How To Make Enamel Pins: Complete Guide (2026)

Small, shiny, collectible. Pins are having their moment because they fit how people buy and express themselves today. They sit at the intersection of fashion, fandom, and identity: a kind of pocket-sized manifesto you can wear on your jacket or tote bag. 

The specialty pins market (which includes custom pins, enamel pins, and lapel pins) was valued at $3.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $5.1 billion by 2033.

In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how to start making custom enamel pins, from idea to prototype to launch—and how to sell enamel pins people will want to collect, wear, and talk about. 

Why make enamel pins?

Souvenir pins have been around for decades. Go into any rest stop or gift store, and you’ll likely find an assortment of different lapel pins.

Today, people wear pins to express themselves and to promote the things they like. They can place pins anywhere from backpacks and hats to shirts, sweatshirts, and pants. Enamel pins have become a sort of fashion statement, with celebrities like Taylor Swift wearing them on the cover of Entertainment Weekly.

Illustrators and artists love enamel pins for a few reasons:

• Pins are an excellent complement to selling clothes and stickers.
• The profit margins on enamel pins are high.
• They are easy to make and ship.
• There’s no limit to creativity.

If you’re creative and have graphic design skills, there’s no limit to what you can do in the enamel pin business.

Types of enamel pins to make

Explore the most common types of enamel pins to determine which make the most sense for your business: 

• Soft enamel
• Hard enamel
• 3D mold
• Offset epoxy
• Die struck
• Duel-plated enamel
• Metallic enamel

Soft enamel

Soft enamel pins are what most people picture when they think “classic enamel pin.” The metal base is stamped, plated, and then filled with colored enamel paints—but the paint doesn’t fill all the way to the top. Each color sits slightly lower than the metal lines, creating that crisp, textured look you can actually feel under your fingertips.

The recessed enamel catches light differently, giving pins more dimension in photos and videos (a nice bonus for your product shots). Soft enamel is also slightly more forgiving to produce, which means:

• Lower manufacturing costs (great for small runs or first-time makers)
• More vivid color options (the paint can be air-dried, not heat-cured)
• Faster turnaround times
• Easy customization (add glitter, glow-in-the-dark pigments, or epoxy coating for a smooth finish)

Hard enamel

Hard enamel pins are the sleeker, more durable cousin to soft enamel. The process starts the same way: a metal base is stamped and filled, but then each color is baked at high temperatures (typically around 160°C to 200°C) to harden and cure the enamel. 

After cooling, the entire surface is polished flat until the enamel and metal edges sit perfectly level.

The result is a smooth, glass-like surface with a premium feel; the kind you’d find on luxury brand pins or commemorative badges. They cost a bit more to produce and take longer, but you’re trading time for craftsmanship.

Benefits include:

• Exceptional durability (scratch-resistant and less prone to fading)
• High-end appearance (perfectly smooth, mirror-polished finish)
• Professional appeal (great for brand logos, official merch, or collector-grade designs)

Hard enamel is a good choice if long-term durability is important to you and your customers. For example, if you’re targeting customers who want to hang their enamel pins on their outdoor backpacks, this type of pin is a great option.

Soft vs. hard enamel differences

Both start with the same foundation—a stamped metal mold—but the production path diverges after the first fill. Soft enamel air-dries, keeping that textured metal-line finish. Hard enamel gets multiple rounds of heat curing and polishing until it’s flawlessly smooth.

Here’s a comparison at a glance:

3D mold

3D mold pins, or die-cast pins, are a type of pin made by pouring molten metal under high pressure into a mold of your design. 3D mold pins typically have a more elegant, classic look and are made from either zinc or pewter.

You’ll want to use die-cast pins when you have an intricate design that requires cutouts or a pin that isn’t a perfect shape. Think designs for animals, toys, planes, or symbols.

Offset epoxy

An epoxy pin has a clear plastic coating that is applied to soft enamel or offset-printed-style lapel pins. It adds shine and protects your designs from damage. Epoxy coating can protect silk screen paint or offset printed designs from fading or scratching over time. These types of pins are great for intricate designs with photographic detail.

