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26 questions, answered directly

Questions and answers

Everything below is how this shop actually works. Where the answer is no, it says no.
Create your buttonsCall 631-458-3842

The numbers, up front

No tiers, no minimum, nothing held back.
The same price per button at every quantity.
SizePer buttonFinished faceSafe areaMake your file
1.5 inch$1.891.5 in1.375 in1.837 in
2.25 inch$1.992.25 in2.063 in2.625 in
3 inch$2.493 in2.875 in3.451 in
One charge for the whole order, chosen by the total buttons in it.
Buttons in the orderShipping
1 to 100$9.99
101 to 250$14.99
251 to 500$19.99
501 to 1,000$24.99
Pickup in HuntingtonFree

Why your file is bigger than the button

A 2.25 inch button at true proportion. Three of the questions below are about this figure.
A 2.25 inch button and its three diametersThe printed circle is 2.625 inches across and the sheet is punched at that diameter. The finished button is 2.25 inches. Artwork that has to stay readable belongs inside the 2.063 inch safe circle. The hatched ring between the finished face and the cut line folds over the metal shell and crimps underneath, so nothing printed in it is visible on the finished button.Cut line2.625 inFinished face2.25 inSafe area2.063 inThis ring folds under the shell
Artwork sitting inside the safe circleThe same mark and two lines of type on a 2.25 inch button, sitting inside the 2.063 inch safe circle. Nothing reaches the ring that folds under the shell, so nothing is cut off and nothing curves away from the reader.

Inside the safe circle

The same artwork set too large, cut off at the rimA mark and two lines of type on a 2.25 inch button, set large enough to cross the 2.063 inch safe circle. The ends of both lines run into the ring outside the 2.25 inch face and are cut off at the rim, because that ring folds under the shell. The band that is still visible but already curving away from the reader is shaded.

Crossing the safe circle

At true scale

The 3 button sizes drawn at true relative scaleCircles at their real relative size, resting on one line. 1.5 inch is 1.5 inches across, 2.25 inch is 2.25 inches across, 3 inch is 3 inches across. Doubling the diameter quadruples the printable face, so the largest disc is drawn visibly four times the area of the smallest rather than twice its size. The dashed ring inside each face is that size's safe area for artwork.1.5 in2.25 in3 in

Sizes and price

What sizes of custom buttons do you make?

Three round pin-back sizes: 1.5 inch, 2.25 inch and 3 inch. That is the whole catalog: no squares, magnets, mirrors, keychains or other diameter.
Compare the three sizes

Are these pin-back buttons or sewing buttons?

Pin-back buttons, also called badges or pins: a printed face under clear film, crimped over a metal shell with a steel pin on the back. Not the kind you sew on.

How much does a custom button cost?

$1.89, $1.99 and $2.49 per button for the 1.5 inch, 2.25 inch and 3 inch sizes, the same price for one button as for every button in the order.

Do buttons get cheaper if I order more?

No quantity discounts or price tiers at any volume: ten buttons and five hundred cost the same each, one number to multiply rather than a ladder to decode.

Is there a minimum order?

No. One button is a valid order at the same flat rate, because the price is per button rather than per run.

Which size should I choose?

It depends on reading distance. 1.5 inch suits a lapel or lanyard carrying one mark; 2.25 inch is the size most people picture, holding a logo plus a short line of text; 3 inch has 4 times that area, for a photo or several words read across a room.
Read about the 2.25 inch size

What is the actual difference between the three sizes?

Only the diameter and the price; same pin-back construction, same 300 dots per inch. Doubling a diameter quadruples the face, so 3 inch is 4 times 1.5 inch, not twice it.

Do you make other shapes or sizes?

No, round only, in 1.5 inch, 2.25 inch and 3 inch. These are physical punch and shell sizes, not a setting, so another diameter is different tooling this site cannot price.

Artwork

Can I upload my own artwork?

