Hello once again! As promised, I will be answering more questions regarding pin making plus share some things that I've missed on the first post :) Please feel free to ask me more questions either on here, on my instagram, or by sending me a Tell!
If you missed the previous post, you can find it HERE!
In the previous post I covered a lot of information, but I tried to section it all off as much as possible to not overwhelm y'all with it! Since some of the questions that I was asked have already been covered in the previous post, please don't feel bad since I won't be including them in this one once again!!
One of the most asked questions I get is, "How do I find reliable manufacturers?" and to simply put, you'll have to find out for yourself the hard way unfortunately. Once you start putting your designs out there, especially on Instagram, they will start to message or Email you about possibly working with you on a project or a few. While there are many manufacturers out there, you'll have to figure out which ones are actually worth the money for lack of better words.
You can ask around and there are some pages dedicated to rating/discussing manufacturers' quality, but the best thing to do is to try it out for yourself. Speaking from personal experience, in the span of a year, I've worked with 5-6 different manufacturers for pins alone. That is not necessarily a bad thing and for the most part it was due to the factory's quality more than anything else. With that being said, I think I can share some of what I've been doing that has worked for me:
-COMMUNICATION-
Say that now you have a design ready, either you made it yourself or had commissioned someone, and are ready to work with a manufacturer. Where do you find one? How do you reach out to them?
There are multiple ways to reach out to manufacturing representatives and I'm very sure they're available through almost every social platform out there, but all of the ones I've worked with have been reached out to via Alibaba or Instagram DMs. Personally I prefer reaching out to reps through Alibaba for more than one reason, but not every manufacturer is on that platform. Regardless of how you'll end up reaching out to them, if there is one thing you'd take away from this post, it's to NEVER go with the first offer you get! As I've mentioned, I've worked with 5-6 manufacturers, but I've actually been in contact with double that number. I ended up not working with some of them due to their high fees, overall quality that they presented me with, what they're and aren't capable of doing, or sometimes even the wait time from their rep.
The reason why I prefer to work with manufacturers that are on Alibaba is because the platform gives you an additional layer of financial protection in case something happens. Always make sure to contact manufacturers on there that have at least a "trade assurance" stamp, if they're "verified", that's even better. trade assurance ensures you the extra step of protection. Alibaba also allows you to speak to different reps from the same company. Typically if you send them an inquiry, the first person that'll respond to you will be their head rep who'll assign a rep to you. The site also allows you to view all of the factory's listings, certifications, and other details that they'd have to present for legal purposes.
Instagram on the other hand, you might find a rep you'd think you'd want to work with. There are MANY reps on there and they will all want to be your next supplier. The reason why I'm almost always hesitant to work with them on there is because there's really nothing that they'll be presenting you with besides the photos they've taken of the pins they've made. That point is both a plus and a negative. You'll most likely run into a manufacturer who's worked on a big shop's design that you or someone you know owns, which lets you get an idea of what their quality is like, but do keep in mind that in most cases since they work with bigger shops, they will more often than not, push your order to the back in order to get the bigger orders out sooner, meaning you'll have to wait longer than intended to receive them.
Ultimately, it is up to you to determine which platform to reach out to them through. Regardless of which one you end up working with them on, it is all a matter of trial and error with manufacturers.
-ORDER DETAILS-
Say now that you've decided on a manufacturer to work with, what do you say to them? What will they need from you?
You'll need to have the following details ready when reaching out to the rep and why:
Size: The smaller the cheaper in most cases. Size plays a big role in the price.
Quantity: Similarly to the size, quantity also determines the Unit price. Check their MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity).
Plating: The most popular ones are Black Nickel and Gold alloy, others can Silver, Copper, Dyed Black Nickel, etc.
Hard or Soft enamel: Hard enamel is filled to the edge, Soft enamel is concaved as it doesn't have as much filling.
Backstamp or plain: backstamp is where your logo will go, that comes at an additional cost, so if you're looking to save an extra few bucks, opt out from adding this.
Additional effects: all of them come at an additional cost regardless of what you choose, those include glitter, pearl (swirl or no swirl), sandblast, glow in the dark, "stained glass", etc.
Screenprint or all enamel filling: If the design is too detailed for a small size, you'll have to go with printing the smaller details, and that is also extra, so for your first time, try to stick to designs with the minimalist amount of detailing that you wouldn't have to print on the pin.
Type of back attachment: the default is black rubber clutches, but they always have other colors and sometimes even different shapes. Rubber clutches do not come as an additional cost, but butterfly and other metal clutches usually do!
