Keychain FAQs

Alchemy Merch - Soft Enamel Keychain Pricing

Alchemy Merch - Hard enamel keychain pricing

Alchemy Merch - Keychain Attachment Options

Where are the keychains made?
They are made in China, at the same facility as our pins. There are not good US options for this specific product. We have visited the factory in person and have made sure everyone is paid well and works regular hours

Are the workers paid fairly?  Is the factory a sweatshop?
Short answer is: yes, they are paid fairly and no, it is not a sweatshop. We have made sure everyone is paid above the industry standard and works normal days.  We have personally visited the factory.

Who do I email?
Check the contact page for an email form and other info or email us at orders@alchemymerch.com

How long do they take to make?
On average, enamel pins and keychains take approximately 3-5 weeks, depending on the style and complexity of the design. Shipping can take an additional week or so.

This timeline below represents the minimum required business days (no weekends) and does not factor in the rotating volume of orders in at any given point:

  • Soft Enamel

create mold - 1-2 days

die struck, cut, etc - 1-2 days

*if die cut zinc alloy, +2-4 days

polishing - 1 day

plating - black dye 1 day, nickel, gold, etc need 1-3 days

coloring - simple color 1 day, complex color 3 days or more

quality checking and packing 1-2 days

*if carded add 1-2 days+ packaging

  • Hard Enamel

create mold 1-2 days

die struck, cut, etc - 1-2 days

*if die cut zinc alloy, +2-4 days

polishing 2 days

coloring - simple color 1 day, complex color 4 days or more

plating - nickel, gold, etc need 1-3 days

quality checking and packing 1-2 days

*if carded add 1-2 days+ packaging

  • Any additional things like added printing or sequential numbering will add a few days as well

Can I do a rush order? I needed them yesterday
Soft enamel can usually be rushed, but hard enamel cannot.  Anything at or under 2 weeks turnaround will have a 10% rush fee added to the total. We will do what we can for you, but Alchemy cannot guarantee a hard deadline. 99% of the time, we hit the date and we will always ask the factory for a specific date if it is reasonable and if they can't do it, they will say they can't, so we won't take on a job we know is impossible.  If they are an extreme rush and it gets missed by a few days, we cannot discount/refund your order. Unfortunately, we have no control over possible delays in the postal service/Fedex system. 

Enamel keychains and pins are still multi-step handmade items and there is not a machine that pumps out a finished product. If they can't be done by a certain date, they can't be done. The factory is closed on weekends and the proofing process takes a few days. These also ship from overseas and we can't ignore real life transit times. There is no amount of money that could get pins or keychains to you in a week, no matter how much we wish there were, but we will always do our best to make your hard date.

Some of the pins were damaged or flawed.  What can I do?
First, take a deep breath and then send us an email. Because of the nature of how these items are handmade, issues can happen from time to time and we have a few options. 

  1. The factory messed something up like wrong color placement or bad plating, etc. 

We will get them remade for you and toss in some extra for the hassle. 

  1. 10 of the 100 are "flawed"

We can either buy them back from you at cost, or, what most people do is sell them as seconds and get $6-8 each (vs us refunding $2-3). Up to you!

  1. You claim something is wrong but they were made correctly and we do not agree with the assessment. 

We will buy them back from you, but we will not order pins to be re-made that we do not feel were made incorrectly. You won't lose any money in that final situation, but if we feel the factory made them correctly and a reprint would be the same, we will not reproduce something we know will have the same issues and would rather have you send them back for a refund. You can send them back, we throw them out and refund you. 

Do the keychains pass Prop 65 testing for California?
Yes.  We have a certificate we can send if you need one. 

Can I get less than 50 keychains made of a design?
Technically...yes, but you will be billed as if you got 50 because that is the minimum for it being worth the factory’s time, so getting 30 but paying for 50 isn't really worth it unless you really only need a smaller amount.

Do I see a physical sample before production?
99.9% of the time we do not do one. Our goal is to get us set up right before the order even gets to the factory so there's minimal changes and our expectations are accurate. If we are doing orders of 500+ qty and you really want to approve one first, I can have them do that, but there is a fee and  it will add about 1-2 weeks to the turnaround.

What's the difference between hard and soft enamel?
Soft enamel is what you are probably most familiar with. They have raised metal outlines and lower areas with enamel in them, and have some texture due to that. Hard enamel pins are polished and buffed down smooth and have very little texture. Hard enamel must also use a plated metal to work with the buffing down process (so no black-dyed or pantone-dyed finish.)

Are reprints cheaper?
If you have made a design through us and you need to get more made, you will save $50 since the mold does not need to be made again.

Can you ship internationally?
Yes. Normally in that case we ship them directly from the factory. It costs a little more than for a US customer, but is much faster (and cheaper) than them coming through Alchemy first and paying for another shipment. You may have some import fees due, but we have no control over your country's rates on that. What we hear from all of our international clients is that it's ultimately cheaper than Alchemy re-shipping and about two weeks faster to them in hand, even with any kind of import fee owed.