Yes, every order works this way: upload the file in the configurator and we print what you send, full color, across the whole face, checking first and calling if anything needs a decision.
Artwork guidelines

Why is the print size larger than the finished button?

A 3 inch button's printed circle is 3.451 inches across, bigger than its 3 inch face, because the paper wraps the metal shell and that extra ring folds under, unseen. The disc is punched wider on purpose and carries background only.
See the geometry, size by size

What is bleed, and do I need it?

Bleed is artwork running past the cut line, so a small shift while cutting leaves ink at the edge, not a white sliver. On a button that is the whole ring between the face and the cut diameter, and yes, you need it.

What is the safe area?

The circle inside the finished face where artwork stays flat and readable: 2.063 inches on the 2.25 inch. The button curves before its own edge, so text at the face bends away from the reader.

How big should my artwork file be?

We print at 300 dots per inch across the full face: 450 pixels on the 1.5 inch, 900 on the 3 inch. Size the file to the full cut diameter and the bleed comes with it; a smaller file still works, and we say so first.
Download a template for your size

What file formats do you accept?

PNG, JPG and PDF all work. A vector PDF or large PNG with a transparent background is cleanest for a logo. A screenshot or website logo is usually too small, and enlarging adds no detail never captured.

Can I put a photo on a button?

Yes, on all three sizes, and this is where a larger face earns its price: a face clear on 3 inch can be unreadable on 1.5 inch. Crop to a square first so you choose what is cut off.

Can I put a QR code on a button?

Yes, with one caution: a code needs size, contrast and a flat surface, and a button is curved. Keep it well inside the safe area, dark on light, and test the printed button with a phone. The 3 inch face gives it the most room.

How small can text be on a button?

There is no safe minimum point size, but the risk is highest on the 1.5 inch face, 1.5 inches across, where a one pixel stroke can vanish. Set the design to its real size on screen, not zoomed in, and read it from two feet away: whatever fails there fails on the button.

Ordering

How do I order custom buttons?

Pick a size, upload your artwork, choose a quantity and check out, all on this site. Prefer to talk it through? Call us.
Start with the sizes

Can I order more than 1,000 buttons of one design?

Yes, up to 1,000 buttons per design online, the configurator's own ceiling; above that we plan the run with you by phone, at the same flat price per button.
Get in touch

Can I order several different designs in one order?

Yes. Each design is its own cart line with its own size, artwork and quantity, and because the price is flat per button, splitting a quantity across four designs costs what one costs.

What date can I have my buttons by?

Call with the date you need them and we will tell you honestly whether we can make it. We do not publish a fixed production schedule, because the honest answer changes week to week with what else is running, so a call gets you a real answer rather than a number we might have to walk back.
Call and ask about your date

Do you make buttons for businesses, schools, teams and campaigns?

Yes, and none are separate products: a logo button, a school badge, a fundraiser pin, a trade show giveaway and a campaign button are one round pin-back button with different artwork.
Buttons for business and organizations

Do you ship?

Yes: Shipping is a flat rate by order size: $9.99 up to 100, $14.99 up to 250, $19.99 up to 500 and $24.99 up to 1,000 buttons. One charge for the whole order regardless of size mix, shipped from our shop in Huntington, NY.

Where we are

Are you actually on Long Island?

Yes. We are at 205 E Main St, Ste 2-1, Huntington, NY 11743, and the buttons are printed, punched and assembled there. We work across Huntington, Suffolk County, Nassau County, Long Island.
Contact and location

Can I talk to a person before I order?

Yes. Call 631-458-3842 and you will get somebody who can look at your artwork and tell you which size it suits.
Contact us

Can I pick my buttons up instead of paying for shipping?

Yes, and pickup is free at any order size. Choose pickup at checkout and collect the order at 205 E Main St, Ste 2-1, Huntington, NY 11743.

Not answered here?

Call 631-458-3842. Whether a particular file will work at a particular size is a two minute conversation, and it is worth having before you order.

Contact and locationArtwork guidelines