Die struck

Die struck pins are made from pressing metals—like iron, gold, or copper—against a steel mold to create your pin. Striking the metal creates a recessed area where you can add color options, like cloisonné. Some makers also sandblast the recessed area to create a two-tone metal look.

Dual-plated enamel

Dual-plated enamel pins are the fancy sports cars of the pin world. They use two different metal platings on the same pin. This effect creates a contrast that makes your design pop. 

You might use gold plating for the main elements and silver for the details, or mix it up however you want. Just keep in mind that this extra metalwork means they cost more to produce.

Metallic enamel

Metallic enamel contains tiny metal flakes that catch the light and create an awesome shimmer effect. When someone tilts your pin in different ways, it’ll flash and gleam like a disco ball (but way classier). 

These pins are perfect for creating something that looks high-end without going overboard. The metallic finish works especially well for designs featuring stars, celestial elements, or anything that’s supposed to have that extra bit of shine.

How to make enamel pins in 7 steps

1. Design your own custom enamel pins
2. Choose the right materials
3. Decide on enamel pin size
4. Select a manufacturer or production method
5. Manage your pin production
6. Determine pricing and profit margins
7. Sell your pins on marketplaces

1. Design your own custom enamel pins

For creating mockups of your lapel pins, using Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop is probably your best bet. If you don’t have access to Adobe products, here are some free alternatives you can use to create your own original designs:

• Pixlr
• Sumo Paint
• GIMP
• Paint.NET

Manufacturers almost always require a vector file (AI, EPS, or SVG) rather than a flat JPEG or PNG. Vectors ensure clean, scalable lines that your manufacturer can convert into a metal mold without distortion.

Once your design is finalized, manufacturers use your vector file to guide steel mold creation, which stamps your artwork into the metal base with precision.

Here are a few best practices to follow:

• When in doubt, zoom out. If the pin looks crisp and readable at 1.5 inches on screen, you’re in the right zone.
• Use the correct Pantone numbers. Each enamel color is matched using the Pantone Matching System (PMS), so you’ll need to specify exact shades in your design file. Manufacturers mix liquid enamel to match your chosen Pantone numbers as closely as possible. These are some commonly used Pantone shades in pin manufacturing:
• PMS 186 C: Vivid red; ideal for accents and bold designs.
• PMS 286 C: Standard enamel blue (often used for flags or denim tones).
• PMS 123 C: Warm yellow that holds brightness after curing.
• PMS 347 C: Bright, classic green.
• Leave breathing room. Avoid placing enamel areas too close to the pin’s edge. A 0.3 millimeters to 0.5 millimeters margin helps prevent overflow and ensures smooth plating around the perimeter.
• Check text legibility. If you’re adding lettering, use bold, sans-serif fonts and keep text above four points. Anything smaller risks filling in during the plating or enamel process.

💡Pro tip: if you’re designing in tools like Adobe Illustrator, Figma, or Affinity Designer, outline all your strokes and convert text to shapes before exporting. That keeps your file print-ready and eliminates font or scaling issues later.

Alternatively, you can work with a company like Your Stuff Made that specializes in pin design and manufacturing. The brand is artist-run and owned, so you know you’ll get high-quality custom pin designs at an affordable price.

2. Choose the right materials 

Your materials can make or break your enamel pin. You want your pins to look amazing and last forever (or at least until someone loses them off their denim jacket).

First, decide between hard and soft enamel:

• Hard enamel pins: These have that smooth, polished finish that screams quality, but they cost more to make.
• Soft enamel pins: These have recessed areas between the metal lines and a textured feel. It’s cheaper, but can still look super clean if done right.

For the metal base, zinc alloy is your best friend. It’s durable, takes detail well, and won’t destroy your budget. You could go fancy with sterling silver or gold-plated options, but start with the basics that actually make sense for your bottom line and target audience.

After the pins are molded and polished, they go through an electroplating process that adds the final finish like gold, silver, black nickel, or antique; giving your pins their signature sheen.

