Did you know that in the Victorian Era, pins were symbols of wealth and social status when they were first introduced? Today, they can be found everywhere: from the lapels of high-ranking officers and corporate leaders to worn backpacks and cherished denim jackets of some youngsters.
Custom pins serve a multitude of purposes, from showcasing affiliations and branding to recognising achievements and expressing personal style. They’re considered an art form that demands specialised skills, particularly in metal fabrication and detailed painting techniques.
Custom pin manufacturers offer a wide range of options, allowing you to choose colours, materials, sizes, finishes, and more to suit your preferences. Here are the best ones in Toronto!
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How Much Do Custom Pins Cost in Calgary?
Factory-made custom pins typically cost between $0.35 and $0.60 per piece when purchased in bulk. The cost may increase when purchased in smaller quantities or may be influenced other factors such as the complexity of the design and the type of material used.
1. Six Cent Press Inc.
Business Address: 1880 Powell St, Vancouver, BC V5L 1H9
Website: https://www.sixcentpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sixcentpress/
Phone Number: (877) 216-0406
Business Hours: Monday – Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Six Cent Press Inc. has been in the business of customising crisp and clean wearable artwork since 2003. This vibrant Vancouver outfit is comprised of skilled designers and craftsmen who handle all processes in-house, from conceptualisation to production.
Their custom pins are available in both soft and hard enamel options. Hard enamel pins come with a higher production cost due to their multiple layers of enamel and smooth, lustrous appearance, compared to the ridged finish of its soft enamel counterpart. With a minimum order requirement of 50 pieces, Six Cent Press Inc. also offers professional graphic design services for those seeking assistance in that area.
If you’re an artist planning to sell pins featuring your artwork, they’ve got you covered with custom packaging. Their 3 x 3″ full-colour, heavy 16pt card encased in a poly resealable bag will make your pins retail-ready!
Pros
- Offers professional design services
- Hassle-free communication
- Provides discounted rates for re-orders
- Friendly and accommodating staff
- Precise colour-matching
- Accepts rush orders with faster turnaround
Cons
- Lead time of 4-6 weeks, including shipping
- Minimum order of 50 pins
- Limited pin attachment options
- Higher costs
I felt like I was really well taken care of the whole time
“Honestly, probably one of the best companies I have ever dealt with. Right from the start, they answered all my questions within a really timely manner. They walked me through the process and gave me accurate quoting right off the bat. What I absolutely loved was their easy templates and the fact that you could track your order the entire time… Even though everything I did was online, I felt like I was really well taken care of the whole time. My order arrived earlier than expected which is amazing.”
– Ashlea Growcott, Google Reviews
The merch was a hit
“Incredible. I had a last-minute panic when my other merch plans for a show fell through and I had a pretty tight budget to work with… Not only were they incredibly helpful and charming over the phone when I explained my situation, but they also responded so quickly to confirm my formatting would work for them. Placed the order past their business hours in the evening and they had my buttons ready first thing the next morning. Thanks a million, Six Cent Press! The merch was a hit.”
– Cordelia Donovan, Google Reviews
2. Pins n’ Crests
Business Address: 1176 Welch St, North Vancouver, BC V7P 1B2
Website: https://pinsncrests.ca/
Phone Number: (604) 329-5060
Business Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Pins n’ Crests brings decades of experience to the table, with its roots dating back to 1995 when Norbert Kamning founded N.K. Souvenirs. After Kamning’s passing, David Bristow took over, preserving the company’s legacy as one of the country’s largest and oldest suppliers of promotional products.
Owing to Kamning’s passion for skiing, they initially focused on designing and producing lapel pins for ski resorts across Canada. Within a few years, the business flourished even in the fax-design era. They expanded their clientele, serving high-profile clients like Air Canada and Disney, government sectors, small businesses, and the general consumer.
Pins n’ Crests doesn’t limit itself to soft and hard enamel pins; they also specialise in photo-etched pins, known for their thin, lightweight, and affordable features. Additionally, they offer offset printed and die-cast pins, with the latter distinguished by a three-dimensional shape.
Pros
- No MOQ required
- Almost 70 years of industry experience
- Employs multiple production techniques
- Broad range of colours, pin fasteners, and packaging
- Provides design services
- Excellent customer service and attention to detail
Cons
- Slightly more expensive than others
- Colour-matching is not as accurate
Very personable, easy to talk to, and provided valuable suggestions and feedback
“As the Accreditation Chair for the 2022 BC Winter Games, it was my first time having to source and secure lanyards, pins & pin cards for these Games. Throughout the process, Dave was very personable, easy to talk to, and provided valuable suggestions and feedback on various aspects of our orders. The quality of the products received was excellent and received rave reviews from our organizing groups. I would highly recommend Dave and Pins n’ Crests to anyone needing pins & lanyards.”
