Custom Pins

What Custom Pins does

Custom Pins Inc. is a private, Elmsford, New York-based custom lapel pin and commemorative products manufacturer that has operated continuously since 2000. The company's core offering is custom lapel pins produced via four distinct manufacturing processes—Soft Enamel, Die Struck (Die Cast), Hard Enamel (Cloisonne), and Photodome (full-color offset printing on stainless steel with epoxy coating)—which collectively cover the price-and-design spectrum from economical promotional pins to premium collectibles. Beyond pins, the company produces custom challenge coins, soft and hard enamel medals, keychains, patches, ribbons, and a wide accessory line including cufflinks, tie bars, earrings, charms, money clips, golf ball markers, and bookmarks. The company states it produces millions of pins annually, supported by 24+ years of manufacturing relationships.

The business is structured as direct-to-consumer e-commerce through a Shopify storefront (custompins.com), with a free-quote funnel as the primary conversion mechanism and a $4.99 sample kit as a try-before-you-buy lead magnet. Pricing is fully quote-based and driven by number of colors, design complexity, pin size, and order quantity, with the initial mold acting as the primary fixed cost and per-unit economics improving at scale. Orders range from a 200-unit minimum up to 200,000+ units. Marketing relies on organic search, a blog (active from at least September 2023 through June 2024 covering branding, military insignia, heraldic badges, and AI art tools), email capture with a 10% first-order incentive, and a presence on Facebook and Instagram.

The company serves a horizontal mix of customer segments: large enterprises showcased as reference clients (IKEA, BMW, NFL, Olympics, Adidas), educational institutions (Seton Hall University, Lotus Educational with a 10+ year relationship), fraternal and military organizations (Phi Sigma Pi National Fraternity), healthcare bodies (Dartmouth Hitchcock), youth sports teams (St Joe's Bombers for Cooperstown trading pins), and nonprofit/advocacy groups. Free art/design services and free proofs are positioned as the primary customer-acquisition differentiator, requiring the customer to provide only an idea, sketch, or logo. The company holds no patents, has no disclosed funding, and operates with a 1–10 employee footprint from a single Westchester County headquarters, suggesting a small, founder-operated business at scale rather than a venture-backed growth company.

Name

Custom Pins

Legal name

Custom Pins Inc.

Website

https://custompins.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Custom Pins Inc. is a private Elmsford, NY-based manufacturer of custom lapel pins, challenge coins, medals, keychains, and accessories sold direct-to-consumer via a Shopify e-commerce site with a quote-based funnel. The firm serves corporations, educational institutions, fraternal/military groups, sports teams, and nonprofits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Lapel Pin Manufacturing

NAICS

Fastener, Button, Needle, and Pin Manufacturing (339993), Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing (33991)

SIC

Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960), Metal Forgings & Stampings (3460)

akta.pro primary industry

Jewelry Findings, Components & Settings Manufacturing (CRAKAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fine Jewelry Components (Chains, Settings, Findings) (CRAKAAAJ)

Keywords

• Custom lapel pins
• Custom challenge coins
• Enamel pin manufacturing
• Promotional pin production
• Custom metal accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Elmsford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Custom Pin Manufacturing: One-time custom manufacturing of lapel pins where customers provide designs and the company produces finished products. Pricing is quote-based and determined by factors including number of colors, design complexity, pin size, and order quantity. The main cost driver is the initial mold creation, with additional units being relatively lower cost per unit.
2. Custom Coins: Manufacturing of custom challenge coins and medals using similar production methods to pins, including soft enamel and hard enamel options. Coins serve purposes like fostering belonging in fraternal, military, and private clubs, employee recognition, customer loyalty programs, and convention trading.
3. Custom Logo Accessories: Extension of core products to complementary accessories including keychains, earrings, charms, hat pins, money clips, golf ball markers, bookmarks, tie bars, and cufflinks that utilize customer pin designs.
4. Sample Kit: Pre-made sample kit sold for $4.99 to help prospective customers evaluate product quality and different pin styles before placing custom orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Custom Pins designs and manufactures custom lapel pins, challenge coins, medals, keychains, patches, and ribbons for branding, recognition, and promotional use. Orders are produced via multiple manufacturing methods—Soft Enamel, Die Struck, Hard Enamel (Cloisonne), and Photodome (offset-printed)—with free in-house art services and free proofs before production. Order quantities range from 200 to 200,000+ units, with pricing driven by colors, design complexity, size, and quantity.

