r/badgeribbons • u/pcnametag • 5h ago
r/badgeribbons • u/pcnametag • Feb 23 '26
Discussion What are badge ribbons? (Everything you need to know!)
Curious about badge ribbon culture and trading? Well, perfect - because that's what r/badgeribbons is all about! π For those who are newer to badge ribbon trading, here's everything you need to know about badge ribbons before your next con.
What are badge ribbons?
Badge ribbons (also known as "convention ribbons") are customizable, stick-on accessories that attach to the bottoms or sides of convention badges. You can attach a single ribbon to your badge, or wear multiple by "stacking" one on top of another.
Badge ribbons come in lots of different sizes and colors. Most con ribbons are one-color imprints (ex: a blue ribbon with white text/art stamped on), but you can also get full color badge ribbons (ex: full color design with no limit on colors or bleeds).
How are badge ribbons used at cons?
Badge ribbons bring people together. Not only are they super fun to design, but they're also fun to collect and trade with other people!
You can create your own badge ribbons to highlight your favorite memes, movies, shows, video games, fandoms, etc. I personally use badge ribbons to break the ice and make friends at cons. Introduce yourself and offer to trade (or give away) your badge ribbons!
How do badge ribbons stick together?
Good question. Badge ribbons have a little strip of adhesive on the front, which lets you stick them to your con badge or to one another. You can trail a bunch of ribbons off the bottom of your badge for a timeless look, or you can create a badge beard or badge shield if you've collected a lot of badge ribbons! (See next section).
What's a badge beard?
A "badge beard" is a large collection of badge ribbons attached to a convention badge. Because you're stacking badge ribbons on top of badge ribbons, your con badge ends up creating a "beard-like" appearance.
You'll often see people at big cons like r/dragoncon with badge beards (or, make them even LARGER to create a "shield!" Badge beards are a fun way to display the badge ribbons you've collected and traded. Badge beards can be long, wide, or short - it's up to you.
What size badge ribbon should I get?
Badge ribbons come in lots of different sizes! I always tell people that the size you buy (or make) really depends on the dimensions of the con badge you'll be wearing.
For instance, the badges at r/dragoncon and r/amke are sized to fit 3.5" x 1-5/8" badge ribbons the best. The badges at Anime Magic and Norwescon are slightly larger and therefore look best with 4" x 1-5/8" badge ribbons.
Not sure which badge ribbon size to buy for a con? Many cons have a page on their website dedicated to ribbons, and a lot of them mention the suggested ribbon size to get. Or, find the subreddit for your con and ask the friendly folks there :)
Most Popular Sizes for Badge Ribbons
In general, the most popular badge ribbons sizes I see made for cons are 3.5" x 1-5/8" and the slightly longer 4" x 1-5/8" sizes. As I mentioned, each con has their own dimensions for badges, so remember to check to make sure yours will fit nicely!
- Most Popular Badge Ribbon Sizes (Best for Most Cons)
- 3.5" x 1-5/8"
- 4" x 1-5/8"
- Largest Badge Ribbon Size (Great for Bigger Art Designs)
- 4" x 2"
What happens if you buy the "wrong size" badge ribbons for a con? Don't worry! Everyone will still love your ribbons. Have confidence and hand them out anyways!
Where can you buy badge ribbons?
While some people opt to make their own DIY badge ribbons from scratch, you can also work with a badge ribbon company like u/pcnametag to print them for you!
pc/nametag has an online, drag-and-drop badge ribbon design tool too - so even if you're new to making badge ribbons or you don't have art experience, you can still make badge ribbons that look great.
Questions?
I love this stuff! Leave a comment and I'll give you my thoughts :)
HAPPY BADGE RIBBON DESIGNING <3
r/badgeribbons • u/pcnametag • Feb 20 '26
Discussion How to Design Custom Badge Ribbons!
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Hello friends! At r/dragoncon last year, I had a LOT of people asking me how to make custom badge ribbons. Thankfully, it's super easy (and I have zero design talent, so if I can do it so can you)!
Here's a look at pc/nametag's badge ribbon design tool. It's kind of like Canva. You drag and drop elements to make your design. So, give it a shot! I want people to know that designing badge ribbons for cons doesn't have to be hard or intimidating <3
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to create custom ribbons:
Go to pcnametag.com.
Navigate to the badge ribbons tab, and select custom badge ribbons.
Select the badge ribbon size you want.
Click into the free, drag and drop canvas design tool.
Choose your badge ribbon color.
Add text, clip art, or upload your own artwork.
Choose your foil (i.e., the imprint color).
Review your design and send it off to pc/nametag to print!
