Manufacturer · Fashion & Home Accessories
Metal buttons with an anchor, crest or monogram are the distinctive feature of marine and club blazers. They usually have a shank, come in gold or silver tones, and feature a relief motif. A single-breasted blazer typically has two or three buttons on the front and three or four on each sleeve. Custom crests on buttons are made from vector files using stamping dies or casting moulds, with a sample provided for approval before production.
The Marine and Club Blazer
The blazer originates from naval uniforms and rowing and yacht clubs. The dark blue fabric and metal buttons remain its “signature”, while the button motif often indicates the wearer’s community—club, school, regiment, or company. Thus, the button on a blazer is more than a fastener: it is an emblem.
Today, marine motifs are also used in casual collections—women’s blazers, pea coats, knitted cardigans. Even without historical background, anchors and ropes instantly convey the style.
Motifs for Metal Blazer Buttons in Marine Style
- Anchor – the most recognisable marine symbol; standalone or encircled by rope.
- Rope border – twisted “rope” around the edge, often combined with a smooth or engraved centre.
- Crown and anchor – classic uniform motif with a formal character.
- Ship’s wheel, compass, star – decorative variants for casual collections.
- Heraldic crest – shield, lions, laurel wreath; for clubs, schools, and formal uniforms.
- Monogram – brand or club initials in a classic font.
- Company logo – for corporate uniforms and gift series.
The motif must be legible from a distance. Too many details on a 20 mm button merge into a blur, so heraldic crests are usually simplified specifically for buttons.
How Many Buttons Does a Blazer Have?
| Model | Front | Sleeve | Typical Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-breasted, two buttons | 2 | 3–4 per sleeve | 30–32L front, 22–24L sleeve |
| Single-breasted, three buttons | 3 | 3–4 per sleeve | 28–30L front, 22–24L sleeve |
| Double-breasted 6×2 | 6, 2 fasten | 3–4 per sleeve | 28–32L front |
| Double-breasted 6×3 | 6, 3 fasten | 3–4 per sleeve | 28–30L front |
| Women’s blazer | 1–6 depending on model | 2–3 per sleeve | 24–30L front |
One or two spare buttons of each size are usually added. When ordering sets, it’s convenient to pack buttons by blazer quantity to avoid missing sleeve buttons in production.
Metals and Finishes
Two main metals are used for blazer buttons:
- Stamped brass – lighter, with clear and sharp relief; classic choice for traditional blazers.
- Cast zinc alloy – allows deeper, three-dimensional relief and solid shapes; suitable for crests with multiple levels.
Finish is a matter of style: yellow gold is classic for dark blue blazers, antique gold for a more casual, “heritage” look, silver tones and antique silver for grey and black blazers. Enamel adds colour—red, white or blue in the crest. All Polkom metal buttons are nickel free. See the colours and finishes page for details.
How to Create a Custom Crest on a Button
- File. Send your logo or crest in vector format. Raster images must be redrawn.
- Simplification. Lines visible at the chosen diameter are defined. Minimum line thickness and spacing depend on the technology.
- Relief levels. Decide which parts are raised, recessed, or matte/polished for contrast.
- Colour. If enamel is used, colours are set by Pantone codes.
- Die or mould. A stamping die or casting mould is made. It is kept for future orders of the same model.
- Sample. You receive a sample to approve relief, tone and tactile feel.
- Production. After approval, production starts and the sample remains the reference.
Laser engraving is an alternative for smaller runs or additional text on the edge. More about techniques is in engraved buttons.
Logo Buttons for Uniforms and Gift Series
Blazers with logo buttons are popular beyond clubs: hotels, airlines, yacht charters, private schools and official teams use metal buttons with emblems for a cohesive uniform look. Such orders usually plan several sizes—for blazers, cardigans and coats—with one motif, plus spares for new staff and replacements. It’s also convenient to budget buttons separately and keep the die for repeat orders years ahead.
Blazer Accessories
The marine style often extends beyond buttons: lapel pins with club emblems, embroidered chest patches, inner labels with crests. When all elements share the same tone and motif, the blazer looks like a finished product. See lapel pins for matching badges.
Common Questions When Ordering
- Motif orientation. Anchors and crests have “top” and “bottom”. On shank buttons, orientation is fixed during sewing—please specify in the tech pack.
- Weight. Cast crests are heavier; for lightweight linen blazers, choose stamped buttons.
- Uniformity. Sleeve buttons should have the same motif in smaller size, not a different model.
Ready-made models with marine motifs and classic reliefs are available in the metal buttons category.
Polkom – Manufacturer of Buttons with Crest and Logo
Polkom is a manufacturer of accessories for fashion, footwear, bags, cosmetics packaging and furniture, based in Sofia with over 30 years of experience. We produce metal buttons for blazers and uniforms with anchors, crests, monograms or company logos. All products are OEKO-TEX® certified and metal parts are nickel free. Send your crest file via the contact form and we will propose the technology and sample.