Product overview

Custom Pins is a custom lapel pin and commemorative products manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of pin styles, challenge coins, medals, and accessories. The core product line includes Soft Enamel Pins, Hard Enamel Pins (Cloisonne), Die Struck Pins, and Photodome Pins—each using distinct manufacturing processes ranging from stamped enamel to offset printing on metal. The company also produces Custom Soft Enamel Coins and Custom Hard Enamel Coins, as well as Custom Soft Enamel Medals for recognition and award purposes. Beyond pins, they offer accessory conversions (Charm Loops, Earrings, Tie Bars, Cufflinks) and multiple attachment options (Butterfly Clutch, Rubber Clutch, Tie Tacks, Magnets, Adhesive). Orders range from 200 to 200,000+ units, with free art services for design assistance. The company has operated since 2000, producing millions of pins yearly, and is headquartered in Elmsford, New York.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Soft Enamel Pins
• Custom Hard Enamel Pins (Cloisonne)
• Custom Die Struck Pins
• Custom Photodome Pins
• Custom Made in USA Rush Printed Pins
• Custom Hard Enamel Coins Premium challenge coins with smooth polished surfaces and shiny plating options; production averages 2-3 weeks after proof approval. Used for recognition, fraternal groups, military, and conventions.
• Custom Soft Enamel Coins Custom coins using soft enamel production methods—designs struck or cast into the coin, plated, and hand-filled with enamel colors for vibrant, detailed challenge coins and medals.
• Custom Soft Enamel Medals Award medals with a military tradition, featuring raised metal edges and recessed enamel colors, used for prizes and achievement awards.
• Custom Logo Accessories Custom accessory products using the customer's pin designs, including keychains, earrings (post and hook), tie bars, cufflinks, charm loops with jump rings, and similar branded metal accessories.
• Sample Kit Pre-made sample pack sent to prospective customers containing examples of past projects showing different pin styles, helping customers evaluate quality before placing custom orders. Priced at $4.99.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.9 out of 5 stars rating from 493 verified buyer reviews
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sticker Mule: Sticker Mule is a larger DTC custom-products platform offering stickers, pins, patches, labels, and apparel. Comparable in product category (custom pins) and e-commerce DTC model, but operates at significantly greater scale with venture backing and a broader portfolio.
• Vistaprint: Vistaprint is an established custom-printing platform offering business cards, marketing materials, and promotional products. While not specialized in pins, it serves overlapping SMB and enterprise customers seeking branded merchandise and competes for share-of-wallet on promotional products.

Direct peers

• Quality Lapel Pins: Quality Lapel Pins is a smaller custom pin manufacturer offering enamel, die struck, and printed pins with similar quote-based ordering. Comparable in product mix and target customer base but at smaller scale than Custom Pins.
• WizardPins: WizardPins is a custom lapel pin manufacturer producing enamel, die struck, and printed pins for corporate and organizational clients. Comparable in manufacturing methods, free design services, and small-order to bulk-order capabilities.
• The Pin People: The Pin People is a custom pin manufacturer offering lapel pins, trading pins, challenge coins, and medals with free artwork and proofs. Directly comparable in product mix, customer segments (corporate, sports, fraternal), and small-team DTC operations.
• Lapel Pins Plus: Lapel Pins Plus manufactures custom lapel pins and challenge coins with multiple production styles and free design services. Closely comparable in product line, quote-based pricing, and DTC go-to-market approach.
• Pins Unlimited: Pins Unlimited is a custom pin and coin manufacturer producing enamel pins, trading pins, and challenge coins with free artwork services. Comparable in product range, free design positioning, and DTC e-commerce model.
• PinMart: PinMart is a direct competitor offering custom lapel pins, challenge coins, and buttons online with similar quote-based pricing and production methods (soft enamel, hard enamel, die struck). Comparable in product offering, target customer (corporate/organizational), and DTC e-commerce model.
• GS-JJ: GS-JJ is one of the largest overseas custom pin manufacturers, offering lapel pins, challenge coins, medals, and keychains at scale. Directly comparable in product offering but competing primarily on price rather than the domestic service positioning Custom Pins emphasizes.
• Cool Pins: Cool Pins is a custom pin manufacturer offering lapel pins, trading pins, and challenge coins for sports teams, schools, and corporate clients. Comparable product line and customer overlap with Custom Pins' sports and organizational segments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CustomPinsInc
• Instagraminstagram.com/custom.pins/?hl=en
• Xx.com/custompinsinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/custom-pins-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Custom Pins