How to source & sell custom pins

Creators can’t get enough custom pins! We’ve simplified the process to help you source and sell custom pins as quickly as possible with Spri.ng. Check out the content below to learn how easy it is to design and sell your very own custom pins.  

Don’t forget pins cannot be produced on demand. This means you will pay for inventory upfront before your listing is created. Spring will handle inventory storage, listing creation, order fulfillment + delivery, and fan support too. All you need to do is design your pin, purchase inventory, and start selling—we’ll handle the rest!

 

Part 1: Design the perfect pin

First choose the type of pin you want to create. 

Soft enamel: Soft enamel is our most popular pin type. Its defining characteristic is having colored paint recessed into the metal mold—giving the pins a dimensional look and textured feel people love. These pins are a great option if you’re using simple designs with five colors or less.

Hard enamel (Cloisonne’): Hard enamel pins feature enamel that is polished flat across the design surface. They’re produced by adding and baking each individual color separately on the pin. After all colors are added, the pin is polished to achieve its iconic smooth finish. These pins are a great option if you’re using simple designs with five colors or less.

Offset printing with thin epoxy coating: Offset printed pins are perfect for detailed designs because they do not alter or distort the image. This type is also recommended if your design features text, gradient effects, or lots of colors. Designs are printed onto the pin surface and a clear epoxy resin is applied over the imprint. This protects the image surface from scratches and damage.

Offset printing with thick epoxy dome:  This product is very similar to offset printing with thin epoxy coating, the main difference is the clear epoxy resin is applied multiple times, creating a thicker, dome-like shape over the design for additional protection.  

3D Mold: 3D mold is ideal for creating striking, three dimensional pins. This pin type offers depth of detail with multiple surface levels at multiple angles to create a three dimensional look and feel. It’s best for designs of animals, objects, shapes, etc. Please note 3D mold pins cannot feature any custom colors—the color of the pin is based on the finishing you select. 

Die struck: Die struck pins use raised and recessed metal to create your design, just like a coin.  Die struck pins begin as a simple sheet of metal plating, then a custom die is created for your design and stamped onto the metal leaving the design impression on the sheet. The recessed areas are sandblasted to add contrast and bring out design details. Please note die struck pins cannot feature any custom colors—the color of the pin is based on the finishing you select. 

Design files

We can accept JPEG, .JPG, .PNG, .AI, .EPS,.PSD, .TIFF and .PDF design files. We recommend submitting high resolution files (300 DPI) with at least 2.5” x 2.5” (750 x 750 pixels) dimensions. If you’re not able to submit a design file through the form you can provide a design link in the comments section of the form instead. Keep in mind the design concept you submit should reflect the pin type you choose—for example, a simple design works better with soft enamel pins while detailed designs with text work best with offset printing.

• When creating designs intended for offset printed pins we recommend using CMYK color system.  
• When creating designs intended for enamel pins we recommend using RGB / Pantone color system.

Design file, PNG format, 750 pixels (2.5″) long and 300 DPI

Example: In addition to the design file, you can also specify measurements and color codes

Choosing a size

The 1 inch option is the most popular size selection, however if your design features text or lots of details we may recommend choosing a larger size. Keep in mind the larger the pin size the more the base cost increases.

Finishing

Teespring offers 16 different finishing options. See the table below for compatibility options based on pin type. 

Backing  

The butterfly clutch is the most common pin backing option. We also offer a black rubber clutch or traditional safety pin backing too. Keep in mind the safety pin packing is best for pins that don’t need to be removed and/or reattached often, but this option is considered an add-on and will increase the base cost.

Packaging

You can choose between two packaging options. The clear plastic bag is the most popular and affordable option and each pin is individually packaged in a poly bag for protection. The second option is the 3″ x 3″ custom backer card which is ideal if you’re interested in additional branding. If you select this option you’ll also need to submit a backer card design (288 x 288 pixels with 300 DPI). You can choose between glossy or matte finish for your backer cards too. Please also note backer cards are an add-on feature that will increase the base cost of your pin order (around $0.90 extra per unit if you order 1k pins).

Pricing reference + add-ons

Below is a price reference table. This is an example of price ranges for soft enamel pins with 5 colors and no add-ons. Please note these prices are not exact—they simply provide an indication of price range. Pin type, number of colors, size, etc. will determine the base cost. Your pin’s base cost may be slightly lower or higher than the table below depending on the characteristics you choose.

Add-on characteristics that can increase the base cost of your pin include:

• 6+ colors: adding six or more colors to soft and hard enamel pins 
• Glitter/Glow paint: Glitter and glow in the dark paint are available for hard and soft enamel pins
• Engraving: You can add custom engravings to the back of all pins
• Shiny silver: The shiny silver finish incurs additional cost. 
• Size: selecting sizing above 0.5 will increase the base cost
• Backing: safety pin backing is an add-on
• Packaging: backer cards are a custom add-on

Part 2: Sell custom pins

Here’s a breakdown of how the sourcing process works.

1) Submit request

Fill out the form with your pin characteristics and submit your request. We aim to process all requests within 24 – 48 business hours.

2) Order inventory

Once we receive your submission we’ll send you a deposit payment link for $50. Once the deposit is paid we will process your request and follow up with an exact quote and product mockups. When you approve the pin mockups and quote we will send you another payment link for the total inventory cost (minus your deposit). Once full inventory payment is provided your pin order will be processed.

3) Start selling

Pin production takes around 30 business days and inventory will be sent to our facility in the US. We’ll create product mockups for you and make sure to set the listing to ‘private’ so you can make it public and start selling when you’re ready.  We can also send pins to you if you’d like to create promotional material or videos for the launch. 

Pricing recommendations + fees

You decide how much profit you want to make per pin. Keep in mind Teespring charges a service fee which covers storing pin inventory (up to 60 days from last sale), creating product mockups, fulfilling orders, and handling customer service for you. Our service fee is 15% of the selling price (minimum $2). Normally pin retail prices range from $7 – $15. Pricing should depend on the base cost of your pins and how much you think your audience will pay for this custom product.

For example, you source 1,000 pins with a base cost of $1.40 each. You pay $1,400 total. The selling price for each pin is $9. Teespring’s fulfillment fee is $2. Therefore, your profit margin would be $9 (selling price) – $1.40 (base cost) – $2 (service fee) = $5.60 per pin. This means once you sell all your pins you keep $5,600 in profit.