How to Put Your Logo on a Custom Medal
Almost any logo can go on a custom medal. What decides the result is not the logo itself but three things: whether you can supply vector artwork, how fine the thinnest lines are, and how many separate colour areas the design contains. Get those right and the medal looks like your brand. Get them wrong and fine detail closes up in the metal. This guide covers what to send, what survives the manufacturing process, and how to fix a logo that does not translate cleanly.
Quick Answer
- Best file type
- Vector — AI, EPS, SVG or PDF
- Also accepted
- PNG, JPG, PSD (send the largest version you have)
- Line weight
- Aim for 0.3 mm or more on the finished medal
- Colour
- Solid, separated areas reproduce; gradients do not
- Where it goes
- Front, back, or both — artwork can differ per side
- Minimum order
- 25 pieces per design
- Setup fees
- None — no mould or setup charge
- Before production
- Free digital proof, revised until you approve it
Send vector artwork if you have it
A vector file stores your logo as shapes and curves rather than pixels, so it can be scaled to any medal size without softening. That matters because the artwork you send at screen size has to be redrawn at 2, 2.5 or 3 inches and then cut into a steel die.
Send these first
- AI — Adobe Illustrator, the usual source file
- EPS — widely portable vector format
- SVG — vector, common from web designers
- PDF — vector if exported from a design tool
Workable, with limits
- PNG / JPG — send the largest you have; small web logos lose detail
- PSD — usable, keep layers intact
- Screenshots — expect the logo to be redrawn
- Photos of a printed logo — usable as reference only
No vector file? It is a common situation, especially for clubs and schools whose logo was made years ago. Send the best raster version you have and note it in your order notes. The artwork is redrawn as part of preparing your proof, at no extra charge.
What survives being struck into metal
A custom medal is not printed. Your design is cut into a die and pressed into metal, and on soft or hard enamel medals the colour is then filled into the recessed areas. Every raised metal line has to be thick enough to hold its shape, and every colour area has to be fully enclosed by metal so the enamel has somewhere to sit.
| Design element | How it reproduces | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Bold shapes and solid blocks | Reproduces cleanly at any size | Nothing — this is ideal |
| Text at roughly 5 pt or larger on the finished piece | Generally legible | Check it at actual size, not on screen |
| Lines below about 0.3 mm | Can close up or break | Thicken them, or step up a medal size |
| Gradients and colour fades | Not reproducible in enamel | Convert to solid colour areas, or use a plating tone for depth |
| Photographs inside the logo | Not reproducible on a struck medal | Simplify to line art, or discuss a printed insert |
| Drop shadows and soft glows | Lost — metal has no equivalent | Remove; use raised relief for depth instead |
| Many small colour areas touching | Colours can bleed together | Add metal separation lines between them |
None of this means a complicated logo is a problem. It means the version used on the medal may be a slightly simplified one, and the proof is where you confirm that simplification looks right.
Fine detail, reproduced
These three show the upper end of what a die will hold — small lettering, a landscape scene and botanical linework. Each one still relies on the same rule: separated shapes with enough weight to survive the press.
How different logo styles come out
Match the process to your logo
Three medal styles are offered, and each one handles logos differently.
- Soft enamel — colour sits in recessed areas with raised metal lines between. The best choice for a logo with defined colour blocks, and the most economical of the three.
- Die struck — no colour fill at all. The logo is carried by relief and shadow in a single metal tone. Suits crests, seals, monograms and anything already monochrome.
- 3D die cast — the surface is sculpted with real depth. Worth it when your logo contains a figure, mascot or animal that benefits from being modelled rather than flattened.
A quick way to choose: if your logo has three or more distinct colours, start with soft enamel. If it is one colour or an engraved-looking crest, die struck usually looks more considered. If the logo is a character or creature, 3D die cast is what makes it read.
Size affects how much logo detail you keep
Medals come in 2, 2.5 and 3 inch. A logo that reads clearly at 3 inches can lose its smaller elements at 2 inches, because everything shrinks proportionally, including the thinnest lines.
| Medal size | Logo detail it holds | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|
| 2 inch | Logo mark plus a short line of text | Simple logos, large participation runs |
| 2.5 inch | Full logo, event name, date and placement wording | Most club, school and race orders |
| 3 inch | Detailed crests, sponsor rows, sculpted 3D work | Headline awards, logos with fine detail |
If your logo includes a strapline or sponsor names, step up rather than shrinking the type. Text that looks fine on screen can become unreadable once it is struck at 2 inches.
