How to Choose Medals Online: the Ultimate Guide?
Ethan Carter
As we all know, medals and trophies are popular ways to celebrate and award players. They have own their features as follows.
| Medal | Trophy |
| 1. Different Materials | 1. Different Materials |
| 2. Small and Light | 2. Big and Heavy |
| 3. Cheaper | 3. More Expensive |
| 4. Enormous Quantity |
4. Small Quantity |
Now, in this article, we will mainly talk about how to chose medals online. It is an ultimate guide? Maybe!
PVC MEDALS
If you look for a type of medals for kids’ race, PVC medals are suitable. Custom PVC medals can add your logo and patterns. Try it for the kids’ race now!
Advantages
1. Safe
Because it is made of rubber ( silicone ). It hasn’t a sharp area for children. Meanwhile, it is not too heavy. For children, their necks won’t be wounded.
2. Colorful
It is not limited in the color. It is not easy to rub off. PVC medals can present your design precisely, making your products vivid.
3. No deformation
Due to being rubber, it doesn’t get rusty. It doesn’t distort. Like tumbler, it goes back to where it was when you hit it. In addition, It is also difficult to scratch unless you use sharp goods like a knife.
4. Cheap price
The production time of PVC medals is almost short compared with metal medals, and the cost of material is inexpensive, which makes PVC medals cheap.
5. Easy to clean
Although it is stained with dust easily, it is also easy to clean. Just wipe it down!
Disadvantages
1.Not enough beautiful
Due to the special material, it is not delicate compared with metal medals. It’s easy to turn yellow over time!
2. Environment or not
PVC environmental grade is classified into ROHS, 6P, 15P, of which 15P is the most environmentally friendly, and ROHS are low toxic. Generally speaking, regular shops with a high reputation use environmental PVC materials. Therefore, if you order, you must shine your eyes to select!
3. Low collection
Because it is not made of metal, it has a low collection just like toys. And it is popular in the kids’ race and is not easy to attract adults, whose target audience is narrow.
Main Types of PVC Medals
1.2D PVC Medals
2.3D PVC Medals
Recommended Reading: How to Distinguish Between 2D PVC Patches and 3D PVC Patches?
Recommended Stores Online
1.Mssionawards
2. GS-JJ
3. Maxmedals
4. Imprintitems
5. Expressionsproducts
6. Clearlens
7. Cubikpromo
METAL MEDALS
If you would like to design delicate and personalized medals, metal medals are perfect and will be wonderful souvenirs. They are popular among many races.
Advantages
1. Delicate look
Each area is designed delicately. You can choose antique medals, shiny & sandblast medals, soft enamel medals, hard enamel medals. It can be designed in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Rich texts can also be added. Multi-choices for you!
2. Wide applicability
Almost every race can use it. On many formal or informal occasions, you can see it.
3. High collection
Due to being metal material, especially for military medals and award medals, many people choose to collect. Some regard it as a family heirloom.
4. No deformation
Transform it? Unless you’re Popeye! Metal medals have high stability. Ordinary fire cannot hurt it.
Disadvantages
1. Long production
The production process of metal medals is complex like plating, coloring, and so on. Generally speaking, it needs 3 or 4 weeks. But it is worth the wait!
2. High price
Because it includes a mold fee, each color or attachment needs to be paid. So metal medals have high costs, and the sales price is also high.
3. Easy to damage
Metal medals won’t be crumbed. But, it is easy to be scratched, especially in the shiny medals. If it meets water, it will be rusted. It just doesn’t corrode as quickly as the original metal because of special crafts.
Main Types of Metal Medals
1. Soft Enamel Medals
2. Hard Enamel Medals
3. Antique Medals
4. UV Printed Medals
5. Shiny and Sandblast Medals
Recommended Stores Online
1. Crownawards
2. GS-JJ
3. Thestudio
4. Justawardmedals
5. Trophydepot
6. Hodgesbadge
7. Gemawards
8. K2awards
WOODEN MEDALS
If you want to choose a special medal, wooden medals are your first choice.
Image From: lasersareus.co.uk & woodgeekstore
Advantages
1. Environmental
No metal, and not much color. All design is originated from carving.
2. Classic look
The wooden medals are not static but soft, and fully return to the natural world. The message it conveys is dignity and solemnity. These give products a classic look.
