20+ Enamel Pins to Creatively Accessorize Your Outfit

April 26, 2018

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One of the easiest ways to accessorize your favorite outfit is with enamel pins. Now more on trend than ever, the small pieces of flair are highly customizable and inexpensive to both produce and buy—making them a breeze to collect and switch out as you like. A myriad of makers are turning to enamel pins as a way to express themselves, and in turn allowing you to broadcast your beliefs about politics, your favorite artist, or even your passion for plants.

A (very) brief history of custom enamel pins

Custom enamel pins follow a long tradition that began in ancient Egypt circa 1800 BCE. Although the Egyptians didn’t create these styles of pins, they did get the ball rolling by introducing inlaying and enameling, which is a cornerstone of the badges; the Egyptians used these techniques to create filigree pieces (such as exquisite jewelry).

Fast forward 600 years later to when the Greeks began to use powdered glass to fill in space between the filigree. After that step, they then fired them to produce enamel. From Greece, the process was refined around the world, from the Yuan Dynasty in China (1271 to 1368 CE) to the manufacturing techniques we have today, which includes photo etching and screen printing.