Front, back, or both
Front and back artwork are configured separately, so the two sides do not have to match. A common arrangement puts the event or achievement on the front and the organization logo on the back — which keeps the front clean while still carrying your branding.
Another approach, useful when several organizations are involved: your logo on the front, sponsor marks arranged on the back. That gives sponsors real visibility without crowding the face of the medal.
Common logo problems and how they get fixed
- Your logo only exists as a small web image. Send it anyway and mention it in your order notes. It gets redrawn as vector before your proof, at no extra charge — you do not need to find a designer first.
- Your brand colours are hex or RGB. Screen colour and enamel colour do not map one to one, so expect the closest match rather than an exact one. If your brand guidelines list Pantone references, put those in your order notes — they get you closer than a hex code will.
- Your logo sits on a gradient. Expect it to become a solid colour or a plated metal area. Both look deliberate on a medal; a half-faded gradient does not.
- Your outlines are very fine. They get thickened just enough to survive the press, and you will see exactly how much on your proof. If the change bothers you, that is the moment to ask for a different treatment.
- You have more text than fits. Move the secondary lines to the back, or step up a medal size. Shrinking the type is the option most likely to disappoint you when the medals arrive.
What happens after you upload
- Configure and order. Choose your style, size, ribbon, finish and packaging, upload your logo, and add any notes about colours or placement.
- Artwork review. Your file is checked for line weight, colour separation and size, and prepared for the die.
- Digital proof. You receive a proof by email showing how the logo sits on the medal, at your chosen size and finish.
- Revisions. Ask for changes as many times as you need. Nothing is produced until you approve.
- Production. After approval the die is cut and your medals are made, checked and packed.
The proof is the moment to be picky. Check spelling, dates, logo placement and which finish you selected. A digital proof confirms the design and configuration; screens vary and metal reflects light in ways a flat image cannot show, so treat colour on screen as a direction rather than an exact match.
Where you stand if something goes wrong
Because every medal is made to order, the proof is the line between "changeable" and "in production". Knowing where that line sits is worth more than a vague promise:
- Before you approve the final proof — cancel for a full refund, provided production has not started. Revisions up to that point are unlimited and free.
- Factory error, wrong item or a serious quality issue — MZIHO provides a remake, replacement, partial refund or full refund depending on the issue and the quantity affected.
- The finished medal materially differs from the proof you approved — the order is reviewed and normally remade or refunded.
- An error that was visible in the proof you approved — once production has started this is not covered, which is exactly why the proof stage deserves a careful read.
Full terms are in the Return & Refund Policy.
Frequently asked questions
Can you put any logo on a medal?
Almost any, provided you have the right to use it. Complex logos may be simplified slightly so fine lines survive being struck into metal, and you see exactly how on your proof before production starts.
What file format should I send?
Vector is best — AI, EPS, SVG or PDF. PNG, JPG and PSD are also accepted; send the largest version you have rather than a logo copied from a website.
Will my exact brand colours be matched?
Close, but not identical. Enamel is a physical material rather than ink on screen, so you get the nearest available colour rather than your exact hex value. If your brand guidelines list Pantone references, include them in your order notes — that gets you noticeably closer. Either way, the colour you are getting is shown on your proof before anything is produced.
Can I put a different logo on each side?
Yes. Front and back artwork are configured separately, so you can carry your own logo on one side and sponsor or event artwork on the other.
Is there a charge for the die or setup?
No. There are no mould or setup fees, so the price you configure is the cost of the medals themselves.
How many medals do I have to order with my logo?
Twenty pieces per design. If you want the same logo in gold, silver and copper finishes, plan quantities with that per-design minimum in mind.
If you are still choosing between medal styles, sizes and ribbons, the complete medal design guide walks through each option in order. You can also browse the medal range to see finished examples.
Put your logo on a medal
Configure it online and your price updates as you go — no quote to wait for. Upload your artwork, order from 25 pieces, and approve a free digital proof before anything is made.
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