Award ribbons have become synonymous with competitions, shows and such events. Whatever be the prizes given out, there is always an award ribbon to felicitate the winner. The ribbons can be as colorful or as fanciful in shape as you would like them to be, and they are a very strong statement that the person flaunting them is a winner!
So, if you are conducting any event that would require you to pick out winners, then an award ribbon is a must have. But how do you go about selecting the ribbons? There are thousands of different types, so the selection does become confusing. Then of course you will need to customize the ribbons for your function – you cannot just give a generic ribbon to people, that would be meaningless. The award ribbon should indicate why it was obtained. Let us see how all this is commonly done.
Custom Award Ribbons – Types
First let us talk about colors. The most common colors used for award ribbons are red and blue, but there is absolutely no reason why the other ribbons must not be used. If you are buying generic ribbons and getting them printed later on, then you can buy plain ribbons of a single color, or you could go for an assorted ribbon box. Many people nowadays are using several colors on a single ribbon. Here, you can get both shaded color ribbons and ribbons with differently colored patterns on them. Ribbons with two stripes of a contrasting color on their either side are considered to be very popular award ribbons.
Then there are the shapes. Three shapes are the most commonly used – the flat edges, the dovetails and the peaked tops. You can have similar patterns for the top as well as the bottom edges, though, advisably, dovetail bottom ends look very good on award ribbons. The ribbons could be plain ribbons, or they could be pinned on the top to a circular decorative pattern made from the material of the ribbon itself.
Speaking of materials, satin is the most commonly used for ribbons. Satin is lustrous and looks quite good when pinned to the shirt. Satin also holds colors and printed matter quite well. It ensures longevity for the ribbon, which is a must.
Custom Award Ribbons – Ordering Your Custom Ribbons
You have to customize the ribbon for the event you are conducting. You can get the ribbons customized for every feature it has – the color, the shape, the matter printed on it, extra frills and designs, etc.
Selecting the right colors is very important, because that is the only thing that will be visible from a distance. You will have to use different colors, because you will need to distinguish between first place winners and the various runner-ups and consolation prizes. Even if you are awarding the ribbons for some special achievement, it is good manners to differentiate the ribbons according to the merit of the achievement. For example, if you are having a felicitation program for the employees of your organization, you could have different colors for Best Employee of the Year, Best Performers of the Year, retiring employees, etc.
Printing for the ribbons is also very important. There are three main parts of what you print. The first is the logo or the emblem of your organization. This is preferably arranged at the top of the ribbon. On the middle portion, the event and the date is typically printed. At the lower end of the ribbon, the name of the participant or the employee may be printed. Many custom award ribbon makers will tell you that printing the name of the recipient is optional, but in actuality it is good manners to personalize the ribbon with the recipient’s name on it. That way, it becomes a real merit for the person who is getting honored with the ribbon.
Though we commonly say printing, ribbons are not printed in the way as paper is printed upon. Here, a totally different method known as hotstamping is used. Die casts of the material to the printed on the ribbon are made first, and then these dies are stamped onto the ribbon. This ensures that the matter remains on the ribbon forever. Custom award ribbon makers may or may not charge extra for making the die.
With custom award ribbons, it is best to order them online. The reason is that you can see several patterns in their online catalog and these people do have more options than a ribbon store. Most of these do have global shipping too. They will have some stock ribbons and designs that you can choose from, but they will not be partial to a totally customized pattern too.
Take time to select the ribbon you will be giving away to your guests. Remember that the function itself will not linger in the people’s memories for long, but the ribbons will certainly remain in their bookshelves or on their mantelpieces for a very long time.