Each one gives a different vibe:

• Gold plating: Classic and luxe.
• Silver: Modern and versatile.
• Black nickel: Edgy and contemporary.

Don’t forget the backing hardware. You’ve got two main options:

• Butterfly clutch: The standard choice, secure and reliable.
• Rubber backing: Better for delicate fabrics, but can wear out faster.

3. Decide on enamel pin size

The size of your pins matters. Go too small and your designs turn into blobs of metal. Go too large and suddenly your pin is competing with actual brooches. 

The sweet spot for most pins is between one and 1.5 inches in any direction.

Think about where your customers will wear these pins. A massive three-inch pin might look cool in a flat lay, but in real life, it’ll probably live in a drawer instead of on a denim jacket.

Here’s a quick size guide:

💡Pro tip: Once your design crosses 1.25 inches, it’s smart to add two pin backs instead of one. Larger pins tend to rotate or droop when worn, and a second post keeps them upright and balanced. It also distributes weight evenly, reducing strain on thinner fabrics.

And because your manufacturer charges by size, every quarter-inch increase affects your production cost—and ultimately, your retail price. So, weigh your artistic ambitions against your margins. 

4. Select a manufacturer or production method

You’ve got two main routes here: overseas manufacturers or local producers.

No matter where your pins are made, the enamel pin manufacturing process follows the same essential steps: your design is converted into a steel mold, stamped into metal, plated, filled with enamel, cured, polished, and then quality-checked. 

Overseas manufacturers (often based in China, Taiwan, or Thailand) usually offer the best bang for your buck, especially for bulk orders. You can find them on platforms like Alibaba or Made-in-China, where prices often range from $1 to $3 per pin when ordering more than 100 pieces.

A few popular and reliable options in the enamel pin community include:

• WizardPins
• The/Studio
• Made by Cooper
• True Metal Works

Local manufacturers, on the other hand, tend to charge $5 to $8 per pin, but they come with serious perks: faster turnaround times, easier communication (no time zone gymnastics), and the ability to visit their workshop in person. That can be huge for small brands that want to understand the process and build a real relationship with their maker.

A good manufacturer asks smart questions, explains options clearly, and cares about how your final pins feel in your hand.

Here’s what to look for:

• Clear, transparent pricing. No hidden mold fees or vague “color upcharges.”
• Low or flexible minimum order quantities (MOQs). Ideal for first-time sellers testing small batches.
• Responsive communication. You shouldn’t have to chase updates.
• Sample-first policy. Willingness to make prototypes or pre-production samples before mass production.
• Detailed proofs. They’ll send you a photo proof or digital mockup of your actual design before finalizing, showing enamel colors, plating, and scale.
• Consistent quality. Check photos of past work or verified customer reviews to confirm clean edges, accurate colors, and sturdy backings.
• Protective packaging. Individually bagged pins reduce scratches during shipping, a small detail that speaks volumes about quality control.

Even if the pricing looks tempting, beware of manufacturers who:

• Avoid showing samples or physical proofs
• Communicate vaguely or inconsistently
• Offer unrealistically low prices
• Refuse to clarify Pantone matches or plating options
• Use low-resolution mockups 

5. Manage your pin production

Once you’ve selected a manufacturer, it’s essential to keep your production costs low while maintaining quality. Here are the key factors that will influence the final price of your enamel pins:

• Design complexity. More intricate designs may require additional production steps, raising costs.
• Number of colors. The more colors used in your design, the higher the production cost.
• Pin size. Larger pins use more materials, which also increases the price.
• Order quantity. While the initial cost of creating the mold for your pin is significant, the cost per pin decreases as you increase your order size.

Most enamel lapel pin manufacturers will allow you to customize the materials you use for your pins, beyond hard or soft enamel. You’ll be able to choose the color and texture of the base of your enamel pins before dyes are added, so make sure you ask to see all the options available. 

Ask about the options available for the needle on the back of your pin, including whether the clasp for the needle is steel, rubber, or some other material.

