This article was originally published in February 2014. Updated and republished February 2025.
Button badges provide an affordable option with a range of different sizes available. The shape is fixed to a circle (choose from six circle sizes), square (one size available) or rectangle (one size available).
| Shape | Size | Pin options |
|---|---|---|
| Circle | 25mm | Wire D-pin |
| Circle | 32mm | Standard safety pin |
| Circle | 38mm | Standard safety pin / kidsafe clip |
| Circle | 45mm | Standard safety pin |
| Circle | 58mm | Standard safety pin |
| Circle | 77mm | Standard safety pin |
| Square | 38mm | Standard safety pin |
| Rectangle | 70mm x 45mm | Standard safety pin (can be vertical or horizontal) |
Which size of button badge is best?
The 25mm size badge is considered to be the classic “one inch button”, timelessly fashionable so a great choice for brands, musicians and artists. The small size makes them great for striking logos and simple, eye catching designs, and it also makes them the most likely to be worn as a fashion accessory.
We also class 32mm diameter badges as small buttons. They retain the wearability from not being overly large, but do have a little more of a canvas to work with.
- The 25mm size has a wire d-pin not a standard safety pin
The 25mm size button badge is the only button badge that features a wire d-pin rather than a safety pin.
The wire d-pin is designed to allow the wearer to rotate the pin into the position that they prefer. The badges won’t arrive with the all of the pins oriented to the artwork. Instead the pin can be rotated as required.
For a small badge with a fixed position standard safety pin, opt for the 32mm size.
- Larger badges are better for communicating a message or promoting an idea.
38mm or 45mm diameter sizes give a little more scope to communicate a slogan or marketing message.
The artwork can include more lettering and more complexity but still maintain visual impact. These sizes are perfect for membership tokens or advertising events.
- 38mm size badges can have a kidsafe clip instead of a standard safety pin.
38mm is the only size that has a chunky kidsafe clip option available.
- 5. Really big badges can carry lots of information to see across a crowded room.
58mm or 77mm diameter badges allow room for complicated messages, and can also provide a way to promote a message across a room.
These large sizes are popular for staff to wear for corporate promotions, or of course if you are looking to make the biggest possible impact when the badges are worn, for example if the badges are for a party of celebration.
6. Rectangle and Square shapes offer additional choices.