3. High decoration value
Because of its good looks, it can be decorated in your room.
4. Engraving or coloring
You can choose engraving or coloring to beauty your patterns. Both are delicate.
Disadvantages
1. Putrescibility
When it is exposed in the air and contact wetting, it is easy to be putrescible. Meanwhile, it is easy to be musty.
2. Bite easily
If you store it too long in the dark area, it will be bitten by insects.
Recommended Stores Online
1. Maxmedals
2. Woodgeekstore
3. Ashworthawards
4. Justawardmedals
GLASS & CRYSTAL MEDALS
If you want your products to be more shiny and eye-catching, you can select crystal medals ( glass medals ).
Images from: customawardsgallery
Advantages
1. Delicate look
It is glittering and shiny, and the feel is exquisite, which still can engrave a word on it. Crystal Medals are a symbol of high purity. It is often used for prizes awarded by governments and businesses.
The crystal medal can save the image and text you want in the lens by laser, and the stereo effect is remarkable. If you only need small quantities for awarding some excellent people, crystal medals are special.
2. Easy to clean
Simply add water to the ordinary cleaning solution and place the product to be cleaned. After cleaning with a soft brush or hand, rinse with clean water and take it out to dry. When half dry, you should wipe it clean with a soft towel, leaving no water lines and fingerprints.
Disadvantages
1. Fragile
Because it is made of crystal, you should store it carefully or it will be broken. In addition, it is packaged carefully on delivery. So, it will add your cost to the packaging.
2. Simple design
Usually, it is no color. The texts and logos are added monotonously.
3. Expensive price
Although it can be customized, the mold fee is high. It needs to be cut.
Recommended Stores Online
1. Maxmedals
2. Customawardsgallery
ACRYLIC MEDALS
A cost-effective way to make your own medals.
Images from: garzig / edco /
Advantages
1. Affordable price
Because the material is low-cost, you will get them at a cheaper price.
2. Colorful
You can color your medals in any color or engrave them.
3. Any shapes or sizes
It can be made in any shape and size according to your needs.
4. Light
It is made of plastic, so it is very light.
Disadvantages
1. Not very beautiful
Compared with metal meals, acrylic medals are not very beautiful and high-end. If you have strict requirements, you’d better choose metal medals.
2. Easy to scratch
It is easy to be scratched because it is thick. So you should protect them carefully.
Main Types of Acrylic Medals
1. LASER Cut Acrylic Medals.
2. Engraved Cast Acrylic Medals.
Recommended Stores Online
1. Crownawards
2. USAAacrylicawards
3. Maxmedals
4. Edco
5. Ashworthawards
6. Justawrdmedals
7. Expressmedals
8. Weprofab
5 Different medals have different features and weaknesses. A different object, race, occasion, a budget can influence your choice. It’s up to you when you magnify the advantages and ignore the disadvantages.
Custom Medal vs. Trophy：Which One is Better?
Medals and trophies have been previously acknowledged as the classic awards in sports, corporate, school, and even team-building activities. Besides being a sign of honor, they also represent hard work and victory. Still, the same question troubles most organizers: custom medals or trophies, which one is better?
In order to present to you the advantages and disadvantages of the different types, as well as their similarities, through the following points: structure, materials, cost, meaning, and usage scenarios.
The Ultimate Guide to Designing Your Own Medals
What are custom medals? Medals are typically made of common metals, wood, PVC, or other materials, attached to a ribbon that forms the medal. Medals are round, but can be customized into any irregular shape and they are most commonly seen in sports competitions, with gold, silver, and bronze medals available. These medals are designed for specific competitions and are unique, holding commemorative significance.
However, medals are no longer limited to sports; they can be found all around us, as company incentives and event commemorations.
Why are custom medals so important? Medals symbolize recognition, and medals from major sports events, such as the Olympic Games, are highly collectible. Also, Medals themselves may be valuable, true value lies in the meaning people ascribe to them— the sense of accomplishment they bring and the honor and commemorative value they convey. Upon receiving a medal, people often display it on a cabinet or carefully store it in a box.
Custom medals can be permanently engraved with the competition theme, logo, and date. For example, a company's sales champion medal can be engraved with information such as the name and date. This physical gift of first place not only motivates employees to continuously improve but also fosters team spirit.