– Janny Jung, Google Reviews
Makes awesome, slick, professional pins!
“Pinsncrests has created a few pins for us now and each time we received great customer service, timely updates, and the team makes awesome, slick, professional pins! Dave is always willing to talk through the design process and make changes as we go. He recently created pins for a team event for us and turned them around on some tight timelines! Thanks for all of your collaboration with us!”
– Katrina Baxter-Moore, Google Reviews
3. Ultimate Promotions
Business Address: Box 10058, 108 Mile Ranch, BC V0K 2Z0
Website: https://www.ultimatepromotions.biz/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/up.enamel.pins.medals.coins/
Phone Number: (866) 661-9696
Business Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Ultimate Promotions, formerly known as Juniper Emblems, is a family-run business spanning three generations since 1971. In 2002, the late Craig Davidiuk brought significant improvements by transitioning from producing everything in-house to importing their products. He also renamed the company in honor of his passion for ultimate frisbee.
With decades of experience in pressed metal products, Ultimate Promotions is well-versed in die-casting, digital printing, and stamping methods, with a clear preference for the last. If you’re unsure where to start, they even offer the option to have them design your pin for a fee.
When it comes to customisation, you have the freedom to choose from their impressive array of finishes, including enamel or electroplating. Need that extra touch? You can add enhancements like glitter, silkscreening, sandblasting, and engraving. They also offer a selection of back attachments, such as clasp, clutch, magnet, screw post, and more.
Pros
- Diverse catalogue of finishes
- 50 years in business
- Relatively fast turnaround
- Offers design assistance
- Consistently on-track with production and delivery
- Offers custom engraving
Cons
- MOQ of 50 pieces
- Limited options for sizing
- Charges for precise colour-matching
- Slightly higher rates
Just a fabulous team
“Amazingly quick response, design, and overall time from contact to product in hand. Just amazing work done by the team at Ultimate Promotions. I cannot believe my local supplier couldn’t support us, but Ultimate, across the continent, was able to deliver. I can be picky, but Shannon was patient and supportive the entire time… Just a fabulous team, and knowing what you are capable of, well, let’s just say I’m picturing bigger and better things for this relationship!”
– Adele DeCrescenzo, Google Reviews
Genuinely interested in customer satisfaction
“The whole process was made so simple. Flowing communication throughout led us to get the exact pin design we imagined. Extremely skilled designers who are patient and seem genuinely interested in customer satisfaction. All in all a great experience and our pins were delivered way sooner than we expected them to be. Cannot commend these guys enough, you will get what you pay for!”
– Eoghan O’Byrne, Google Reviews
4. Mr. Pin Man
Business Address: 47 51214 Range Rd 260, Spruce Grove, AB T7Y 1B1
Website: https://www.mrpinman.net/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrpinman/
Phone Number: (780) 470-0011
Business Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Mr. Pin Man’s journey began over 30 years ago in Edmonton and remains a family-owned and operated business led by Wayne Griffith. They strive to offer a warm and personalised experience to customers within the country and worldwide.
Their product range includes the favoured soft and hard enamel pins made through die-casting and stamping techniques, and the best part is no MOQ is required! Whether your design is a digitally-created logo or a hand-drawn artwork on paper, Mr. Pin Man can transform it into an incredible wearable pin. They’re also flexible with varying schemes, as they accept colour and copy changes.
For designs that require more detail, they offer offset-printed lapel pins on the same metal base, without the metal ridges. They apply an epoxy dome that provides a smooth and protective finish and the production time is shorter, making it ideal for rush orders.
Pros
- Highly accommodating with design revisions
- On-time and on-budget
- Accepts rush orders
- No minimum quantity for orders
- Easy-going and timely with responses
- Offers digitally-printed pins
Cons
- Limited options for back attachments
- Higher rates
- No enhancement options
Very friendly and professional staff and pricing is very reasonable
“Mr. Pin Man is a very professional business. We recently ordered lapel pins for our newest charity and were ecstatic as to the timeline and the results. The product was exact as to the product order and very timely for receipt. We are recommending them to anyone who is in need of their services. Very friendly and professional staff and pricing is very reasonable.”
– Pat Luke, Google Reviews
Were absolutely incredible to work with
“Contacted Mr. Pin Man with a request to make pins for our nursing faculty, and they were absolutely incredible to work with. We told them ideas we had and they designed us 10 different drafts, allowed us to choose our favourite and all our colours. They were very professional with contacting MacEwan as well to make sure the Pantone’s were specific. Couldn’t have asked for better service and would highly recommend! I know MacEwan Nursing Faculty will be working with Mr. Pin Man for many years to come!”
– Noelle Appleby, Google Reviews
