Skip to content
A selection of different styles of pin badges featuring a car, guitar, funky triangle, a crocodile on a disco ball, and a circular branding badge.

Are All Pin Badges Printed?

"How long does it take to print pin badges?"

If we had a cookie for the number of times we're asked this question, our entire office would have some serious digestive distress.

Of course, we know the true meaning of the question, "How long will it take to get my order?" but it still raises a smile every time we hear it.

Because whether we print your custom pin badges or not depends entirely on what you order.

A orange lollipop shaped badge with gradient colours to make it look realistic.

Let's Answer The Question, "Are All Pin Badges Printed?"

No, they're not. But some are.

Like our aptly named Printed Pin Badges. However, the pin badges (enamel pins) that most people know are not printed. We stamp the design into metal and fill the recessed areas with enamel paint to add colour.

Some enamel pin badge designs can include screen printing under the right circumstances. More on that shortly.

Three round printed pin badges featuring a realistic cat, the Huddersfield Town Football Club crest with

So, What Are Printed Pin Badges?

Printed badges give our clients the chance to create pins with incredibly detailed designs. Because the enamel pin manufacturing process can be relatively restrictive, we're limited by the guidelines and not every design is achievable.

But with printed badges, you're not limited by anything. Your badge designs can have as much detail as you want, and you can even include photo-realistic images and gradient colours that aren't possible with enamel.

A comparison between a soft enamel and a printed pin badge. The soft enamel badge is a mushroom-shaped house, while the printed badge features the grim reaper holding a sign that says

What's The Difference Between Enamel Pins & Printed Badges?

Enamel pins (here's the difference between soft and hard enamel) are made from a metal base with the design stamped into the material using a mould so that all the badges are the same. Enamel paint is added to the dipped areas, and the whole batch is baked and finished.

Printed badges have the design ... well ... printed onto the base, which is then covered in epoxy to give it a shiny and smooth finish. When placed side by side, the physical differences between these two types of badges are easy to see.

Three enamel pins with screen printing on them. An electric guitar, Horace the Cheese from Discworld, and a red camera.

You Can Print On Enamel Badges? How?

When you order custom hard enamel pin badges, you have the option to include more intricate details in your design with screen printing. After stamping, filling, and baking your badges, our talented factory can print extra details on top of the badge to give it an unrivalled appearance. For a more in-depth look at this process, check out our screen printing blog, which explains it in greater detail and shows some excellent examples of it in action.

A pin badge featuring the Lacoste crocodile sitting on top of a glittery discoball.

Ready To Create?

Now you've got more of an understanding of how we make our pin badges, the differences between some of our products, and that we don't print all of the designs. Are you ready to create your own?

Contact our talented team, and we'll bring your ideas to life. We offer a FREE design service, enabling everyone to create custom pins, regardless of their artistic abilities.

Made by Cooper
30 April 2025

Made by Cooper uses cookies to provide necessary site functionality and improve your experience. By using our website, you agree to our privacy policy.