Attach your design!
-QUESTIONS FOR REPS-
Now that you've learned what to send to the reps, what else should you ask them? How will you receive your goods?
The first time you speak to them, they'll try to sell you their services as fast as possible, but BE PATIENT! Besides getting a good quote that fits your budget, make sure they're capable of making your design come to life in the way you'll end up being satisfied with it!
Additionally, you might want to consider asking them the following questions:
What is their lead time? (This is an estimate of how long it'll take them to finish producing your goods)
How much is shipping? (You'll need to provide them with at least your postal code)
What type of shipping services do they offer? (Boat, express, or air?)
What kind of special effects are their factories capable of producing? i.e. glow in the dark, sandblast, stained glass, etc.
Are they able to produce the design in the plating of your choice? For example, some manus aren't able to do hard enamel with chrome plating, so if that's your plating of choice and they're not able to do it, it might be best for your to move on to the next best option of Manu if you're adamant on using that type of plating.
What is their MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)? Some listings/bios state no MOQ, but in reality their MOQ is 50-100, and they charge a hidden fee of $10-20 extra for quantities under their requested MOQ.
Do they offer samples? How much are they? Often times if you're looking to make a pin on the bigger side with plenty of screen print or effects, it is best to request for a sample first to avoid any mishaps before mass production begins.
What skin tone colors do they offer? Although you can customize anything to whatever Pantone colors you'd like. SOME manufacturers only offer a selection of colors for skin tone, most of which are unfortunately not POC!
Other things to keep in mind or watch for aren't necessarily questions you'd ask them, but things to keep in mind for yourself when reaching out to reps:
How long does it take them to respond back? Keep in mind that they're most likely in China and they have a different Time Zone. Still, if it shows they're online and it's within their working hours, does it take them an entire day to respond back to a smile question?
There will be some language barrier regardless, so be patient and try to use full sentences and words they can easily run through their translating apps/services. Expect some broken English in response to your questions.
If you have a sample you can show them of the effect you're requesting, that'll make your communication with them easier. For example, one of the pins I've gotten made has an effect I wanted to try out and I thought it was Sandblast with epoxy filling, I showed my rep an example of a pin that had it and it turned out to be transparent enamel filling!
You can also ask them to clarify anything related to your order or effects in general! Most of them, especially the ones that've been in the business for a long time, know what they're talking about and can easily catch on to what you're requesting or are having a hard time with.
Regardless of what platform you'll end up reaching out to them through, make sure to browse through the pins they've made prior to reaching out! You can also request of them to show you more samples, especially of pins with any special effects you're requesting! That'll give you a better idea of what to expect for the end result!
Once you receive the first vectored version of your design, carefully look over it and make sure the cut outs are in the right areas, the colors match your design as much as possible, and if you're screen printing anything, make sure they're doing what you've requested.
Enamel pin colors are Pantone colors mixed together, hence why they're all customizable! Even if you don't own a Pantone booklet, you can always look up the colors and see what they look like in real life versus on a screen!
Ask them to wrap the pins separately in bubble wrap bags and have them sent enamel side facing each other! This eliminates the chance of receiving bent posts and scratched up enamel as much as possible!
That's pretty much all I can think of for now! If you have any more questions, please ask away!!! I might've missed a thing or two!
Hellos! This is Lu, the owner of ETERNO. I was asked on multiple occasions to talk about how I started pin making and thought it would be nice to share it with you all :)
Please keep in mind that everyone's journey is different and how you will start will be different from mine and others. What I will share is my personal experience and is not meant to reflect the entire community as a whole! Another thing to keep in mind, I am based in California, USA. A lot of what I will be talking about (legally that is), is how I've done it and what I've been advised to do, please speak to a legal consultant regarding any legal paperwork, this post is simply meant to be a guide to make it easier for you!
I began thinking of opening up my own business in late 2020, I knew I wanted to make something I liked and to be completely honest, I did not intend on becoming a pin maker at first, but the more I collected, the more I enjoyed it and wanted to make pins of the characters I liked the most, so with that being said, here are a few tips and things I've learned along the way:
-PAPERWORK & INTRO-
Before you do anything, think of it this way, are you planning to only make a few designs a year or are you planning to start a business that you plan to work on for the long while?
