Buttons suppliers & resources

UIG538681 Button Maker: Stamping out metal buttons. Blank held in place and weight holding die for pattern being work was raised by rope and pulley wheel and dropped on blank. Dies for different sizes and patterns on floor. Buttons would need finishing by removal of burrs and imperfections. Hand-coloured woodcut from The Book of English Trades London 1823.; Universal History Archive/UIG; out of copyright

Don’t hit the panic button! Here I have for you a festival of button links for you to rummage through.

First things first – traditionally buttons are measured by a unit measure called Linge. You will also have them seized and sold in mm and inches. Having a button size chart will help when it comes to placing orders and designing. M&J Trim have a PDF size chart true to size with all 3 (Ligne, mm, inches) measurements to download.

Back up – Ligne, where does that come from and mean? It comes from both German and French origins and means line. A unit of measurement applied to the diameter of of the button. Made a universal standard measurement in Europe in the 18th century by German button makers. Used by French and Swiss wristwatch makers to measure the size of a watch movement it is a precise and strict unit. A ligne equals exactly 1/40th of an inch of the diameter of a button or a snap.

12 Ligne-6 mm
13 Ligne-7 mm
14 Ligne-8 mm
15 Ligne-9 mm
16 Ligne-9.5 mm
17 Ligne-10.5 mm
18 Ligne-11 mm
19 Ligne-12.5 mm

20 Ligne-13 mm
21 Ligne-13.5 mm
24 Ligne-16 mm
28 Ligne-18 mm
30 Ligne-19 mm
32 Ligne-20 mm
34 Ligne-21 mm
36 Ligne-22 mm

40 Ligne-25.5 mm
44 Ligne-28 mm
45 Ligne-29 mm
48 Ligne-30.5 mm
50 Ligne-32 mm
60 Ligne-38 mm
64 Ligne-40.5 mm
65 Ligne-41 mm

Worldwide

http://www.mjtrim.com/buttons

M&J Trim not just for buttons buckles too! – and trim – Shop online or visit the store in NYC. There website is full of information check out the ‘How to buy buttons‘ page.

M&J Trimming
1008 Sixth Avenue
(Between 37th & 38th St)
New York, NY 10018 1-800-9-MJTRIM

http://www.ascuteasabutton.com/

Yes the website and stock is as cute as the name as the business. Also the service is hard to beat. Making this one of my top resources.

‘As Cute As A Button was opened in 1993 in San Diego, California because we needed a good selection of quality buttons. I was a clothing designer and could not find great buttons for the beautiful fabrics I was working with. Over the past 20 years our selection of buttons has grown to over 8000 styles. Most of our buttons come from Italy, Germany, England, The Czech Repub
lic, South America and the USA. Some of the online competitors say they can undersell us but they are selling inferior buttons from China. Many of the Glass, Natural and Hand Crafted buttons I purchase from individual designers or small companies….’

Contact Kym Milburn, Founder and Owner. 1286 University Ave. #857,San Diego, CA, 92103
(By Appointment Only) 619-223-2555 kym@ascuteasabutton.com

http://www.totallybuttons.com/

‘Totally Buttons stock over 3000 different styles, colours and sizes, adding new materials including: Swarovski Crystal, Italian Glass, Metal, Fabric & Beaded, Jeans, Sewing, Glitter & Diamante, Multicoloured, Suit & Shirt and Coat Buttons.’

Take a look at the coat buttons category for anyone making military uniforms.

PO Box 976
Horsham
RH12 9QF 01403 598014

UK

http://www.harlequin-uk.com/fabric-covered-buttons.html

‘Harlequin is a specialist manufacturer making bespoke accessories and garments for couturiers and dressmakers. We are famous for our fabric belts, covered buttons and ties, which bring the world’s top designers to us looking for our superb quality, exceptionally fast turnaround and our passion for what we do’.

