This Year’s Enamel Pins

One of the things we really enjoy doing for Taiyou Con each year is working on the details that make the experience feel more personalized and memorable with Sunny and friends. We’re always thinking about how we can create fun keepsakes for attendees, especially the kinds of items that people love to collect and wear during the event and long after it’s over.

This year, we’re putting extra attention into our Bundle Badge and VIP Badge enamel pins. We’ve partnered with a company called GS-JJ to help us produce them, and so far the process has been going really well. We’ve already seen the initial samples, and the quality looks very promising. The lines are sharp, the colors came through cleanly, and the overall finish feels durable and polished. We’re pretty particular when it comes to merch quality, and this definitely meets the standard we were hoping for.

Finding the right vendor for enamel pins isn’t always easy. Over the years, we’ve tried a few different approaches and worked with various companies, and it can take some trial and error to get the right fit. One of the things we’ve appreciated about working with GS-JJ is how straightforward the process has been. Communication has been smooth, and they understood what we were aiming for with our mascot designs right away. Translating artwork into enamel pins isn’t always simple, especially with smaller details, but they’ve handled it well and the results speak for themselves.

Here is a proof of what Sunny’s pin can look like…

We will post actual product once they are created from this proof of concept.

While enamel pins have been the main focus this year, we did spend a little time browsing some of GS-JJ’s other offerings too. One thing that caught our eye was their custom patch options. We’re not planning to make patches at this time, but it’s something we’re open to exploring in the future as we continue thinking about new merch ideas. Their patch catalog gave us a few ideas and it’s always helpful to keep possibilities like that in mind. If you want to see the kinds of patches they offer, here’s the link we looked at: https://www.gs-jj.com/patches/Custom-Patches

The question is… do any of you want patches?

As always, our goal is to give attendees something they’ll genuinely enjoy and be excited to receive. We know that for many of you, these pins are more than just an add-on. They’re something you look forward to collecting each year, trading with friends, and proudly wearing throughout the weekend. It’s important to us that every pin we produce reflects the care and creativity that goes into Taiyou Con itself.

If you’re planning to pick up a Bundle Badge or VIP Badge this year, we’re really looking forward to showing you the final product. The pin designs are based on our mascots again this year, and they already look great in physical form. We think they’ll be a strong addition to any collection and a fun reminder of your time at the con.