The Different Materials Used in Making Awards

Trophies, Plaques, Medals and others are great ways to recognize the efforts of achievers and winners. Whether you recognize athletes, employees, students, or teachers there is always great significance behind the award. That is why employers, event heads, institutional heads and others aim at buying the best quality awards for the receivers.

Importance of the right award

Choosing the right reward for the occasion can be very overwhelming. Awards come in various shapes, designs, and sizes. There are trophies, plaques, medals, and much more. The thumb rule is to purchase according to the field you will be awarding in. For instance, sports athletes and students are mostly awarded with trophies and medals. On the other hand, employees could be awarded with plaques or crystal awards.

The type of material used to make the award is just as important as the shape and design of it. The variety of materials used to make awards is endless. Awards and plaques are made from wood, glass, crystal, and acrylic. Which material is right for your occasion?

Understanding Different Materials

Budget is an important deciding factor for choosing awards. Awards made from metals and wood are more expensive than their glass and acrylic counterparts. Although glass and acrylic are cheaper, they possess a sleekness and elegance that goes unmatched.

Here is some information on the various materials used that will help you make the best award material decision:

• Acrylic: Acrylic is the most sought-after material for awards and

plaques. It is a clear, translucent, and inexpensive material that is very similar to glass. It has a hard, smooth surface, and possesses the flexibility to form into any shape or design.

• Crystal and Glass: Crystal, because of its clarity and beauty, has always captivated the attention of the receiver and viewers. The heavy weight of crystal rarely fails to impress the receiver. Additionally, because of its 3-D effect, it can be customized to include 3-D etching and more.
• Metals: Aluminum, steel and brass are popular metals used to design awards. The glittering trophies of the sports events rarely fail to entice the receivers and spectators. A downside to metal is that it is expensive and difficult to mold. However, it is sturdy and has a class of its own. Metals are also used as stands for crystal or glass awards.
• Stone: Stones, like Granite, are often used to create awards. Whether it is the whole award or a part, stone never fails to show off its elegance and beauty. The weight of the stone award adds more significance and often impresses the receiver.
• Wood: Wood has a smooth elegance that is exclusive to it. Wood can be customized to flaunt any shape and design. However, expert craftsmanship is essential to design awards made from wood.

Apart from the material, award givers must also focus on the quality of the engraving done on the award. A nice award with bad or misspelled engraving will decrease the overall value of the award to both the recipient and the company or event.