Can I print my enamel badge in full color or with color gradients?

Nearly anything is conceivable in the world of lapel badges. The trick is matching the design requirement to the perfect choice of badge. Some designs naturally lend themselves to certain production techniques, but there are frequently creative solutions to design issues that can help you achieve the desired effect. Let's begin with the basic topic though - can gradients of color be used in an enamel badge?

For a real and unembellished enamel badge, the answer is 'no'. There is no actual 'printing' involved with making an enamel badge. Instead, the color comes from 'enameling' - and enamel can only be applied in solid color blocks, with each area of color being bounded by a fine line of metal.

This is because, during production, the design is struck into metal, resulting in elevated and recessed metal parts. After that, the recessed areas can be filled with liquid-colored enamel before being hardened. This implies that for the color to fill, the colored areas must have a certain thickness. It is preferable to form the metal line if a line is extremely fine rather than attempting to color-fill a delicate path that needs to be surrounded by metal.

But for those who have a full-color or gradient logo that is not the end of the story. Three common options are available, and our advisors have experience guiding customers through each decision.

Option 1: Change the art

Your logo can be modified for enamel with our free artwork service. We can show you a design idea that will work in metal and enamel, with a clear explanation of the design adjustments made. Many businesses keep both a full-color and a spot-color logo on hand, and you might find that the adjusted artwork is exactly what you need. Click here for 

Kickstarter Pin Logo Lapel Pin.

Option 2: Use a Printed Badge

We frequently propose using a 'Printed Metal Badge' instead of a genuine enameled badge for a very difficult design. As the name implies, a printed metal badge has your design printed exactly as supplied to a metal base. The print can either be a full-color CMYK print or spot colors matched to Pantone's.

In either case, the badge is cut to a unique shape and fitted with the same assortment of attachments. Because the base metal of steel or aluminum is lighter than the base metals of brass, copper, or iron used for enamel badges, the feel is usually slightly lighter than with an enamel badge (an advantage if the badge size is large, a disadvantage if the badge size is small).

Option 3: Enamel Overprint

A final option accessible is a mix of enameling and printing. In this case, we make an enamel badge the traditional way, but then add detail that would otherwise be impossible to include using overprinting processes.

Overprinted features might be a large part of the design, or they can be limited to select little details. A common requirement is for different numbers to be printed on years of service badges. All other details are enameled save the changing numbers, which are printed.