Pin FAQS
Where are the pins made?
They are made in China, as all pins are. Most places hosted in the US are making them in China as well and acting like they made them in the US. They didn't and neither do we. 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?
You can check out our trip to the factory and all of this information on the how pins are made page. 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.
Who do I email?
Check the contact page for an email form and other info or email me at orders@alchemymerch.com
Why Alchemy?
We care about your art and the products you are looking to make and consider ourselves to be your production partners. Everyone on our team understands your "why" and have run our own brands and helped thousands of people make products. We will take the time to answer all of your questions and make suggestions to help you make the best looking merch we can.
Alchemy is your safety net for overseas production. If you've ever blindly contacted someone overseas, sent money and hoped for the best, you will understand the stress of that...especially if your product didn't turn out correct. Something doesn't go right? We cover it. If you've ever had a hard time communicating with someone overseas and things take 3x longer and you still aren't sure if you are on the same page...we are here to help.
We have visited the factory in person, produced over 2 million pins with them and have a strong relationship with the factory. In addition, we help guide you to make the best quality pin we can for you. If the factory makes a mistake, we have them re-make them, no problem. As a producer of goods for a long time, getting the execution down is very important to us. We love making products and have a high standard of quality. If what you want to do isn't possible, we will tell you and if it won't work how you intend, we will suggest how it should be done a different way to translate best. Our job is to help you make the best pin we can. We care about sending out something that looks great and helps you sell more, so you get our advice, knowledge, experience and guidance. You'll see that you can't pay us before we've seen any art and that's because our goal is to work with everyone to create something great, not just take money and send junk. Part of our goal is to help you avoid making a cruddy looking pin, so when we suggest some sizes or metals that may work best, it's with that in mind.
How long do they take to make?
This Timeline represents the min required days and does not factor in the rotating volume of orders in at any given point and they are business days(aka no weekends)
• Soft Enamel
create mold - 1-2 days
die struck, cut, weld back nails, 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, weld back nails, 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 we 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.
Pins are still a multi-step handmade item and there is not a machine that pumps out a finished product where we just jump up in the line. If they can't be done, 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 to you in a week, no matter how much you will it to be, 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 the pins 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 add toss in some extra for the hassle. 2. 10 of my 100 are "flawed". We can either buy them back from you at cost or most people will sell them as seconds and get $6-8 each vs us refunding $2-3, but it's up to you. 3. 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 wrong. 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 fro a refund. You can send them back, we throw them out and refund you. We am a reasonable when approached with reason.
Do the pins pass Prop 65 testing for California?
Yes. We have a certificate we can send if you need done for one of our clients passing all materials used in production for retail sales in the state of California
Can I get less than 50 pins made of a design?
Technically...yes, but you will be billed as if you got 50 because that is the min for it being worth their 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. My 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 it will add about 1-2 weeks to the turnaround.
What's the difference between hard and soft enamel?
Soft enamel are what you are probably most familiar with. They have raised and lowered 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 hold up to the buffing down process.
Are reprints cheaper?
If you have made a pin through me and you need to get more made, you will save $50 from the mold not needing to be done again.
Can you ship internationally?
Yes. Normally we ship them direct from the factory. It costs a little more than for a US customer, but is much faster 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 likes 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 pins?
We can get offset printed pins made. Offset printing onto the pins 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 pin friendly, it can be a great option.
Can I get my logo on the back side of the pins?
YES! It adds $40 to the total, but for a company, our belief is it is worth every penny. For example, if you get 100 pins, it adds a flat $40. If you get 200 pins, its the same $40. It's basically just another fee for the mold which is why it's a flat fee regardless of quantity. I can get printed logos on the back to 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, I can charge the $40 one time and use it on all of your pins. This also applies to future pins you order. I 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 properly, just send me what you've got and I'll get us sorted. If you don't know how to do that, just send me a high resolution file that you have and I can see what we can do. I can usually make a vector form a good sized, clean file in any file type.
Can you help me with my art?
Email us what you've got and I will see if it's usable. If we need to convert it to a proper AI or EPS vector file for you, we can with clean 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 pins?
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. 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. We do not want to make your disney rip off pins. 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" pins?
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 pin die-cut?
When a pin's shape isn't very complex, they use an iron base metal(under the plating) and we can get away with a lot of shapes with it. If a shape is more complex and maybe has some cut in areas or a hole in it, they will use a Zinc alloy base metal. Think of jagged hair and those tiny cut it's or the cut up into between two legs, etc. the zinc is softer, so it allows for cleaner cuts and finer details. It simply has a higher raw materials cost and labor time associated with sanding down the shapes which is why it costs more.
Do the pins 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"). The factory made backing cards are a 14pt stock and have some flex and bend to them.
What is the average turn-around time?
Pins take 3-4 weeks to get to us from time of payment and art approval. Part of the fee charged includes airmail next day of your pins to Alchemy 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 3-4 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 me to sign some sort of form or an NDA, etc, I 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 pins ship from once in the states?
We ship from Phoenix, AZ and flat rate priority is 2-3 days in transit to everywhere.
Alchemy Merch