How Businesses and Schools use Lapel Pins

A round, glass bottle with a brown cork stopper—perfect for lapel pins—is filled halfway with red liquid. The bottle features a metallic outline and two small bubbles inside the liquid.

How Businesses and Organizations Use Die Struck Lapel Pins

Die struck lapel pins serve many purposes. Some uses relate to sports, while others focus on awards or recognition. Businesses, schools, and other organizations also use them for marketing, honoring achievements, creating keepsakes, commemorating events, and recognizing service or effort. Educational institutions often present pins as awards, honors, or lasting mementos. Sports teams also trade them among players as a fun tradition.

fun, custom designed corporate pin, in a potion bottle design

Common Uses for Lapel Pins

Below are the top reasons businesses, schools, and organizations choose die struck lapel pins:

  • Sports Recognition – Schools award die struck lapel pins to students participating in sporting events. These pins can be traded with other schools during games and tournaments.

  • Team Activities – Schools also give them to teams or participants in special activities.

  • Educational Awards – Many institutions use lapel pins to honor academic achievement at middle school, high school, college, and graduate levels.

  • Graduation Keepsakes – Pins make meaningful tokens to celebrate graduations.

  • Special Achievements – Organizations create pins for club memberships, certifications, or other notable accomplishments.

  • Employee Recognition – Businesses recognize outstanding employees who meet set goals or milestones with custom pins.

  • Marketing Tools – Pins act as visual branding and make excellent giveaways.

  • Years of Service Awards – Schools and businesses give pins to honor dedicated years of service.

  • Event Commemoration – Special pins mark important events, anniversaries, or company milestones.


Designing Pins for Specific Achievements

The design of each pin should reflect the accomplishment being recognized. If an employee earns certification for a new piece of equipment or work process, the pin can feature that certification. For milestones like years of service, you can use a single design for the first year and add a “dangler” attachment for each subsequent year instead of creating a completely new pin.

This thoughtful approach keeps the design consistent while still acknowledging continued achievement.