What's the difference between Soft & Hard Enamel finishes?
Soft enamel pin badges are produced with a recess where the enamel sits in a slight dip, the raised metal is therefore slightly higher on the pin than the enamel. Hard enamel pin badges are polished flat with the metal and enamel on the same level. Visually soft enamel badges have slightly more definition between colours as the metal lines are more obvious where the enamel dips into the surface. Hard enamel can look less defined as the enamel merges slightly over the metal lines, as the enamel & metal are finished to the same level. The design differences between the two processes are very subtle but provide a slightly different look and feel to your badge.
Artwork Guidelines
Soft enamel pins are made with thin raised metal lines to separate each enamel colour; this prevents the colours running into each other. If you are designing your own artwork, please remember to separate each colour with a border (to represent the thin lines of raised metal on your pin).
Colour Limitations
Due to the nature of the dark enamel pin plating options such as black dye or black nickel, the pantones you select may turn out darker than the pantone colour, so an exact match cannot be achieved with these finishes
Soft Enamel Pin Badges
Product Code: SoftEnamel
Our high quality soft enamel custom pin badges are an economical choice and can be matched to your pantone colour - a fantastic modern enamel custom pin at budget prices.
Design & Manufacturing Process
Soft Enamel pin badges are manufactured by a metal stamping process after which the metal is plated to the colour of choice (for example polished nickel), the enamel is placed in the recess of the badge and then baked in the oven to set. The finished effect is a slight dip, which sinks the enamel below the metal. It gives a great visual element with a slight 3D effect. However, if you don't like the sunken look of the enamel, we can finish off with a clear resin epoxy coating, which provides a smoother surface to your custom pin badge. The clear epoxy resin coating also provides extra protection to the surface of your pin.
Production Lead-time
Air Express - 4 to 12 weeks from artwork sign off. Price is slightly higher due to additional air freight cost
Sea Shipment - 12 weeks + - the most economical choice is to use our monthly sea shipments which arrive every 12 weeks
* Price excludes VAT