Custom Metal Badges: Materials, Accessories, and Complete Customization Guide

The most commonly used materials for making badges include zinc alloy, copper, iron, and stainless steel. The specific material can be chosen based on the required craftsmanship, design details, or budget. Let’s take a look at the characteristics of each material to help you make an informed choice.

Includes brass, red copper, and bronze. Copper is the preferred metal for high-end badges. Among them, red copper is used for hard enamel (cloisonné) badges because hard enamel requires firing at high temperatures (around 850°C), and red copper has a high melting point. Bronze is commonly used for soft enamel, imitation enamel, or non-colored processes.

Iron is one of the most common materials. It has good hardness and is relatively inexpensive, making iron badges more cost-effective.

Zinc alloy is the best material for die-cast metal badges. It offers excellent casting performance, allowing the production of complex shapes and thin-walled precision parts. The surface of zinc alloy castings is smooth, with good mechanical strength and wear resistance at room temperature. Its low melting point (around 385°C) makes it easy to cast and form.

Mainly used for printed badges. Stainless steel badges are characterized by strong corrosion resistance, high durability, and good cost performance. Their surfaces support rich and vivid printed colors, resulting in excellent decorative effects, making them a great option for badge production.

In addition to copper, iron, zinc alloy, and stainless steel, precious metals such as gold and silver are also used in the production of high-end metal badges and medals.