or $10, and the difference is mostly size, quantity and style. Here are real prices, what drives them, and how to compare quotes without getting caught by fees that are not on the first page.4 min read
  3. Minimum order quantity for custom pinsAlmost every custom pin maker has a minimum order quantity (MOQ). Here is why, what is typical and how to get a small number of pins without paying too much.2 min read
  4. Enamel pin mold fees explainedMany pin quotes include a line called a mold fee, die charge or setup fee. Here is what it pays for and why it changes the price of small orders so much.2 min read
  5. How long do custom pins take?Standard custom pin orders arrive within 30 business days after the proof is approved, rush orders within 10 and express orders within 5. Here is where that time goes, what can stretch it and how to make sure your pins arrive before your date.2 min read
  6. How to prepare a custom pin reorderUse the previous approved artwork and a clear change list to prepare the next run. A repeat order still needs its quantity, specification and delivery requirement checked.2 min read
  7. How many trading pins do you need?Run out of pins on day two and players are disappointed; order far too many and the team has spent money on pins in a box. Here is how to get the number right.3 min read

Choose artwork and construction

Use the process and dimensions that fit the design.

  1. Soft vs hard enamel pinsSoft and hard enamel pins start the same way, struck from the same kind of mold. The difference is in how the color is filled and finished, and it changes the look, the feel, the durability and the price.5 min read
  2. How to design an enamel pinA good pin design is not just a good drawing made small. Metal lines, enamel colors and real-world size all change what works. These are the principles we use when we turn customers' ideas into pins, so you can design with them from the start.4 min read
  3. Pin size guidePin sizes are measured on the longest side, and the difference between 1 inch and 1.25 inches is bigger in your hand than it sounds. Use this guide and the printable chart to pick the right size for your design and purpose.4 min read
  4. Types of pin backsThe pin back is the least glamorous part of a pin and the part that decides whether you still have it next week. Here are the common types, how each works, and which one fits how the pin will be worn.4 min read
  5. Pin plating optionsPlating is the metal finish on the visible lines and surfaces of a pin. On an enamel pin it frames every color; on a die struck pin it is the whole look. Here is what each finish looks like and when to use it.2 min read
  6. Choosing Pantone colors for enamel pinsEnamel colors are matched to the Pantone Matching System (PMS), the same standard printers use. Knowing how it works helps you get the colors you expect.2 min read
  7. Preparing vector files for enamel pinsYou do not need production-ready files to order pins; our artists prepare them for free. But if you design your own pins, setting up the file correctly saves revisions and keeps your design exactly as you drew it.2 min read
  8. Die struck vs enamel pinsDie struck pins are all metal, shaped in relief with no color. Enamel pins add color to the same kind of struck metal. Both are classic; the right choice depends on your design and the occasion.2 min read
  9. Hard enamel vs cloisonnéYou will often see "hard enamel" and "cloisonné" used as if they were the same thing. They are related but not identical, and the difference matters if you are paying for one and expecting the other.2 min read
  10. Printed pins vs enamel pinsEnamel pins and printed pins look different and are made differently. Each one is better for certain designs.2 min read

Plan the project and its use

Ceremonies, programs, trading and the ideas around them.

