Button badges - what are they good for?

Reminiscent of the American 60's and 70's rock scene, button badges been around for what seems like forever. But how much do we know about these little miniature talking pieces and their origin? And what are they good for anyways? Read on and find out…

Creating positive change since 1787

The first thing resembling a button badge was created in 1787 when Josiah Wedgewood ordered the production of a medallion depicting a slave in chains with the slogan "Am I not a man and a brother" promoting the British anti-slavery movement to the House of Commons. This piece paved the way for the first political slogan to be communicated on a badge.

Image source - Wikipedia

Then, just a few years later in 1789, George Washington's supporters wore buttons imprinted with a slogan. These early buttons were sewn to the lapel of a coat or worn as a pendant. The first campaign buttons with photographs were later produced to promote the political platform of Abraham Lincoln in 1860.

Benjamin S. Whitehead adapted the original design in 1893 by inserting a sheet of transparent film made of celluloid over a photograph mounted on a badge to protect the image, creating the button badge design that we are familiar with today.

Five reasons why we love button badges

Now you know where they came from, but do you know what makes button badges so awesome? Here are our top five reasons why we love them:

1. They are great conversation starters. If there’s one thing that we love, it’s starting meaningful conversations, and button badges will help you do just that!
2. They are inexpensive. For the price of a soy latte you can get yourself a little piece of artwork that you can carry with you wherever you go. You just can’t beat that value.
3. They make great gifts. Collect them, send them to friends, share them, swap them - button badges make awesome little gifts, helping spread colour and meaning wherever they go!
4. They go just about anywhere. Button badges are the perfect accessories. Pin them to your jacket, shirt, bag, backpack or even to hold your scarf in place, these little mini canvases can go where ever your imagination allows!
5. They make a statement. Buttons are the classic statement piece to show the world where you stand on social issues. They allow you to have your say without saying a word - like a silent little cheerleader you can wear on your sleeve. This makes them the perfect accessory to wear to festivals, concerts or public events, or you can simply pop them on your uni or work bag to show others what issues matter to you the most.

Feeling inspired and ready to join the button badge club? Our brand new range of Naidoc 2020 buttons are the perfect creative collectables that will help you stand out from the crowd and make a statement. See them all here!