If it's simply just a few designs that will not impact your taxes, you will not have to worry about it reaching the threshold, but please check the amount for your state/country as every place is different with its rules and requirements. On the other hand, if you're planning to work on a lot more than a few designs or even expand your business to more than just pins, I'd highly suggest to consider opening an LLC from the get-go.
-DESIGNING-
Legal matters aside, what you'll have to think about next would be your designs. Are you planning to draw them yourself or commission an artist? Are you planning to sell fanart or original designs?
First, you'll have to understand the process of creating the artwork, keep in mind that enamel pins are made of metal (regardless of the plating), so there are two major things that you'll need to think about while creating the designs; the line art is where the metal will be raised, and the colors in-between is where the enamel filling will go.
above is an example of one of the pins I've had the chance to make this year, the black lines are an indication of where I wanted to have the metal be raised, and the colors are the enamel fillings! This particular one also included screen printing, but I'll get to that in a bit!
I use the Procreate app on my iPad, but you can use any program/app that allows you to save the designs as PNG, which seems to be more preferable by manufacturers than JPEG. Most manufacturers are fine with just the design being submitted as PNG, but do keep in mind that you will have to discuss changes for the final artwork a bit more than submitting a vectored artwork! Here's a great video that goes in-depth about how vectoring works! The simplest thing to do is to have two different PNG documents, one for the line art alone, and the second for the line art + colors.
Additionally, what will impact the final look of your pin is the size and plating. Say you're making a pin without any screen print or additional effects, the smaller the pin, the more details you'll have to consider taking out, or else they might not turn out too well. One thing I did to help me understand how my first pin will turn out, once I finished the drawing, I resized it and printed it out to the size the actual pin will be made!
Plating also plays a huge role in how the result will look like. The two major enamel pin types are soft enamel and hard enamel. Soft enamel allows you to add more details as the result will not be polished down as much, but the filling will not be leveled up to the raised metal. On the other hand, hard enamel is a lot more durable and gives off a better shine, but do keep in mind that to level everything, the front of the pin will have to be polished down, which results in the raised metal lines becoming thicker, it may also distort the final look.
MORE EXAMPLES < this video shows more examples of how the two platings differ.
-MANUFACTURING-
Now that you have your design ready, how will you find someone to turn them into pins? There are A LOT of manufacturers out there and please, do not go with the first manufacturer that contacts you/you find!! I’ve worked with Manus from both IG and Alibaba, and so far I’ve found the ones on Alibaba to be more reliable. It gives an extra step of protection, unlike manufacturers who work solely on IG, which typically ask for money to be sent via PayPal, which only allows protection for up to 90 days, but don't let that discourage you from reaching out to representatives on IG as well.
I would highly recommend opening up an Alibaba account before speaking to manufacturers, regardless of the platform. Most of them are also on Alibaba, so you can ask them to send you the invoice through there, even If your entire conversation was through elsewhere!
Helpful Manu Video < this is a video talking about Washi Tape manufacturers, but it’s essentially the same concept when you’re looking for a supplier.
Before reaching out to a supplier, have the following ready to discuss with them:
Quantity of pins you’re planning to make (most suppliers ask for an MOQ)
Size + Colors
Any additional effects?
Plating option(s): Soft enamel or Hard enamel?
Backstamp (this is your logo/backing design if you’re planning to include it)
Most of what will be discussed below are about pricing and how each of the above points impacts the price:
The reason why you’ll need to have those ready, especially the MOQ, which is the Minimum Order Quantity, is to make it easier for the suppliers to quote you. Most manufacturers ask for a MOQ of 50 pieces to account for the metal sheets they have to use and prevent them from wasting the rest of the sheet. It is also cheaper for you to stay at or above the MOQ, that way you’ll avoid paying the “Small Quantity Fee”. However, some suppliers say they are willing to go below 50 pieces or do not have a MOQ, but once you receive your invoice you’ll notice an additional $10-20, which is typically under the header “MOQ fee”.
The size of the pins will drastically change the price for you, a 1-inch pin is a lot cheaper than a 3-inches pin, but keep your design in mind when you think of the size! Some suppliers are also limited on their pin sizing, make sure to discuss that with them before you pay for anything, especially if your design will include small cutouts in between. Since every manufacturer is different, not all of them are capable or have the machinery to help them make those small cutouts, which will affect the look of your pin. Same thing with coloring. While most suppliers base their prices on the size of the pin, some charge more for any additional color above their limit. Most of the ones I’ve seen require your artwork to be 6-9 colors max, anything more and it’s an additional fee.
