The GSJJ Blog

Standing out in a competitive market requires gifts that make a lasting impression. Traditional paper business cards and generic plastic promotional gifts often fail to make an impact—and are frequently discarded without a second thought. Metal promotional gifts offer an excellent solution to this challenge; they are exquisite, durable, and have great collectible value.

Do you want custom medals for your event? You've come to the right place! Our guide can help you select a suitable maker.

The suitable maker is important to your purchasing experience and the quality of the product you receive. We've compiled a list of seven leading manufacturers in the custom medal market. Use this article to determine which manufacturer is best for you.
Looking for the top custom medal makers for sports events, corporate awards, or school competitions? Based on factor-direct pricing, ordering flexibility, and turnaround speed, GS-JJ offer prices starting as low as $1.64/pc, free 24-hour digital proofs, and free shipping—eliminating middleman markups completely.

At GS-JJ, customized products are designed to help organizations recognize achievements, engage communities, and create memorable experiences through personalized event merchandise.

GS-JJ works with nonprofit organizations, community groups, and event organizers by providing customized products for sponsorship collaborations and community events. These collaborations allow GS-JJ to support various communities while helping organizations provide attendees with memorable event merchandise.

GS-JJ partnered with Soonercon 33 in 2025, a pop culture and science fiction convention put on by the Future Society of Oklahoma. GS-JJ co-sponsored the event and provided custom soft enamel medals and dye-sublimated lanyards to support attendee recognition and event engagement.

This case study highlights how GS-JJ supported Soonercon 33 with custom event merchandise and how custom products enhanced the convention experience for participants and the wider fan community.

Custom medals can be made with different materials, 2D or 3D molds, plating finishes, surface effects, and moving parts. Each choice affects the medal’s weight, appearance, feel, and production cost. Use the comparison below to see how these options differ and choose the specifications that fit your event and budget.

Have you ever wondered how a beautifully crafted, substantial medal is made? Although medal manufacturing shares similarities with pins and coins, medals require more complex suspension mechanics and structural design because they must be worn around the neck and accommodate the wearer's movements. Next, GS-JJ will cover the production process for custom medals, hanging ergonomics, and how to create medals with interactive structures.

Still struggling to find the perfect custom medals? This article breaks down the custom medal process, showing you how to easily create your own exclusive medals with the help of GS-JJ—a direct manufacturer with extensive production experience.

The production of custom medals depends primarily on several core elements: design style, base metal, plating process, and additional features. This guide outlines key manufacturing techniques—ranging from standard soft enamel to intricate 3D structures—to help you understand the various design options available.

Designing custom award medals starts with four key steps: defining the medal concept, preparing artwork for production, uploading an electronic copy to the vendor for review, and choosing the desired ribbon. The most important factors to consider are the medal's size, material, surface finish, color, and production details.

The size of custom medals affects not only their visual appearance but also the clarity of design details, the balance of the lanyard's proportions, and the wearer's experience.

Whether selecting participation medals for a school event or substantial finisher medals designed for high visual impact, choosing the right size is key to balancing budget constraints with the prestige of the award. By using everyday objects to establish scale, applying the "longest side" measurement method, and referencing a custom medal comparison guide, you can pinpoint the ideal medal specifications for your event.

Medals typically consist of three parts: the main component, accessories, and packaging. When purchasing medals, beyond the medal's appearance, the right accessories can make the award more practical, visually appealing, and memorable. Whether you are preparing medals for a competition or a corporate event, choosing the right accessories is a crucial part of the customization process. This guide explains how to choose the right medal loops, ribbons, and packaging for your custom medals.

Custom medals serve as a primary medium for recognizing achievement in corporate awards, academic competitions, commemorative events, and various sporting contests. Due to the wide range of variables—such as materials, dimensions, and manufacturing techniques—custom medal price quotes across different suppliers often vary significantly, and there is a substantial difference in unit costs between small-batch and bulk orders.

The guide examines pricing rules and cost elements from the manufacturer's point of view and offers practical strategies for cost control so you can make the best purchasing decisions within your budget.

Exquisite custom metal medals can lose their luster if not cleaned or stored  improperly. This guide covers durable materials, cleaning and maintenance tips, and correct storage methods to help keep your metal medals looking brand new.