Harlequin, Shop Road, Little Bromley, Manningtree, Essex CO11 2PZ, UK. +44 (0)1206 396167

http://www.dmbuttons.co.uk/index.html

‘D.M.Buttonholes has been established in the heart of London’s Soho for nearly 100 years. We provide a comprehensive buttonholing service and we manufacture and supply quality covered button in various styles and sizes. You provide the fabric and we make the buttons.’

A gift from the Costume God’s are D. M Buttons.

11b Wardour Mews
D’arblay Street
Soho
London W1F 8AN

Tel/Fax: 020 7437-8897 Email: dmbuttons@aol.com OPENING TIMES MONDAY TO FRIDAY 7.30AM TO 3.00PM

https://www.minervacrafts.com/shop/sewing/buttons

A feast of buttons and notions are available at Minerva Crafts. Did I menshion their wonderful prices.

‘Our buttons range is absolutely huge which includes every kind of button you can image. They vary greatly in size, shape, colour, weight and price, we’re sure we’ll have the right kind to suit your every need.’

Minerva Craft Centre,
Minerva Fabrics Ltd.
Atlas Road,
Darwen,
Lancashire,
BB3 3BY +44 (0)1254 708068

USA

https://www.buttonlovers.com/

Part of the JHB mega button compay Button Lovers.com is the online store for Blumenthal Lansing Company. Here you will find all the same brands that JoAnnas and Hobby Lobby sells maybe cheep and in the amounts you need!

‘Welcome to Button Lovers! For over 130 years, our company Blumenthal Lansing has been the destination for wholesale buttons and retail buttons, sewing buttons, novelty buttons and craft buttons. Now, online buyers finally
have access to the world’s best buttons!’

1929 Main Street
Lansing, IA 52151
Phone: 563-538-4211 / 800-553-4158

http://www.beelignes.com/

Vintage covered buttons resource Bee Lignes has a hoard to chose from.

Bee Lignes, Inc.
121A 107th Avenue NE
Bellevue, WA 98004
Phone: 206-420-1307 Sales@BeeLignes.com www.facebook.com/beelignes

http://www.laceheaven.com/c-202-buttons.aspx

Lace Heaven located in Mobile Alabama has a is a little shop with a big supply. Wholesale to the us common people. Also use for trims and embellishments.

‘Lace Heaven is your only stop when looking for wholesale sewing buttons online. You will easily find a wide selection of clothing and crafting buttons, with great bargains and deals.’

Lace Heaven Inc.
2524 Dauphin Island Parkway
Mobile, AL. 36605
1-251-478-5644
laceheaven@comcast.net

Books

	Buttons: The Collector’s Guide to Selecting, Restoring and Enjoying New and Vintage Buttons by Nancy Fink (Hardcover)
	Buttons: a Collectors Guide by Houart (Hardcover)
	50 Heirloom Buttons to Make by Nancy Nehring, Marcus Tullis (Kindle Edition)
	Buttons and Trimmings: From Snowshill (Fashion & Style) by Althea MacKenzie (Hardcover)
	The Button Industry in the United States by Edward Louis Newberger (Paperback)
	Old Buttons by Sylvia Llewelyn (Paperback)
	Buttons (Shire Album) by Alan Meredith, Gillian Meredith (Paperback)
	BUTTON BUTTON IDENTIFICATION AND PRICE: Identification and Price Guide by PEGGY ANN OSBORNE (Paperback) .
	Buttons : A Passementerie Workshop Manual by Gina Barrett (Paperback)
	Dorset Buttons, Handstitched in Dorset for Over 300 Years by Thelma Johns (Paperback) .
	Local Militia Buttons by Howard Ripley, Bob Moodie (Hardcover)
	Buttons of the Regular Army 1855-2000 by Howard Ripley, Denis Darmanin (Paperback)
	Beautiful Buttons by Beate Schmitz (Paperback) .
	Buttons and Fasteners 500BC – AD1840 by Gordon Bailey, Greg Payne (Paperback)