Custom Soft Enamel Pins

Custom soft enamel pins for artists, indie brands, bands, podcasters, and anyone ordering pins for a brand they care about. The metal lines stay raised and the color sits recessed below the surface, which gives soft enamel its signature tactile, dimensional feel. Run your thumb across a soft enamel pin and you can feel the texture; that's the look you came for.

Alchemy is a production partner built by artists, musicians, and brand owners. We've helped creators produce over 5 million custom products since 2019, and we don't operate like a promotional products company. Whether you're an indie illustrator running your first 50-pin drop, a band making merch for a tour, or a designer ordering pins for a brand launch, our job is the same: make the best merch we can for you.

What soft enamel actually is

Soft enamel uses the same enamel-fill process as hard enamel, but the surface isn't buffed flat after baking. The metal lines stay raised, the colored enamel sits recessed below them, and the pin reads with more visible craft and texture. It's the more illustrative, more handmade-feeling option of the two.

Soft enamel runs a little cheaper than hard enamel and supports finer line detail since nothing gets polished away. The tradeoff is a slightly less jewelry-finish look. For artwork with delicate lines, intricate detail, or designs where the texture itself is part of the appeal, soft enamel is usually the right call.

Specialty options

Glitter enamel

Color enamel mixed with glitter for sparkle in specific fills. Good when one or two areas of your design should pop while the rest stays clean.

Glow-in-the-dark enamel

Pigment that charges in light and glows in the dark. Cool effect for star fields, eyes, accents. Glow inks read slightly more pastel than standard enamel under daylight, so we'll proof carefully if the daytime look matters.

Epoxy coating (free)

A clear epoxy layer over the top of the pin gives it a smooth, hard-enamel-like surface while keeping the soft enamel feel underneath. We offer this free on every soft enamel pin. It also protects specialty inks like glitter and glow.

What the price includes

Every quote includes custom mold creation, full production at the factory, and express shipping. No setup fees, no surprise line items.

Simple vs complex shapes

Simple shapes (rectangle, circle, square, soft continuous edges) stamp from iron sheets at standard cost. Complex shapes with deep cut-ins, holes, or thin interior sections need a die-cast zinc alloy mold, which costs more because zinc holds finer detail than iron. Pins over 2" also require zinc alloy.

If you're not sure which category your design falls into, send us the artwork and we'll tell you. If you check out with the wrong category, we'll square it up either way.

How a run actually works

Most orders start with a quote, not a cart. You send us your artwork (vector, raster, sketch, Procreate file, whatever you have), and we come back with pricing, a production timeline, and any production notes within a business day or two. We'll flag anything in the file that won't translate well at production size before we move forward, so you're not surprised at proof.

From proof approval, most overseas products are about a month to your door. That's the nature of producing 100% custom merchandise overseas vs. shipping a stock promotional item. Shipping is express and included in the price.

If you have a hard deadline, tell us before you order. We don't charge rush fees. We'll either confirm we can hit your date or tell you up front that we can't, so you can plan around it.

Why our minimum is 50

It's a factory math thing, not a quality stance. The factories we work with charge a labor minimum that covers setup, mold use, proofing, and the production run itself. That floor barely changes between a 25-piece and a 50-piece order, so a 25-piece run costs almost the same as 50, just with half the pins. 50 is where the per-pin price actually starts to make sense.

We can run smaller hard sample runs if you really need to (the factory will do it), but it's not financially viable for most people: you're paying close to 50-piece pricing for a fraction of the output. If you're set on a small run, email us first and we'll walk through whether it's worth it for your situation. Larger runs (100, 200, and up) bring the per-pin cost down meaningfully.

Who we work with

Artists running their own work: illustrators, bands, indie brand owners, podcasters, comic creators, convention sellers. Designers ordering pins for a brand launch, an event, a campaign, or a customer giveaway. Agencies and design studios producing merch for their clients. Merch companies running production for the artists they represent. The common thread is that the merch matters: it's representing a brand, a band, an artist, or a project that someone cares about.

What you get with Alchemy

• 5+ million products produced for creators and brands since 2019.
• 100% money-back guarantee. If it's not right, we remake it at no cost or refund you in full.
• Prop 65 compliant pins, tested for lead and phthalates.
• Long-standing factory relationships. We've been working with the same vetted overseas factories for years. That means consistent quality, predictable timelines, and no chasing the lowest quote at the cost of the product. You get a US-based partner who handles the production logistics for you.
• Quality good enough for licensed brands. We've produced merch for officially licensed properties and large brands. The same standard goes on every order, including yours.
• A team of artists, musicians, and brand owners. Not customer-service reps trained on a script. Everyone proofing your file or reviewing your sample knows what it feels like to send their own art to a factory and hope it comes back right.

Common questions

What's the difference between soft and hard enamel?

Soft enamel has raised metal lines you can feel; the color sits recessed below them. Hard enamel is buffed flat so the surface is smooth all the way across. Soft is more tactile and a little cheaper; hard is more polished and more durable. Full breakdown here.

How much does a custom soft enamel pin cost?

Depends on size, plating, complexity, and quantity. A standard 1.25" soft enamel pin lands around a few dollars each at 100 units. Full cost breakdown on the blog.

Is the epoxy coating really free?

Yes, on every soft enamel pin. We include it because it protects specialty inks (glitter, glow) and gives you the option to get closer to a hard-enamel look without the hard-enamel price.

Do I see a proof before production?

Yes. Digital proof goes out before production is scheduled. Adjustments are unlimited; we keep sending revisions until you approve.

How long do soft enamel pins take?

About four weeks from proof approval to your door, including express shipping. The nature of producing 100% custom merchandise overseas. Hard deadline? Tell us before you order; we'll confirm whether we can hit it. No rush fees.

Are your pins safety-tested?

Yes. Prop 65 compliant, tested for lead and phthalates. Same safety tests larger brands require, applied to every order regardless of size.

Are your pins made in the USA?

Our enamel pins are produced overseas at long-vetted factories. Our team is US-based and handles file prep, proofing, and customer success on every order. Our wooden pins and stickers are the products we make in the USA.

Can you do backing cards or logo imprints?

Yes. Backing cards: $50 for the first 100, $25 per additional 100. Logo imprint on the back of the pin: flat $40. Pin FAQs has more.

Start a quote

Send us your artwork and a rough quantity, and we'll come back with pricing and a timeline within a business day or two. Not sure if your file will work? Send what you have. We'll tell you what we'd need to make it production-ready. Start a quote.

Design Templates

Set up your artwork at the correct size with proper bleed and safe zones using our production templates. Vector files (PDF/AI/EPS) are preferred for clean lines and scaling; raster (PSD) works for full-color artwork at 300dpi.

• Procreate Pin TemplateSet (Vector + Raster bundle)
• 80x54mm Pin Backing Card (Raster PSD)
• 75x100mm Pin Backing Card (Raster PSD)