Soft vs Hard Enamel Pins: Make Your Brand Shine
Enamel pins have become a powerful way for brands to express personality, share stories, and connect with audiences. But when creating your own pins, one major question always arises: Should you choose soft or hard enamel pins? What’s the difference, and which is right for you?
Today, we go beyond the basics. We dive deeper into craftsmanship, surface finishes, and even production techniques that allow one style to mimic the other. Whether you’re a designer, retailer, or brand owner, you need to understand these details. This knowledge will guarantee your pins look stunning and feel premium.
SOFT vs HARD ENAMEL PIN Comparison
SOFT ENAMEL Features
HARD ENAMEL Features
Soft Enamel Pins: Colorful, Textured, Versatile
Soft enamel pins are recognized for their signature raised metal lines and recessed color areas. This natural texture gives the pin a layered, 3D effect. The process uses color paint, which settles below the metal borders and delivers vibrant visual contrast.
Soft enamel is perfect for:
- Fun or expressive designs
- Merchandise and giveaways
- Multi-color artwork
- Budget-friendly bulk orders
The production process is simpler and faster. Soft enamel pins are often more affordable. This makes them ideal for promotional campaigns or mass retail projects.
Hard Enamel Pins: Smooth, Polished, and Premium
Hard enamel pins—also known as cloisonne—offer a smooth, glass-like finish. Instead of paint, they use color paste, which is denser and more durable. Each color is baked multiple times until it becomes level with the metal lines. The entire pin is then polished flat, resulting in a sleek, scratch-resistant, high-end surface.
Hard enamel pins are favored for:
- Luxury branding
- Award medals or recognition items
- Collector editions
- Long-lasting souvenirs
Colors are more solid, bright, and UV-resistant—perfect for premium projects.
Craftsmanship Insights: How Soft Enamel Can Mimic Hard Enamel
One of the biggest questions clients ask is: “Can soft enamel pins look like hard enamel pins?”
The answer is yes—if the production workflow is adjusted. To understand how, we must first understand the core surface difference between the two.
1. Surface Treatment: Texture vs. Smoothness
The most obvious distinction is the surface.
- Hard enamel is completely smooth and level because the enamel and metal borders are polished flush.
- Soft enamel retains its grooves because the enamel sits lower than the metal lines.
To reduce this textured feel and create a hard-enamel-like appearance:
- The pin undergoes sanding to remove uneven areas
- Followed by polishing to create a flatter, smoother surface
This minimizes the recessed texture and gives soft enamel pins a refined, semi-flat finish that visually resembles hard enamel.
2. Coloring Technique: Paint vs. Paste
Another key difference lies in the coloring material:
- Hard enamel uses color paste
- Richer tones
- Higher density
- More durable & UV-resistant
- Soft enamel uses color paint
- Thinner
- Sits lower than metal borders
To imitate the richness of hard enamel using soft enamel, manufacturers can:
- Adjust color concentration
- Control pigment ratios
- Guarantee precise filling during production
This produces colors that are brighter, more uniform, and more premium.
3. Baking & Electroplating: The Workflow Matters
The production order affects the final surface quality:
| Process | Hard Enamel | Soft Enamel |
|---|---|---|
| Step Order | Color → Baking → Polishing → Electroplating | Polishing → Electroplating → Color → Baking |
To give soft enamel a hard-enamel-like finish, the workflow can be intentionally reversed:
- Apply color earlier
- Bake before plating
- Finish with polishing + electroplating
This offers a cleaner, more refined surface—visually much closer to hard enamel.
4. Material Choice: Weight & Quality
Hard enamel pins typically use:
- Copper
- Zinc alloy
Soft enamel pins can also use iron, which is more economical.
To upgrade soft enamel and enhance the premium feel:
- Choose copper or zinc alloy instead of iron
This improves texture, weight, and overall perceived value.
Price Comparison: Soft vs Hard Enamel
Price differences come from materials, coloring techniques, polishing time, and baking cycles.
Typical Pricing Trend
- Soft enamel pins → Lower cost
- Simpler workflow
- Iron optional
- Hard enamel pins → Higher cost
- Multiple polishing steps
- Higher-density enamel paste
- Copper recommended
- Longer baking cycles
On average, hard enamel pins cost 20%–50% more than soft enamel pins, depending on size and order quantity.
If you want the look of hard enamel without the price tag, choose optimized soft enamel. It is an excellent choice using the techniques above.
Which Choice Should You Choose?
Choose soft enamel if you want:
- Lower cost with rich color detail
- A textured, vibrant surface
- Faster production
- Event merchandise or bulk orders
Choose hard enamel if you want:
- A smooth, polished, luxury finish
- Enhanced durability
- High-end branding or collector items
At Magical Gifts Ltd., we offer both styles—and even custom hybrid processes—to make your pins look exactly the way you envision.
Let your design shine. Let your story travel. And let your enamel pin become something people treasure.