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Debossed, embossed and stamped – Oh My!

Often there is considerable confusion about the different styles of silicone bracelets. Many people confuse embossed bracelets with the debossed (even some wristband providers) and are uncomfortable with printed wristbands. Add the option of laser engraving wristbands and they will just surrender.

Debossed bracelets

Debossed bracelets are the most common and are the same style as Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG bracelets. Debossed refers to the fact that the design is in fact recessed down into the bracelet itself. To do this, a bracelet custom mold is made to incorporate custom style you want. Because they need to make a mold, custom cutting bracelets are more expensive and take longer to produce than printed or laser engraved bracelets.

Embossed bracelets

Embossed bracelets are not as common, however, they are an excellent choice if you’re looking for a custom silicone bracelet, which is more elegant and unique. An embossed bracelet also incorporates any custom requires a mold to be manufactured. However, with embossed bracelets, design is totally raised up off the bracelet, as opposed to recessed down into the bracelet. Prices and turnaround times for embossed bracelets are very similar to that of debossed bracelets.

Printed bracelets

Printed bracelets are by far the cheapest option. Printed wristbands start with a blank bracelet and are later silk-screen printed. “Technology” for screen-printing bracelets has come a long way. The dyes used today actually penetrate the silicone rubber of the bracelet. Many people feel that the print used on printed bracelets is cheaply painted on and cracks or flakes off. With a respectable custom silicone bracelet manufacturer, it is just not the case. You can expect the impression to last the lifetime of the silicone bracelet itself. Printed bracelets do not require a mold to be made. Instead, a model is produced to apply custom design into the wristbands. Because a model is used instead of a mold, printed bracelets are cheaper and faster than the days debossed and embossed bracelets.

Laser-engraved bracelets

The laser engraved bracelets are increasingly popular. Frankly, they are very cheap to produce, however, many providers still charge exorbitant prices. Laser-engraved bracelets duplicate Lance Armstrong’s popular LIVESTRONG debossed style. For smaller orders of 5,000 custom silicone bracelets or less, laser engraving bracelets are your best choice if you prefer this popular debossed wristband style. Similar to printed bracelets, laser engraved bracelets start with a blank band. A simple configuration allows a laser engraving machine to engrave the custom silicone wristbands to the exact specifications of any desired custom design. Laser-engraved bracelets do not require a mold to be produced, therefore, they are less expensive and have faster turnaround times than debossed and embossed wristbands.

The best choice

So what is the best choice when it comes to choose between debossed, embossed, printed and laser engraved bracelets? The answer is that it is always a matter of personal preference. A style that is becoming increasingly popular is the laser engraved bracelet which is full of color. This reproduces the most popular LIVESTRONG debossed look, while incorporating an appealing contrast of colors. The cost is a bit more since color filling is made actually with an oil-based paint to be applied by hand, but by choosing laser engraved bracelets over more expensive molded debossed style, you end up obtaining the debossed appearance and color fill together for about the same price as a plain debossed bracelet.
Regardless of your personal preference, it is imperative to choose a custom silicone bracelet manufacturer that does not strike you with any hidden costs for installation, mold, and shipping charges. Whoever you choose, look for a pricing structure that offers a low price that includes everything – installation, design, mold, and especially shipping costs. This will avoid unwanted surprises.