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The biggest advantage of custom printed pins is their fast production turnaround and their exceptional ability to render gradients, complex patterns, photographic effects, and intricate details.
For designs with rich colors, complex lines, or those otherwise unsuited for traditional enamel craftsmanship, the printing process is often the more ideal choice.
In this guide, we will walk you through the key features and common types of custom printed pins, their differences from enamel pins, and how printing can be seamlessly combined with enamel techniques.
Features of Custom Printed Pins
Printed pins are crafted by directly transferring the design onto the badge surface. This process is highly recommended for designs that feature complex color schemes, extensive gradients, tiny details, dense text, or photographic elements.
Unlike soft enamel pins, printed pins do not require raised metal lines to separate different colors, resulting in a much higher fidelity that closely mirrors the original artwork. Common techniques include UV printing, silkscreen printing, or adding an epoxy dome coating post-print.
The finished product features a flatter surface and richer coloration, though its metallic, three-dimensional texture is more subtle than that of soft or hard enamel pins.
Types of Printed Lapel Pins
Common varieties of printed pins include UV printing, offset printing, and silkscreen printing.
UV Printing
Utilizing digital inkjet technology, UV printing applies the artwork directly onto the pin surface without the need for printing plates. It excels at handling full-color designs, gradients, and intricate details. Known for its rapid production speed and vivid color payoff, it is the perfect fit for custom pin orders requiring a quick turnaround and high design fidelity.
Offset Printing
Offset printing is ideal for highly complex designs with diverse color palettes. It beautifully replicates landscapes, illustrations, photographs, and other multi-colored artwork, delivering a more refined and delicate visual effect on the pin’s surface.
Silkscreen Printing
Silkscreen printing transfers ink onto the pin surface via a mesh screen, making it best suited for simple graphics, text logos, and designs with fewer colors. Because it applies only one color at a time, it is not recommended for gradients or overly complex, full-color artwork.
Printed Pins vs. Enamel Pins
Visual and Tactile Effects
- Printed Pins: Resemble a colored design applied directly to a metal surface. The finish is flat with no distinct recessions or ridges, yet it perfectly captures gradients, photos, and complex details.
- Soft Enamel Pins: Feature distinct metal lines and a layered, textured feel. The raised metal borders separate each color section, and the injected paint sits slightly recessed, offering a pronounced metallic texture.
- Hard Enamel Pins: Polished down to a smooth, even finish with virtually no palpable height differences. The colors are rich and solid, yielding a premium, high-end feel.
Production Time
- Enamel Pins: Require molding, color-filling, baking, polishing, and plating, which typically takes around 15–20 days.
- Printed Pins: Feature a streamlined manufacturing process that cuts production down to about 7 days, making them highly suitable for tight deadlines.
Cost
For the same size and quantity, printed pins are generally more budget-friendly than enamel pins. Because they bypass complex color-filling and polishing stages, the manufacturing efficiency is much higher—ideal for volume projects or restricted budgets.
Color Presentation
- Enamel Pins: Colors must be matched precisely to Pantone shades, and each color block usually needs a metal border separation, making complex gradients difficult to achieve.
- Printed Pins: Allow for an unlimited color spectrum, effortlessly handling full-color graphics, photos, illustrations, gradients, and fine details.
Printing + Enamel Crafts
If you love the metallic texture and dimensional layers of an enamel pin, but your design includes gradients, photographic elements, or fine details that you do not want simplified or altered, you can combine both techniques.
This hybrid approach preserves the premium, three-dimensional look of an enamel pin while leveraging printing technology to capture rich colors and fine details. It is the perfect solution for custom designs that demand both a premium metallic finish and complex artwork reproduction.
Epoxy + Printing Process
An epoxy dome can be applied over a printed pin as a clear protective layer, shielding it from scratches and wear while making the colors appear brighter and more vibrant.
This finish is highly recommended for full-color prints, photos, gradients, and detail-heavy designs, as it enhances both durability and visual depth. However, please note that over an extended period, epoxy may experience slight yellowing.
Custom Fast-Turnaround Lapel Pins
If your event is only two weeks away and your badge design was just finalized, the printing process is your best option. Its rapid production turnaround makes it ideal for complex patterns, gradients, and full-color designs.
Contact VeperPins today with your design, quantity, and deadline, and we will recommend the perfect custom pin solution tailored to your needs.
