When should I choose a screen printed pin over soft or hard enamel?

Two cases make the decision easy. The first is brand artwork that has to match exactly — printing reproduces gradients, thin strokes, and tight color transitions that a mold cannot hold. The second is a design carrying a lot of small text: a 1″ pin has very little room, and a molded design needs a metal border around every color, which is what makes fine text illegible at that size.

If you want the weight and texture of a molded pin, soft enamel or cloisonné is the better pick — and you can still combine the two, see below.

• What is a soft enamel pin?
• Can you make hard enamel badges instead of lapel pins?
• Can we reorder the same logo pin for future events?
• Can you make memorial pins to honor a veteran?
• Is cloisonné the same thing as hard enamel?
• What metal plating options can I get on a die struck pin?
• What is the difference between die struck and soft enamel pins?
• What is the difference between soft enamel and hard enamel pins?