Hard Enamel Vs Soft Enamel: Time to Choose!

We’ve helped our clients create thousands of lapel pins that showcase a brand, event, or design. They come in all shapes and sizes, and the versatile range of ideas we see make sure there’s never a dull moment! However, no matter how your design takes shape, there’s one question that needs to be answered before anything else: Do you want a hard enamel pin or a soft enamel pin?

They are the two most popular types of pins out there, and, today, we want to dive into the differences, benefits, and ideal uses for each style to help you make the best decision!

Soft Enamel Pins - Familiar Texture and Budget-Friendly

Odds are you’ve come across plenty of soft enamel pins. They’re the most popular pin type and are known for their distinctive look and feel. They are created by striking your design into a metal surface, and the recessed areas of the artwork are filled with enamel colors.

Key Features of Soft Enamel Pins:

• Signature texture: The raised and recessed levels of soft enamel pins gives the artwork and texture depth.
• Affordability: Compared to hard enamel, this style of pin is more cost-effective without compromising quality.
• Bright and colorful: We can match any pantone color you like, making these pins ideal for brand recognition or designs with a lot of color!
• Versatility: You have access to a wide range of enamel colors, including glow in the dark enamel, glitter enamel, and translucent enamel to create different effects throughout your design!

Best Uses for Soft Enamel Pins:

• Promotional giveaways
• Event merchandise
• Collectibles with a casual or playful vibes

Hard Enamel Pins - Elevated Design and Sleek Finish

Hard enamel pins - sometimes called cloisonne pins - have a smooth, polished surface. Unlike their counterparts, hard enamel pins don’t have any recessed areas because the enamel colors and metal edges of the artwork are even. This creates a glossy, highly durable surface for your design.

Key Features of Hard Enamel Pins

• Smooth texture: The hand-polished surface of hard enamel pins gives each one a sleek texture.
• Highly durable: All of the custom pins we create are high quality and durable, and with hard enamel pins, you get an extra layer of scratch resistance, making them ideal for long-term appeal.
• Luxurious aesthetic: The clean lines and refined polish makes hard enamel pins look more-high end, giving them a higher perceived value.
• Capture fine detail: If you have small, almost imperceptible details to include in your design, the flat surface of hard enamel pins allows for silk screening!

Best Uses for Hard Enamel Pins:

• Corporate branding or employee recognition
• Formal or professional events
• Designs with intricate detail that require silkscreen elements

How to Decide - Hard Enamel or Soft Enamel?

Deciding between hard enamel and soft enamel comes down to knowing all the factors, and comparing them to your needs. Consider the following:

1. Design: Soft enamel pins are bright and colorful, have a textured surface, and are great for most types of artwork. Hard enamel pins have a smooth surface, premium appearance, and are better for custom pin designs with small, fine details.
2. Budge t: Soft enamel pins are more budget friendly, while the added production time and labor required for hard enamel pins makes them slightly more expensive. Both options receive discounts as you order more pins! Check out our pricing page for more info.
3. Purpose: Soft enamel pins are best for giveaways and merchandise. Hard enamel pins are best for corporate branding and professional settings.

No matter your choice, both options will give you an excellent product. The decision is ultimately up to you! While we generally see soft enamel pins used in more casual settings, and hard enamel pins used in more formal settings, it doesn’t have to be that way. We’re here to help you create whatever type of custom lapel pin you want!

Still not sure which direction to go? Just reach out to our team and we’ll guide you through the design process and make sure you’re 100% confident in the design before moving forward! Fill out a free quote form today to get started!