  1. How to make enamel pinsThere are two honest answers to "how do I make enamel pins?" Real enamel pins are made in a factory with a steel mold, and that process is easy to understand once you see it. If you want to make something pin-like at home, there are a few DIY methods that work. This guide covers both.5 min read
  2. Enamel pins vs button pinsPeople say "pin" for both, but an enamel pin and a button are different products. Here is how they compare.2 min read
  3. How to clean and care for enamel pinsEnamel pins are durable, but a few simple habits keep them bright for decades and stop them from getting scratched, tarnished or lost.2 min read
  4. What is a lapel pin? Meaning and historyA lapel pin is a small pin worn on the lapel of a jacket, usually to show membership, achievement, support or affiliation. Today the term covers almost any small decorative pin, but its meaning still comes from that original purpose: a quiet, visible signal about who you are.4 min read
  5. Lapel pin placement: where does it go?A lapel pin goes on the left lapel, over the heart. That is the short answer. Here is exactly where on the lapel, how to angle it, and what to do on jackets without a buttonhole, on shirts and dresses, and with name tags.4 min read
  6. 30 ways to display enamel pinsA drawer full of pins is a collection nobody sees. Here are 30 pin display ideas, from the classic cork board to rotating banners and travel-friendly pin books, plus how to keep pins safe once they are on show.3 min read
  7. Lapel pin etiquetteLapel pins are small, but they are noticed. These are the conventions for wearing them well at work and at formal occasions.2 min read
  8. Pin collecting for beginnersPin collecting can be as casual as a few favorites on a jacket or as serious as a catalog of limited editions. Here is how to start and how to build a collection you enjoy.2 min read
  9. How to sell enamel pinsEnamel pins are one of the most popular products for independent artists and small brands, because they are cheap to make, easy to ship and fun to collect. Selling them profitably comes down to cost, price, channel and timing.2 min read
  10. How to start a pin businessA pin business can start with a single design and a few hundred dollars. Here is a practical plan from first idea to repeat orders.2 min read
  11. Funding a pin run with preordersPreorders let your customers fund your pin run before you pay for it. Done well, they remove the risk of ordering designs nobody buys.2 min read
  12. Custom pins for small businessSmall businesses do not have big marketing budgets, which is exactly why pins work: they cost little, last for years and get worn where customers see them.2 min read
  13. What are trading pins? The complete team guideTrading pins are custom pins that teams make to swap with other teams at tournaments. For many young players, trading pins are as memorable as the games: a board full of pins from teams they met from across the country. Here is everything a coach or team parent needs to know.4 min read
  14. Pin trading etiquette for kids and parentsPin trading is friendly by nature, and a few simple manners keep it that way. Share these with your players before the first tournament.2 min read
  15. 50 trading pin design ideasThe best trading pins make other kids stop and say "I want that one." Here are 50 ideas to start from, grouped by type, with notes on the add-ons and sizes that make each work.4 min read
  16. How to display trading pinsAt a tournament, a display is how players show what they have and see what others want. At home, it is how a season's collection becomes a keepsake. Here are the options teams use.2 min read
  17. Pin trading at tournaments: a first-timer's guideIf your team is heading to its first big tournament with trading pins, here is what to expect and how to prepare, from a parent's point of view.2 min read
  18. Cancer ribbon colors chartEach type of cancer has an awareness ribbon color, used on pins, clothing and campaigns to show support. Here is the full chart, with the month each cancer is observed and notes on colors that are shared.4 min read
  19. Awareness ribbon colors and meaningsRibbon colors let people show support for a cause at a glance. Many colors stand for several causes at once, so here is what each color most commonly means and how to make your meaning clear.3 min read
  20. Awareness months calendar 2027Every month has causes that organizations, hospitals, schools and companies observe with events, fundraising and awareness ribbons. Here is the 2027 calendar, with ribbon colors and key days, so you can plan campaigns and order materials in time.3 min read
  21. The nursing pinning ceremony: history, order and planningA nursing pinning ceremony welcomes new nurses into the profession. Graduates receive their school's nursing pin, often from someone who helped them get there. Here is where the tradition comes from, how a ceremony usually runs, and how to plan one.4 min read
  22. Nurses Week gift ideas nurses actually wantNurses Week runs May 6–12. The best gifts are useful on shift, reach every nurse including night and weekend staff, and come with genuine recognition. Here are 30 ideas, from free to budget-friendly.3 min read
  23. Teacher Appreciation Week ideas for 2027Teacher Appreciation Week in 2027 is May 3–7, 2027, with National Teacher Day on Tuesday, May 4. Here is a day-by-day plan PTAs and families can run, plus gift ideas at every budget and tips to include every staff member.4 min read
  24. Employee appreciation ideas that actually stickAppreciation works when it is specific, timely and visible. A pizza party once a year is nice; a culture where people notice good work is better. Here are 40 ideas, grouped by what they give people, plus how to make them land.3 min read
  25. Years of service award ideasA service anniversary is one of the few moments when an organization can thank someone simply for staying. Here are ideas for every milestone, plus how to run a program that feels personal rather than automatic.3 min read
  26. Graduation pin ideasGraduation pins are small, wearable keepsakes. Here are ideas schools, PTAs and programs use, with notes on design and timing.2 min read
  27. School spirit ideasSchool spirit grows from shared traditions that everyone can join. Here are 25 ideas for students, PTAs and staff.2 min read
  28. How to raise money with a pin fundraiserPins make good fundraising products: low cost, high perceived value, easy to sell and something supporters keep. Here is how to plan one that raises real money.2 min read

Designing and ordering

Wearing and collecting

Trading pins

Recognition and awareness

Selling pins

Start from a design

Designs to make your own

Every design is a starting point: our artists change the text, colors and logo, then send a free proof.

Video Laurel Wreath Years of Service Pin Laurel Wreath Years of Service Video Bold Numeral Years of Service Pin Bold Numeral Years of Service Video Domestic Violence Awareness Ribbon Pin Domestic Violence Awareness Ribbon Organ Donation Ribbon Pin Organ Donation Ribbon Video Pregnancy & Infant Loss Ribbon Pin Pregnancy & Infant Loss Ribbon Video Heart Stethoscope Nursing Pin Heart Stethoscope Nursing Video Stethoscope Heart Pin Stethoscope Heart Video Diploma Scroll Pin Diploma Scroll
All 222 designs
From idea to lapel

How ordering works

  1. Choose your pins

    Select a design, size, quantity and options. Buy online with PayPal or card, or send an inquiry first.

  2. Free proof in 24 hours

    An artist sends a scale drawing with every color matched to Pantone, the metal finish and the back. Revisions are unlimited.

  3. Approve your proof

    Confirm the design before production. If you requested a quote first, pay through the link in your approved quote.

  4. Made and delivered

    Standard delivery within 30 business days, rush 10, express 5. Duties are already paid.

Free proof · no payment until you approve

Tell us about your pin

An artist replies within 24 hours with a digital proof and a price that already includes shipping and import duties. Nothing is charged until you approve.

  • A phone photo of a sketch is enough to start
  • Not sure about size or style? We recommend one
  • Unlimited revisions until the proof is right
  • We reply by email; no calls unless you ask

Prefer email? Write to hello@enamelore.com

Step 1 of 2

Use an English date, for example Oct 28, 2026.
Artwork, logo or sketchOptional. Up to 10 files, 11 MB each.

Name, organization and delivery country come in step 2.

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Your request has been sent to our team. You will receive a free digital proof and a delivered price by email within 24 hours.