Metro Pins Frequently Asked Questions

Promotional products are highly effective marketing tools - they boost brand recognition, influence consumer behavior, and often deliver a stronger ROI than many digital ads.

• Tangible and Memorable: Unlike digital ads that disappear in seconds, physical items like pins, bags, or mugs stick around - often for months or even years - keeping your brand top of mind.
• High Recall Rates: Studies show that over 80% of people remember the brand on a promotional product they received, and many can recall it even after two years.
• Cost-Effective Impressions: Promotional items often have a lower cost per impression than online ads or TV spots. A single item can generate hundreds or thousands of views over its lifetime.
• Behavioral Influence: Recipients are more likely to take action - like visiting a website or making a purchase - after receiving a branded item. It creates a sense of goodwill and reciprocity.
• Event Magnetism: At conventions or trade shows, people actively seek out booths giving away quality swag. A creative or collectible item (like a custom enamel pin) can drive foot traffic and spark conversations.
• Brand Loyalty & Perception: Giving away useful or fun items improves how people perceive your brand - they associate it with generosity, quality, and attention to detail

The Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) for most items on Metro Pins website is 10 pieces. Seasonally, this is subject to change of course. Promotional items displayed on our Metro Promo website all have different minimum quantities depending upon the item. Ordering a single custom item is not available at this time.

Production times differ from product to product, and can vary by season. Standard production times for items on Metro Pins website is typically between 2 to 4 weeks. At certain times, some products can be produced and shipped in as little as 72 hours! Please consult with your CSR about your needs and what we can do for you! Please check our website product pages for additional & specific information regarding a particular product's production time. Promotional items displayed on our Metro Promo website all have different minimum quantities depending upon the item.

Maybe. Some of our products require the full production time due to the manufacturing processes involved. We do offer rush production on many items, however. At certain times, offset print items for instance, (like pins, dog tags, keychains and ornaments) can be produced and shipped in as little as 72 hours! If you have a deadline for an event and would like to check our schedule and see if we might be able to speed up production of your products, please call us toll free 1-855-638-7655.

In this example you would use the 25 count price column for each of the 4 different designs. Four different molds would need to be made in this example. The cost for one mold is built into the unit prices in each price column. You may order the same design in different color variants if you wish for a $25 fee per color change.

Metro Pins ships via the carrier of our choice unless otherwise noted. If you have a specific request for a shipping partner, please let us know when you order and we will try to accommodate your needs.

Sure do! Please give us a call or send customer service an email to request a sample of a particular item prior to placing an order. Note: Because the samples are chosen at random, we cannot guarantee that samples will have exact colors and/or imprints relating to your custom order.

Sure do! Please give us a call or send customer service an email to request a sample of a particular item prior to placing an order. Note: Because the samples are chosen at random, we cannot guarantee that samples will have exact colors and/or imprints relating to your custom order.

Yes, pre-production sample fees vary from product to product. To obtain a quote on a pre-production sample, or to speak to a sales representative, please call toll free: 1-855-638-7655.

Once your promotional products order has been placed, we cannot cancel or remove items. If you need to add additional items to your order, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can try to ensure the same quote price and services. If you have a question or concern with a current order, please call us toll free at 1-855-638-7655 for assistance.

Our minimum quantities vary from product to product. Many of our promotional products, such as pins and keychains, are now available for single-item orders. If you would like to view our promotional products and their minimum order quantities, please check out the product detail pages of our website for more information.

Beyond meeting our minimum quantity requirements, we can typically produce your custom order at any specific quantity needed. Please give us a call toll free at 1-855-638-7655 to verify quantities available or pricing for a particular product.

Yes! We can distribute your product order to multiple addresses for an additional fee.

We accept all standard artwork formats. We can work with most file types when creating your product artwork. For illustrations and logos, we prefer vector artwork including Illustrator(.AI), Acrobat(.PDF), Encapsulated Postscript(.EPS), or Scalable Vector Graphics(.SVG). We can accept and work with ANY artwork, and have a team of designers that can turn your artwork into a production-ready design proof. For raster artwork (including photographs and other full color images), we do recommend at least a 300dpi image created at the actual imprint size of the product you're ordering. For a comprehensive look at artwork requirements visit our Artwork Requirements page. If you have a question about artwork or any of our art guidelines, please call 1-855-638-7655 and ask for assistance.