Find out if your chosen manufacturers will let you customize the way your pins are shipped. Enamel pins usually arrive in small plastic bags, but some manufacturers will allow you to add a custom backing card to each pin for a professional touch. If backing cards are available, make sure you’re given the exact design specifications for them, including color limitations and bleed area.

Once your artwork is approved, most manufacturers, like JIAN Pins, quote around seven to 15 working days for production. More complex designs, multicolor fills, or custom platings can stretch that timeline closer to three or four weeks.

6. Determine pricing and profit margins

First, calculate your total costs per pin. This includes:

• Manufacturing cost per pin
• Shipping from the manufacturer
• Packaging materials (backing cards, plastic sleeves)
• Other supplies you need
• Transaction fees from payment processors
• Marketing costs

Production costs depend heavily on size, materials, and quantity. On average:

• Soft enamel pins cost about $2.10 each at 100 pieces
• Hard enamel pins come in around $2.40 each at 100 pieces
• Larger or more detailed pins can reach $3 to $4 each for small runs

For a solid profit margin, most successful pin makers price their products at four to five times the manufacturing cost. So if your pin costs $3 to make, you might sell it for $12 to $15. This might seem like a big markup, but remember you need to cover all those extra costs and make enough profit to keep your business running.

💡 Use Shopify’s Profit Margin Calculator to set optimal product prices and improve profit margin. 

7. Sell your pins on marketplaces

Lots of pin sellers create an Etsy shop to sell their work, but there are also marketplaces like Amazon Handmade and eBay where you can sell pins. 

Ecommerce platforms like Shopify help you set up shop easily and handle the technical stuff for you. Shopify can also connect all your sales channels into one dashboard so you can monitor sales in real time. 

Keep track of which marketplaces are bringing in the most sales and focus your energy there. Sometimes it’s better to rock it on two or three platforms than spread yourself too thin trying to be everywhere at once.

DIY method: making enamel pins at home

The DIY route is great for testing your ideas before mass-producing your own enamel pins.

If you’re experimenting with designs or testing demand before a big order, you can make enamel-style pins right at home using shrink plastic: the same material used in keychains and jewelry crafts.

It won’t give you the glossy, metal-finished perfection of true enamel, but it’s a fast, affordable way to prototype designs or sell small batches at craft fairs and pop-ups.

Shrink plastic technique

Shrink plastic (often sold under brands like Shrinky Dinks or Grafix Shrink Film) starts as a thin sheet of printable or drawable plastic. When you heat it, it shrinks to about one-third of its original size and thickens, creating a durable, hard surface that mimics enamel.

How to DIY a pin using shrink plastic: 

1. Design. Create your pin art digitally in Canva, Illustrator, or Procreate. Remember, it will shrink to about one-third of the original size, so scale up your artwork accordingly (e.g., design at three inches if you want a one-inch final pin).
2. Print or draw. Use an inkjet printer for printable sheets, or draw directly with permanent markers. Let the ink dry completely.
3. Cut out. Trim carefully along the edges. Rounded shapes shrink more evenly than sharp points.
4. Bake. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and bake for one to three minutes. 
5. Flatten. If it’s not perfectly flat after baking, press it gently with a flat object while it’s still warm.
6. Seal. Apply a thin layer of UV resin, clear acrylic sealer, or Mod Podge Dimensional Magic for a glossy enamel-like finish.
7. Attach. Once dry, glue a pin back to the reverse side. Let it cure for at least 12 to 24 hours before use.

