Top Polyester Buttons Manufacturer

One of the growing trends in monogramming and embroidery is the use of polyester-covered buttons as an accessory for a number of items, from clothing to purses to shoes. Many small embroidery shops have begun to offer a selection of polyester buttons, including custom monogrammed buttons. With a professional grade button machine, a small embroidery shop can quickly expand its product offering with a fun and versatile polyester button that has a number of uses.

Getting Started by Choosing Your polyester

One of the most exciting aspects of polyester buttons is choosing the right polyester with which to decorate the button. A trip to the local arts and crafts store is sure to provide a wide array of patterns and designs that can give any polyester button a certain amount of flair.

A number of popular designers offer their patterns as polyesters that can be used for a number of arts and crafts projects. Such popular designers include Lilly Pulitzer and Vera Bradley. With decorative polyester from a popular designer, it is easy to make a trendy polyester button that is sure to impress.

However, some designer polyesters can be somewhat pricey. For a small business looking to produce a large number of polyester buttons in an assortment of colors and patterns, arts and crafts store such as Jo-Ann polyesters can be a great place to find inexpensive yet stylish patterns.

When choosing polyester, it is important to remember that not every type will work in a button maker. It is a good idea to check the thickness of any material as some materials are too thick for a button maker and others are too thin. This is not a major issue, as most polyesters used in button making are of a relatively similar thickness; however, specialty polyester buttons, using leather for example, will require a button maker that has been calibrated to accommodate the material.

Using a Button Machine to Create polyester-Covered Buttons

According to Keith Brown, of Dallas-based American Button Machines, "Most button making machines are manufactured to produce pinback buttons using regular printer paper. polyester is a completely different type of material than paper. It is important to have a button maker calibrated properly to accommodate for the challenges in making a button out of polyester material. Proper calibration ensures the button machine will produce consistent quality buttons throughout its life.

With a little creativity and the right equipment, an embroidery business can expand their offering of polyester-covered buttons and sell a large variety of novelty buttons with a number of different applications. After cutting the polyester to a specific size with a circle cutter, a number of different options such as the type sold by American Button Machines, can be pressed onto the back of the button to make several different products.

A number of different attachments, such as a keychain, zipper pull or cell phone charm can turn any button into a personalized novelty item. This is especially useful for embroidery shops, which can make a personalized polyester button to accessorize any item. There are a number of backs that can be used with a polyester button. While some prefer a pinback to decorate a purse or to wear on clothing, a jacket, or a hat, others might want a more versatile back.

The Many Varied Uses of polyester-Covered Buttons

Snap-Inz are used to turn a polyester button into a shoe charm to decorate Croc shoes. These charms can be glued to the back of a button and simply snapped into place through the holes on the Croc shoes. Another use for polyester buttons is as a ponytail holder. This can be accomplished with a special button back that has an eyelet to run a ponytail elastic through. Other specialty kits can include button bracelets and necklaces, as well as pacifier clips (paci-clip) and keychains.

"Discerning customers are looking for the latest in quality button making options such as pocket mirrors, ponytail holders, keychains, necklaces, pinback buttons and refrigerator magnets. "said Keith Brown. "Applying a personalized initial monogram to a polyester button is a great way to decorate a favorite item or add personalized flair to a book bag, jacket, purse, or a pair of flip flops."

Capitalizing on the Opportunity by Owning a Button Machine

While monogrammed polyester buttons are growing in popularity, it can be hard for a small embroidery business to capitalize on the opportunity. Additionally, many production methods are not efficient enough for a small business trying to establish themselves as a provider of polyester buttons. polyester-covered buttons can be extremely versatile, but most manufacturers do not offer any options for their customers.

Most embroidery shops start slow, perhaps using a Dritz Button Cover Kit or similar type of "hand pressed" button. While Dritz Buttons are good for making a polyester-covered button, the results at times can look a little homemade as they usually do not produce the same quality as a polyester-covered button made on a professional button making machine. Dritz Buttons are good, but were never intended for the high-end production method the monogram industry demands.

While relatively inexpensive to make (with accessories basically non-existent) these polyester "press together" button styles can be challenging to assemble. They rely on an individual's strength to press the parts together by hand or a hammer. Once all the materials are gathered, they are placed into the press, which is then squeezed together to make a button. There are several limitations to this method. Hand pressing polyester buttons can be difficult to make and uncomfortable for the user. The person making the button must proceed extremely slowly to ensure a quality product. A rushed job can, and often does, result in a button that is not centered and looks bad. Additionally, a press together button is not an efficient button maker, as it takes longer to make a button as compared to using a professional button making machine.

Many production methods are not efficient enough for a small business trying to establish themselves as a provider of polyester buttons. For a business looking to make a large number of polyester buttons, or a variety of covered button types, the old hand-press-together buttons are simply not up to the task of producing a large number of quality buttons quickly. These press together button styles are good for a family or art class making craft buttons but an embroidery shop needing a large number of polyester buttons in a short amount of time would be better suited by using a professional polyester button making machine."

Making a polyester button is extremely easy using professional equipment. After selecting a particular polyester and completing any embroidery or monogramming, a circle cutter is used to cut out each piece of polyester that will be used in the buttons. Once the other necessary supplies are gathered, a professional button maker can quickly produce a large number of buttons.

It is important to reiterate that a standard button maker must be calibrated properly to accommodate for the challenges in making a button out of polyester material. There are very few "professional" grade button makers available on the market today that will make polyester buttons. One of the simplest and most efficient is a button maker with a rotating die and pull lever.

How To Properly Use A Button Machine to Make polyester Buttons

In a rotating die button maker, the materials are placed into two separate dies. The button shell and polyester are positioned in the first die, which is rotated into the machine, and the lever is pulled once. The button back is then placed in the second die, which is rotated into the press, and the lever is pulled a second time completing the button press operation.

"We have found that a button maker with a rotating die is the most efficient way to produce buttons in a large number extremely quickly," said Keith Brown of American Button Machines. "The button parts are loaded directly in front of the operator so they do not have to make time consuming moves to the left and the right to load parts which slows down production. The two dies swivel on a center axis providing speed and accuracy to such levels that these machines are able to produce a button in as little as ten seconds. There are other polyester button machines that are designed to have interchangeable dies. The dies can be swapped out to change sizes quickly and efficiently. While production is not as fast as the rotating die method, these machines produce very high quality, cost effective buttons".

A polyester button is a great way to personalize any item and to add a unique sense of one's personal style. With a wide array of polyesters, and a number of different button making options, polyester buttons have a number of uses, such as pocket mirrors, keychains, ponytail holders, pinback buttons, shoe charms, and necklaces. By investing in a professional grade polyester button maker, an embroiderer can easily expand their offering and capitalize on the growing popularity of polyester-covered buttons.