That's why we are here! Our creative team of design professionals is second to none. We'll take your idea and bring it to life on a design proof that can be used to create your item. Our graphic design team blends bold creativity with strategic precision. We craft designs that don't just look stunning - they shine! With a sharp eye for detail and a deep understanding of production marketing, we turn complex ideas into compelling, coveted and vibrant designs!

It's really all too easy! Check out the process:

• Submit a request & upload your art, ideas or logo:
        Let us know what you want to have made and what you'd like on it.
• Receive your design proof & adjust your design as needed:
        Unlimited adjustments are made until your happy with the design.
• Approve the completed design.  Place your order:
        We'll confirm your order details and finalize the production artwork.
• Your order moves directly to production:
        We'll immediately start making your order with the priority attention it deserves.
• Receive your items & let the smiles commence:
        Get your items quickly & feel compelled to tell everyone how happy you are!

We do! Are you a designer or budding artist? Would you like to create your own design artwork? You can do it if you want to! Remember: we are here to do it if you prefer (it's what we do). Simply use the enamel pin & coin guidelines below and this will get you most (if not all) of the way there:

Custom enamel pins, coins, medals, etc. design requirements:

• Pantone Colors:
  We use colors from the Pantone Color System. An online color chart is available for you to use. If you plan to routinely create your own enamel pin design, consider purchasing your own color book from Pantone. You'll want to purchase the Pantone Formula Guide Set. The set comes with two color swatch books. Use the Coated book. You won't use the other book.
• Plating Colors:
  Use two colors to represent metal plating. One lighter color to represent raised metal and a second darker color (if necessary) to represent recessed metal (i.e., if you want silver plating, use a lighter and a medium grey color). We will likely swap these plating colors out, so use whatever suits you. Be sure to indicate in your color list/key that these are raised/recessed metal colors! In some cases, more than two colors can be used to represent multi-layer pins. Normally raised & recessed is sufficient.
• Color Separation:
  This is where some new enamel pin designers trip up a bit. Each enamel color in your design must have an outline/stroke using the raised metal plating color you chose above. Read that again. And once more. There, you're golden. Enamel colors have to be separated by thin metal lines... it's a manufacturing process rules. Stroke lines should be no smaller than 0.5pt (~0.2mm) in width. Enamel areas should be no smaller than 1.0pt (~0.3mm) in width.
• Manufacturing Limits:
  Color limits: Enamel areas minimum is 1.0pt (~0.3mm) in width.
  Raised metal limits: Stroke lines minimum is 0.5pt (~0.2mm) in width.
  Recessed metal limits: Stroke lines minimum is 0.5pt (~0.2mm) in width.
  UV Print (full-color) may be applied over raised or recessed metal AND over enamel color areas to render small details. When used, UV Print areas should be separated out and rendered alone (next to additionally rendered metal/color only representation)... this is in addition to the combined design (UV Print and metal/enamel together) Screen print may also be used for very small details.
• Attempted Realism - Shading, Bevels, etc:
  Do not generate gradients, texture, shading or faux metal bevels in an attempt to make your design look more realistic. Keep the artwork flat without adding 3D embellishments (to illustrate or suggest more realism).
• Shading, highlights & gradients on enamel:
  To achieve details like this, we will add a UV Print on top of the enamel and metal and the design requires. It can be done!
• Design Complexity:
  Often the simplest of pins are the most effective and impactful. Don't try to do too much; remember the tiny canvas you're working with. The smaller a pin is, the less details it can accommodate. Highly details designs should be made at a size commensurate with their level of detail. If you have too much detail, but want a small pin, then adjust your design expectations.
• Text Elements:
  If text elements are a part of your design, don't make the text too small to read. When it comes to text remember this, we can make text smaller than many people can actually read. Just because you can read text on a design proof does not mean you'll be able to read it on a finished pin. Listen to your CSR's recommendations, we do this every day.
• Design Templates:
  Wondering if we offer art templates for custom enamel pins? Our expert design team can work with virtually any file type and tailor it to fit your pin size perfectly - so we don't require standardized templates for our products.