Custom Embroidered Patches

If you are thinking about making your own enamel pins soon, you may have heard the terms “hard enamel” and “soft enamel” and wondered what the difference between those were. These types of pins are certainly the most popular types right now, but there are also other options! Here’s a brief explanation of the types of pins:

Soft Enamel

Soft enamel is the most popular type of pin. A metal mold is created, and the colored sections are carefully filled in with paint.The paint is slightly recessed, giving the soft enamel pin a textured feel. This process has a charming look that many people enjoy. 

Hard Enamel

Hard enamel is more durable and scratch-resistant than soft enamel pins. The paint is filled to be even with the metal, then polished to have a smooth and even finish. While these pins lack the texture of soft enamel, many people prefer this method because of the durability and high quality look.

Ultimately, it comes down to which look and finish you prefer more. There are also Printed and Die Cast pins available. Take a look at our flow chart if you need help deciding which process is best for your design:

Crowdfunding is a pretty common way for independent artists and designers to generate the funds for their pins and patches. It may seem intimidating to start a crowdfunding campaign, but it doesn’t have to be. As long as you are prepared, it can be a great experience. We want to help your campaign in whatever way we can. We are willing to be your first backer too. We’ve proudly supplied many designers with high quality pins and patches over the years, and we know what it takes to run a successful campaign. We can help get the word out, and our staff can offer advice if you need it. Basically, we have your back. Take a look at our guide, and if you're doing a campaign, send us an email so we can get you a quote to start the process. 

Getting Started:

A good patch or pin design should be unique and appropriate at a small size. It’s up to you if you would like to make something that appeals to a more unique niche, or a more broadly-appealing design.  Presentation is very important! We can assist with design services if you need help with clean artwork.  If you aren’t familiar with all of your options for patches and pins, take a look at our Guide to Creating Your First Patch and our Guide to Creating Your First Enamel Pin.

Calculating your Goal Amount

Once your design is completed, the next thing is setting up your campaign and calculating your costs. It’s very important to take everything into consideration. This includes the cost of the production of your products, as well as shipping supplies, shipping costs, as well as the fees from your crowdfunding site of choice. Both Kickstarter and Indiegogo will take about 8% of the total you raise.

Always allow yourself a little extra wiggle room with your goal amount. Remember that shipping fees count towards your total. Someone from your own country will contribute less than someone from a foreign country for the same reward simply because of the extra shipping. Keep in mind that a good portion of the money you will raise will need to be for shipping!  Once you get your production costs figured out, consider how you will be shipping your pins. A very common method is to use small padded envelopes that can be purchased in bulk quantities. You can find these on Amazon or other places that sell in bulk.

Setting up Rewards

Now that you have a goal, it’s time for the fun part. You always want to give your potential backers a variety of reward choices at different prices. Having a very low amount that just offers a ‘thank you’ is a good choice to have, as well as a big, expensive option. Some people offer extras like stickers, small prints, or original art as extra incentives. Make sure you put a limit on certain rewards if need be and always calculate these additional offerings into your goal amount. Having a stretch goal is totally up to you. These are extra things that you offer if your goal reaches a certain amount. For example, your goal may be $300 for a pin, but if you reach $600 you’ll offer an additional design. These also must be carefully planned! This is a good way to keep your goal amount low, but also offer an additional item if your campaign goes very well.

Do not forget about shipping!

Unfortunately, a common pitfall is to not charge enough for shipping. Calculating shipping domestically usually isn’t an issue, but international shipping can get tricky. Most shipping services charge by the weight of your package. A patch or pin in a small padded envelope will only weigh a few ounces. Shipping domestically in the US with the Postal Service will run you about $3.50 (they just increased their prices). Use the US Postal Service’s online calculator to get a better idea of how much to charge. For example: mailing a pin to Canada would cost me $10, and mailing one to Australia would cost $14.25 from the US. Entering shipping costs for some individual countries can be tedious, but it will save you money in the end. There is also a “everywhere else” option for Kickstarter and Indiegogo, so entering every country ins’t necessary.

Promoting Yourself

This is the step that most people consider to be the most challenging. Your campaign is in your hands, and it’s up to you to make it a success. It’s not as simple as sharing the same link on the same social media sites several times a day. You want to avoid becoming a spam bot. Varying your posts with different unique images and updates can help break up the monotony of sharing the same link for several weeks. Post a celebration post when you meet 50%. Create a new image to share that will catch people’s attention. Remind people when there is only 1 week left in the campaign. Another suggestion is that create a calendar for yourself. Plan to make new posts and vary where you post them. This way, you don’t neglect a social media account and don’t overload a different one. 

How we can help

Snow hit us hard yesterday but we were still open! Check out this cute patch for Small Fry Dance Club. If you have questions about your order feel free to contact us, we're open Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm ET.