Are Soft or Hard Enamel Pins Better?

When it comes to creating your own custom enamel pins, the first decision you'll need to make is choosing between soft enamel vs. hard enamel pins. Both styles offer unique visual appeal, production advantages, and price points. Whether you're a creative director ordering corporate merchandise, a small-business owner looking to boost brand visibility, or a hobbyist building out your product line, understanding the difference between hard and soft enamel pins is key to making the right choice.

What's the Difference Between Hard Enamel and Soft Enamel Pins?

The difference between soft and hard enamel pins comes down to the look and texture of the finished pin. Both are made using high-quality, durable enamel, but the technique to create these pin styles is a little bit different, and so are the results.

Hard enamel pins are polished to a smooth, jewelry-quality finish. Each color is filled to the top of the recessed metal mold and then polished flat, giving the entire surface a sleek appearance. This process creates a high-end, glossy look that's ideal for simple logos, club pins, and corporate branding. But while this option is very durable and elegant, the polished finish can obscure ultra-fine detail. This detail may be important when deciding between a soft enamel pin vs. a hard enamel pin.

With soft enamel pins, the die-struck metal outlines are slightly raised, while the enamel is filled into the recessed areas. The result is a vibrant, tactile surface with a dimensional feel. Soft enamel pins are perfect for designs that benefit from bold color contrast, texture, and special effects like glitter or glow-in-the-dark enamel.

Soft Enamel vs. Hard Enamel Pins: Which Is Better?

At WizardPins, we offer both hard enamel and soft enamel pins, and both can be totally customizable to your designs and vision. Choosing soft vs. hard enamel pins isn't a matter of which is better: It's a matter of which is better for your unique project. Both can be right for different designs, so the right choice between soft vs. hard enamel pins comes down to the details of your design, what you want from your pin, and your budget.

Hard enamel pins are better if:

• You want a smooth, polished pin.
• You have fine details you want to screen print onto the pin.
• You want your pin to be durable.
• You want to sell your pins for more money.

Soft enamel pins are better if:

• You want your pin to have an interesting 3D appearance.
• You want full access to any color, glitter, or effects.
• You want to spend less when producing your pins.
• You want a specific finish only available for soft enamel.

Hard and soft enamel pins aren't inherently better than each other. They have different pros and cons, so it's not really a question of which is better: The question should be, which type of pin is better for you and your design? No matter which style you choose, we can help you create your own custom pins easily.

Ready to Create Your Custom Pin?

Whether you prefer the premium finish of a hard enamel pin or the bold texture of a soft enamel design, WizardPins is ready to help. If you're still not sure which to order, you can order a sample kit to see our different pin styles in person before you decide, or you can reach out to our team for help comparing the features of a hard enamel pin vs. a soft enamel pin. At WizardPins, we're here to make it as simple as possible to bring your ideas to life, whether that be with pins, coins, keychains, or any of our other customizable products!