What kind of art works best?
Simple, clean and bold lines work best. Think of it like a logo in that it needs to translate well at a small size. Very tiny lines and details will get lost when it's made into a metal mold. If you need a test, size your art and print it out at home to see how it may look. Colors cannot touch each other without a border between them. Think of it like walls keeping the colors in where they need to be.

I have a lot of colors and my design is very detailed. Can we still make keychains?
We can get offset printed keychains made. Offset printing onto the keychains can get you full color, and are flat and have a thin clear coat on top to protect the printing. When your art is not enamel-friendly, it can be a great option.

Can I get my logo on the back side of the keychains?
YES! It adds $40 to the total, but for a company, our belief is it is worth every penny - and you only pay for it the first time you use it. For example, if you get 100 pins, it adds a flat $40. If you get 200 pins, it's the same $40. If you order a new design later and want to use the same backstamp, there’s no cost. It's basically just another fee for the mold which is why it's a flat fee regardless of quantity. We can do laser etched logos on the back for about the same price, but email for exact rates.

Can I use the same back stamp on multiple designs?
Yes. As long as it works at the same size, we charge the $40 one time and use it on all of your pins. This also applies to future pins you order. We can have the back stamp added at no cost.

What kind of file do you need?
We will need vector art. That can be an AI file or EPS/PDF vector. If you don't know how to do that, just send me a high resolution jpg/png/whatever you’ve got- we can usually make a vector form a good sized, clean file in any file type.

Can you help me with my art?
Absolutely! Email us what you've got and we’ll see what our options are. If we need to convert it to a proper AI or EPS vector file for you, we can usually do that with clean jpg/png/tif art. If you took your image from the interwebs, it most likely won't work. If your art needs a lot of work, there will be art time charged and we will let you know the cost. Most things can be converted pretty easily if it was created in some kind of art software.

All I have is a photo of a drawing...Can I still make keychains?
Often, yes.  We'd need to see what you have to evaluate it and if we can bill for some art time and make it work for you, we will mention that.  Sometimes all it takes is for you to re-draw it in black and white, take a good photo and send it in. It's really case by case, but there are a lot of design services out there that will do custom art for pretty cheap that you can always check out.

I've got this great idea (traced image from a tv show/movie...Can we make it?
No. We have no interest in making products of unlicensed artwork. We know there are plenty of places that will make them for you, but we are not that place. If it's legit parody or some original artistic take that is off brand, we might be ok with it, but intellectual property is something we value. Just because it may be part of pop culture does not mean that someone didn't put years into creating something original, so you profiting from their ideas is not ok in our eyes. We can't recognize everything, but if we do, we won't make it.

Part B - Will you make "fan art" products?
No. Still not your property and legally, you can sell a single item of fan art you made but you are not allowed to merchandise it into 100 pins or prints or shirts. A single piece of fan art is considered a private commission. That by no means makes it legal to create a product from it to sell. I know you see everyone selling rip off pins, but we don't want to make them. We wouldn't make pins for someone else who stole your character or artwork, so we give everyone the same level of respect.

What makes a keychain a “simple shape”? 
If your keychain is a very simple geometric shape like a circle or square, they are able to use a less expensive mold method. Anything more custom and complex requires a die-cast zinc mold, which is more labor intensive. 

Do the keychains come on backing cards?
Not automatically. They come individually bagged. I can get them put onto backing cards and bagged for you. The first 100 is $50 and they are $25 per additional 100. You are paying for the printing, materials, labor and added weight to airmail. Standard backing card size is 80mm x 54mm. There is also an option for a 100mm x 75mm card (closer to 4" x 3") which is often better for keychains. The factory made backing cards are a 14pt stock and have some flex and bend to them.

What sort of attachment options do I have?
We have a variety of clasps and keychain rings available- please check out the graphic on this page to see them all. Rings and chains come in gold or silver, and you can opt to have the ring with or without a few inches of chain attached. If you’re interested in additional dangles or add-ons, please email us for a custom quote. 

What is the average turn-around time?
Pins and enamel keychains take 3-5 weeks to get to us from the time of payment and art approval. Part of the fee charged includes airmail next day of your pins to us and once we have them, they ship in a flat rate USPS priority box (included in your price). It's the cheapest and fastest way to ship them due to weight. Basically, from proof approval to your door will average 3-5 weeks.

Can I trust you with my art and products?
Any art you send us is protected and we value how important that is. As a brand owner for over 10 years, we understand that IP is everything. The owner's previous brand was carried in over 300 retail stores and his own brand has been knocked off, so we take production and product creation very seriously. If you want us to sign some sort of form or an NDA, etc, we will. None of your products will be posted in the gallery or on social media until after you have released it officially.

Where do the products ship from once in the states?
We ship from Phoenix, AZ and flat rate priority is 2-3 days in transit to everywhere.