Additional effects will always be an extra fee regardless of who you end up working with. Those include and are not limited to, screen-printing, sandblast, glitter, pearl effect, etc. If you’re considering variants, you might want to think of adding effects.
Plating is another that will either hike up your price or keep it within budget. Typically soft enamel pins are cheaper to make than hard enamel, the reason for that is because they wouldn’t have to use as much enamel filling and polishing isn’t necessary at the end. Plating is also isn’t limited to just the enamel type, but the type of metal used for the pins, too; black nickel, gold, silver, rose gold, copper, etc. The most common ones are black nickel, gold, and silver. In some cases, suppliers may charge more for any other plating. Consider discussing with the supplier whether they’re able to use a certain metal with your desired plating. For example, one of my suppliers recently told me that they avoid using copper for soft enamel pins as it has a higher flaw rate.
Lastly, do you want a back stamp? That is where your logo/business name goes on the back of the pin. Not every supplier will be willing to go with whatever you desire to have on the back, some only agree to simple lettering, so it’s always best to ask them about that beforehand if you’re only looking to make a design on the back rather than simply your shop’s name. Keep in mind that back stamps almost always, if not always, come at an extra cost.
Side note: ask multiple manufacturers for quotes, do not go with the first person that will respond to you! I asked for quotes from about 9 different manufactures that I found on Alibaba before I settled on one!
Once you gain momentum, they will start reaching out to you asking if they can quote on a design, especially on IG, which happens very frequently for pin makers, which is also why most of us ask to not send any order inquires on there as it might get lost! One thing I’ve learned the hard way about working with a well-known supplier, meaning they cater to well-known makers that request high quantity of pins, they will push your design to the end of the queue!! Do not make the same mistake and go with a popular supplier! I worked with one once and that was the biggest mistake I’ve made in my entire journey, it was money wasted.
If that’s the case, how will you know which one to choose then? It’s always tough to work with a new supplier regardless, but a rule of thumb, self-fund your first design! Whether it be your first pin ever, or when working with a new supplier. Never, ever, mess with other people’s money especially if you don’t have an idea of how the pins will turn out! Not only would you save yourself the hassle of worrying about the wait time and people asking for updates, you’ll have a better understanding of how that supplier works, how long it takes them to produce your desired quantity, and also you’ll have something to present to your customers that if they’ll plan to support you with pre-ordering, they’ll know what to expect.
PS: ask your supplier to ship your pins facing each other (enamel side towards each other) to avoid as much damage as possible!!!
-BACKING/APPRECIATION CARDS-
Say now that you’ve found a manufacturer to work with and your design is in production, are you planning to have backing cards that go along with the pins? Or do you want to just include a Thank You card?
Although this is an added step, one that I think is worth it!
GotPrint and Vistaprint are always great options to consider if you’re looking to make either or both made! Both are suppliers in the U.S. and they have discounts now and then!
-BUDGETING-
How much should you save? Well, it all depends on which route you’ll end up taking. It is expensive if you’re opening up a business regardless, but generally, you’ll want to have $1000-1500 saved up to account for production and any additional costs you might need to consider along the way.
-PRICING-
Ultimately it’s up to you how much you’ll want to price your products, but you will always have to consider the following:
Did you commission an artist? Or how much time did you spend on the design?
Production cost (this is the entire amount the supplier charged including their shipping and transaction fees)
Backing cards?
Shipping products: bubble mailers, boxes (for bigger orders if necessary)
Labels + label printer (you do not need a label printer to start! You can use a regular printer too)
Selling platform fees
-SELLING PLATFORM-
Now that you have everything you need, where will you sell it?
A lot of people, including myself, started on Etsy. It is a great place to gain traction as it is a marketplace so it's very easy to use, plus it allows you to ship worldwide. Eventually, most people move on to either BigCartel or Shopify. There are other selling sites as well, but those seem to be the most common two out there. Each site has its handful of Pros and Cons.
Here's a VIDEO that does a great job explaining the highs and lows of each one of the most popular sites.
Some obstacles that I've faced and have learned from:
Buying more stock that I was able to sell.
Placing too much trust on the voting polls (NEVER rely on that, however many voted yes on getting a design, if you're self-funding it, only get 1/2-3/4 the amount...)
I priced most of my pins very low, which worked against me considering how much stock I had left.
higher flaw rate than I accounted for, which resulted in having far more seconds than standard grade pins.
I hope this post has helped you in a way! If you have anymore questions, you're always welcome to DM or send an email :)
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