Whether you’re displaying your lapel pins on a pin board or proudly wearing a new enamel pin as a clothing accessory, you’ll need a pin backing or pin clasp that can securely hold your pin while still being discreet. Although most pins come with a standard butterfly clutch, there are a few types of pin backs to choose from when you’re creating custom pins.

Customize Lapel Pin Backs for Your Pin Design

You might be surprised to learn that different types of pin backs work best for different types of pins. And if you're creating your own custom pin design, you'll need to know more about why you’d choose pin backings depending on the size, weight, and display method of your pin. Your options for lapel pin backs include the butterfly clutch pin, deluxe clutch, safety pin, rubber clutch, or magnetic back. Whether you’re creating a corporate gift, company logo, or a beautiful jewelry-quality lapel pin, having the correct pin backing can encourage your recipients to wear or display your design more frequently and with more confidence.

Butterfly Clutch

The butterfly clutch, also known as a military clutch, is a standard lapel pin back that is lightweight, easily manageable, and secure. They are simple to use, with a pinching mechanism that opens and closes them, allowing you to slide your pin on and off. Butterfly clutch pin backings are also customizable since they’re made of the same metal as your pin, meaning you’ll have cohesion throughout your pin design.

Deluxe Clutch Lapel Pin Back

A deluxe clutch comes in several different shapes and has a locking mechanism that makes it a safer option when you’re displaying pins on items that experience a lot of exposure. Pins worn on jackets, blazers, or bags are more at risk of falling off when someone brushes or bumps past. The deluxe clutch is commonly used to secure larger pins that need extra support to clothing, hats, and bags and since it comes in different metal types, it’ll match to any type of pin design.

Rubber Clutch Pin Backing

Because of the flexibility of the material, rubber clutches firmly grasp pins and prevent them from being pulled off easily. This type of pin back does not lock in place, however, and may be more likely to be pulled off if the pin its attached to moves around a lot – this can also be a concern for larger and heavier pins, which may pull against the rubber back. Sometimes rubber clutches are preferred since they are soft and comfortable to wear against skin.

Safety Pin

Lapel pins with a safety pin backing are a great way to steadily display heavier or larger pins. Safety pins provide two points of contact connected by the pin, plus they have a clasp that makes them less likely to accidentally come open. Safety pins are a good enamel pin back for dense or thick fabrics and lay smoothly against the fabric or other materials rather than poking against the wearer.

Magnetic Pin Backing

For delicate materials or to avoid puncturing holes in fabric, magnetic pin backs are the answer. A strong magnet is used to avoid any potential damage to clothing made of leather, silk, or other refined fabrics that might be used for displaying pins. However, magnets are not the strongest way to tightly keep pins in place and any vigorous movement can knock them apart.

Locking Pin Backs

While not a standard option on most types of custom pins, locking pin backs are a great solution when you want extra protection for a special pin. Locking backs have a slightly larger hole than standard butterfly clutch, but a small screw on one side can be tightened to hold the pin backing firmly to the post. This type of pin back holds firmly and is not as susceptible to being pulled off if the pin is bumped or pulled accidentally.

When you’re designing a custom pin, choosing the right type of pin back can be as important as your actual design. Make sure your pins are comfortable to wear so they can be displayed proudly and confidently by recipients.