The Best Pins in the World: #16

A photo posted by @strikegentlyco on May 18, 2016 at 9:30pm PDT

As the founder of Strike Gently Co, I deal in pins and patches on a daily basis. The Creators Project asked me to pull together a weekly roundup of the best newly-released pins. Most of these will probably sell out. If you like them, smash that “add to cart” button. Every Wednesday, you can head to the bottom of this article for an exclusive discount code so you can keep your pin game sharp.  

It was another great week, with plenty of excellent releases, as you’ll soon see. On top of that, Pin Trill opened their flagship store in New York. I visited it, expecting a dinky hole-in-the-wall fashioned after a trashy Bushwick art gallery. What I found was the opposite; a giant space that looked like a legit Chelsea gallery filled with both Pin Trill’s signature collection and a vast collection of pins from every era. We should all be grateful for what they’re doing; opening a storefront like that legitimizes what I initially perceived was a weird internet trend. Pins are here to stay.

Find a special 20% discount code to my shop, Strike Gently Co, at the end of this post.

A photo posted by DM for pin trades  (@kawaiikollective) on May 17, 2016 at 1:10pm PDT

Buying products from a company called Kawaii Kollective is somewhat out of my element, but look at this Japanese soda pin. This one has sentimental relevance for me. Every year, my Jewish parents would bring us to Hibachi on Christmas Eve and my sister and I would get these sodas. I will gladly wear this one around. Thank you, Kawaii Kollective.

$10 here.

A photo posted by Bracelegs (@bracelegscollective) on May 17, 2016 at 6:15pm PDT

While we’re on the topic of childhood nostalgia, check out this Cosmic Brownie pin from Brace Legs Collective. Besides the fact that they are willing to heroically brave a possible cease and desist from Little Debbie herself, this pin just looks fresh down to the sprinkles. Maybe you’re on a diet, but you can still rep the crown jewel of lunchbox desserts— here’s your opportunity.

$10 here.

New Soft Enamel Pin Inspired by "Double Elvis" by Andy Warhol. 1.1" x 2" Available now at pinmuseum.org (Link in Bio)

A photo posted by Pin Museum (@pinmuseum) on May 13, 2016 at 8:45am PDT

Pin Museum consistently churns out pins representing all of the most popular works of contemporary art. While I would, out of principle, never wear the Damien Hirst shark pin around, I’ll gladly rock this Warhol Double Elvis. You could buy a real Double Elvis at auction for a cool $81.9 million (pocket change for you city slickers!!!) or buy this pin for the price of a Williamsburg sandwich. If anyone has any ideas for how to make $81.9 million that don’t involve hedge funds or war profiteering, slide on into my DMs.

$10 here.

A photo posted by Pin Lord (@pinlord) on May 14, 2016 at 3:30pm PDT

I particularly like one of the comments on this one: “Literally every pin has something to do with the Simpsons.” It’s true. I abhor the weird underground comic culture that’s obsessed with things like cheeseburgers, the Simpsons, obscure 80s horror movies, mom’s basement, etc. This is probably one of three Simpsons pins I actually like. The ol’ Ball and Chain. It’s also technically elaborate as far as pin creations go, so you’re getting more bang for your buck. Stuff like this costs a fortune to manufacture.

£6.00 here.

actual timelapse footage of the final product. trip the light fantastic at suspectltd.com. #pingame #pinhead #doom #idsoftware #pin #moodring #mood #colorchanging #thermochromic

A video posted by SUSPECT LTD. (@suspectltd) on May 19, 2016 at 7:21am PDT

This might be my favorite pin—ever. It combines the nuanced pop cultural sensibilities of 90’s teen-hood (something we can all get down with) with simple wordplay, good colors, chemistry, and general coolness. Suspect LTD is a fixture in the pin game. They don’t release a ton of designs but whenever they do, they make me wish I had come up with the idea first. Check out the rest of the products in their shop; a lot of them are individually fantastic works of art.

$8.99 here.

Thanks for reading. Use the code SPRING this week on my site, Strike Gently Co, for 20% off your order.

Related:

The Best Pins in the World: #15

Pins of the Week: #14

Pins of the Week: Lucky #13