Required supplies and costs

You’ll need:

• Printable or frosted shrink plastic sheets. About $25 for a 50-pack, like Grafix Shrink Film or Shrinky Dinks Inkjet Sheets.
• Permanent markers or colored pencils (for frosted sheets). A basic Sharpie 24-pack runs around $17 and will last through hundreds of designs.
• Inkjet printer (for printable sheets). Most home printers work fine; you just need one that handles thick media.
• Scissors or a precision craft knife. Like this Exacto knife 15-pack set for about $10.
• Hole punch: Optional; for attaching hardware before shrinking.
• Oven or heat gun to shrink your designs evenly. Your home oven works; if you prefer control, a SEEKONE heat gun costs about $29.
• Glossy sealant or UV resin (for shine and protection). Try options like Mod Podge for $8, or Limino UV Resin (200 gram) for $9 to $12.
• Pin backs and strong adhesive. A pack of 50 butterfly clutches runs about $4, and Aleene’s Clear Gel glue for about $5.
• Parchment paper or silicon mat to protect your baking tray. Both reusable and inexpensive; a Silpat mat costs about $30, but cheaper options also work fine.

All told, you’re looking at about $25 to $40 in total startup costs for a batch of 10 to 12 enamel-style pins, or roughly $2.50 to $3 per pin.

How to sell enamel pins online

• Open an online store
• Take great product photos
• Market your online store

Now that you know your market, the pins you’ll sell, and your supply chain, it’s time to figure out how and where to sell your enamel pins:

1. Open an online store

Marketplaces are good places to list your pins, but you’ll want to open an online store to have more control over your own brand. An online store acts as your digital home, where you can connect with shoppers and sell your products.

For example, PINTRILL, a leading enamel pin seller, features hundreds of pins on its ecommerce website. PINTRILL gives new life to work by artists who have passed, like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. It also expanded its product line to include keychains, pin-backs, and hats. 

Because PINTRILL doesn’t list on third-party marketplaces, it doesn’t pay commission and can keep all the profits.

2. Take great product photos

Make sure to take good product photos of your pins. Shoppers will want to see the details. Plus, you took the time to design them, so might as well show ’em off.

A few tips to improve your photos: 

• Set up a clean background. You can easily find inexpensive paper sweeps on Amazon, which can add a professional look to your product photos. 
• Use a lightbox. Lightboxes create even lighting and are perfect for shooting small products. 
• Save time for some light retouching. Even great product shots can use a little editing. Use free tools like Canva or Shopify Magic (which comes with every Shopify account) to clean up the background, adjust the colors, and add contrast. 

📸Learn more: Product Photography: Craft a Perfect Setup in 2026

3. Market your online store

When it comes to marketing your own enamel pin business, there are some recommended channels you’ll want to try:

• Search engine optimization. SEO helps you reach people who are looking for specific enamel pins or designs. The buying intent behind these searches means you’ll get relevant traffic to your product pages, which can result in more sales. 
• Instagram marketing. Instagram is a highly visual platform and perfect for creators to show off their products. You can publish a mix of Stories, posts, or Reels to promote your products and connect with followers. The more they connect with your content, the more likely they are to buy.
• Facebook advertising. Say you want to target a specific group with your pins. Facebook ads can help you market to people who fit that profile.
• Influencer marketing. Partner up with micro-celebrities, YouTubers, Instagrammers, and TikTokers to promote your pins. Look for content creators with audiences similar to yours to make the most of your partnership.

Want to really boost your sales? Bundle similar pins together, offer discounts on multiple purchases, and create limited edition runs to create some FOMO (fear of missing out). Just make sure your shipping is speedy and reliable. Nobody likes waiting forever for their pins to arrive.

Building a DIY enamel pin business

Building an enamel pin business can be both rewarding and profitable when done right. 

Start your business as a side hustle, then slowly turn it into a full-time venture. You’ll figure out what pins sell and different ways to source them to increase margins and make money online.

Here’s the quick reality check:

Pros:

• You can begin for less than $50 with DIY materials or a small manufacturer run.
• Small, lightweight, and easy to ship worldwide.
• Strong margins; a $3 pin often retails for $12 to $15.
• Easy to scale once you validate your first few designs.

Cons:

• The market’s crowded, so design and storytelling matter more than ever.
• DIY production takes time; cutting, baking, sealing, and gluing add up.
• Quality control can vary with cheaper manufacturers.
• Mold fees ($50 to $100) and minimum orders can slow early growth.

The trick is to start small, stay consistent, and build around what your audience actually responds to.