What's the difference between enamel pins and button badges?

Both fasten the same way and both cost less than a round of drinks, but enamel pins and button badges are made completely differently — and that changes how they wear, what they cost and who they suit.

This guide covers the practical bits: what each one is made of, how long it lasts, what it costs to post, and which to pick depending on whether it's a keepsake or a handful for a leaving do.

Everything we make is designed in house and posted from the UK, so if you want to see the difference in person, one badge posts for the price of a card.

What an enamel pin is

• A metal body — usually cast then plated — with coloured enamel filled into the recessed areas. Shop this card
• Heavier in the hand, with a raised metal outline you can feel across the design. Shop this card
• Hard wearing: the colour is set into metal rather than printed on top, so it survives coats, bags and years of use. Shop this card
• Better suited to keepsakes — the badge someone still has on a jacket five years later. Shop this card
• Costs more per badge, because the metal and plating cost more to make. Shop this card

What a button badge is

• A printed design sealed under a thin clear layer and wrapped over a metal or plastic shell. Shop this card
• Light, flat and cheap — the reason they've been the standard band merch badge for fifty years. Shop this card
• Ideal for detailed artwork and photographs, which enamel can't reproduce cleanly. Shop this card
• Best when you want several: a set for a team, a party, or a bag covered in them. Shop this card
• Less hardy over time, since the surface can scuff where enamel wouldn't. Shop this card

How to choose in ten seconds

• One person, one meaningful gift: enamel pin. Shop this card
• Ten people, one occasion, one budget: button badges. Shop this card
• Detailed illustration or lots of colours: button badge. Shop this card
• Bold shape, few colours, needs to last: enamel pin. Shop this card
• Going in the post with a card: either — both are flat and light enough. Shop this card

Looking after a badge

• Wipe enamel with a dry cloth; skip the polish, it dulls the plating. Shop this card
• Add a rubber or locking back if it's going on a rucksack that gets thrown around. Shop this card
• Pin through a seam or a thicker layer of fabric so the hole doesn't show on fine knitwear. Shop this card
• Store spares in a tin rather than loose in a drawer, so the pins don't scratch the faces. Shop this card

Animal pin badges

Cats, frogs and one very charming pigeon.

Cards to send with a badge

Badge and card in one order, one delivery.

How to write it so it lands

• Buying for a team? Mix one enamel pin for the leaver with button badges for everyone else.
• Photographic or highly detailed artwork always reproduces better as a button badge.
• A badge plus a card is usually cheaper than a single gift and gets opened twice.

Where to shop next

• Pin badges hub
• Shop all pin badges
• Funny pin badges
• Animal pin badges
• Pride pin badges
• Work & occupation badges
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas

Frequently asked questions

Are enamel pins worth the extra cost?

If the badge is the gift, yes — the colour is set into metal, so it survives daily wear on a coat or bag for years. If you need several for one occasion, button badges do the same job for less.

Will a pin badge damage clothing?

Pinning through a seam or a thicker fabric avoids visible holes. On fine knitwear, pin it to a bag, lanyard or coat lapel instead.

Can I post a badge with a card?

Yes. Badges are flat and light, so they go in the same envelope as a greeting card and ship as one order with one delivery charge.

What size are your badges?

Most sit around 25mm to 45mm across, with the small designs at the lower end. Each product page lists the exact size.

Do badges come with a standard pin back?

Yes, every badge has a standard pin fastening that works on coats, bags, lanyards and hats.