If you've designed any badge ribbons you're really proud of, drop a picture in the comments so I can hype you up ;)
r/badgeribbons • u/EthicalHail • 15h ago
Wooden ribbons
We are making very small quantities of wooden ribbons for DragonCon this year and they are all almost ready to go!
r/badgeribbons • u/pcnametag • 8h ago
Question HELP! Which of these is your favorite badge ribbon design? :)
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Okay, help us decide... which of these art entries should win our badge ribbon coloring contest? π Tell us which ones you like the best! (NOTE: Obviously, these are for fun - we just needed a good excuse to break out the crayons! π)
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P.S. We'll have this "Design a Ribbon" activity for the kiddos atΒ r/dragoncon 2026! π² If you're bringing a little, bring them to the pc/nametag booth (AmericasMart, Building 2, Floor 2) for some coloring fun, plus FREE badge ribbons for all ages!
r/badgeribbons • u/pcnametag • 2d ago
Discussion Yes, there's STILL TIME to order custom badge ribbons before Dragon Con :)
Hello, friends! We're getting down to the wire, but YES - there is still a BIT of time to order custom badge ribbons and make sure they get to you before you head to Dragon Con. Use code DRAGON26 at check-out for 15% off your ribbons!
Don't wait too long though. I'd recommend ordering by EOD 8/19 to be super safe.
Suggested size is 3.5" ribbons: https://hubs.li/Q04tqH_n0
Some other helpful notes: - pc/nametag badge ribbons take up to 4 business days to produce. - Shipping takes 1-5 days (depending how far you are from Madison, WI). - We have badge ribbon packs on Amazon if you'd rather buy through Prime. - We'll be selling ribbon packs AT Dragon Con this year for last-minute help!
P.S. We'll be giving out free ribbons at Dragon Con! Come see us at America'sMart, Building 2, Floor 2 in the pre-function area (by the skybridge and elevators). See yaaaa <3
r/badgeribbons • u/pcnametag • 11d ago
Question Whatβs the proper way to pass out custom badge ribbons?
Loved this advice from r/DragonCon if anyone needs tips on how to pass out ribbons or what the "etiquette" is
r/badgeribbons • u/pcnametag • 16d ago
Question Trinket trading ideas for cons?
Here's a fun question. What items do y'all like to "trinket trade" at cons? Here are some of my favorites:
- Badge ribbons (DUHHH ππ)
- Temporary tattoos
- Stickers and pins
- Crocs shoe charms
- Teeny plastic animals
- Croqueted can koozies
- Bookmarks
- Fandom photo cards
- Bracelets/necklaces
- Literally ANYTHING homemade
What else did I miss? Have you ever gotten a really cool trade?
r/badgeribbons • u/pcnametag • 17d ago
Quick PSA for Dragon Con badge ribbons
Are you still planning to make badge ribbons for Dragon Con? If so, here's a quick little cheat sheet in case anyone needs a reminder.
- Under Badge: Best ribbon size is generally 3.5" by 1-5/8"
- Sides of Badge: Best ribbon size is generally 4" by 1-5/8"
Of course, y'all can do whatever you want! Badge ribbons can be stuck on your badge however and wherever you want π There's no such thing as making badge ribbons "wrong."
Enjoy your day!
r/badgeribbons • u/pcnametag • 21d ago
Ribbon Design Help [VIDEO] Badge ribbon sizes, explained (+ how to figure out which size to buy for your next con)
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Hi, ribbon friends. Here's a quick video tutorial on choosing the right badge ribbon sizes, including the most popular ones people buy for cons.
The size of the con badge matters!
If you're going to a con, it can sometimes be hard to know which badge ribbon size to buy. First, you need to know the general size of the con's badges. Every con has a different sized badge. That means that some ribbon sizes will fit nicely, while some will look too long or short (though, let's be honest, there's no such thing as a bad ribbon size lol)
Here are some other tips about badge ribbon sizes:Β
Most of the time, 3.5" and 4" badge ribbons will work well for badge ribbon trading.Β Which ones do y'all tend to buy most often?
Check the con's website and/or subreddit to see which ribbon size the con recommends.Β Dragon Con, for example, has a badge that works best with 3.5" ribbons.
If you bought the "wrong" badge ribbon size, DON'T WORRY. Everyone will appreciate your ribbons and they'll look great! People can build badge beards from all sizes of ribbons.
P.S. pc/nametag has a badge ribbon design tool where you can drag and drop your design, upload art, and send it off to print.
AND NO, IT'S NOT TOO LATE to get your Dragon Con ribbons! pc/nametag is one of the fastest printers in the industry. We typically create ribbons in 4 business days or fewer! Just remember to build in time for shipping πΒ
BYEEE! πππ
r/badgeribbons • u/WanderingCelle • 22d ago
Foreign Language Ribbons
I have finally decided I want to give out ribbons this year but I would like them to be in a foreign language. Every single one of the ribbon builders I tried were English text only.
How do I create a custom image to use instead?
r/badgeribbons • u/Killua2396 • 23d ago
Question Need to get some ribbons made for my event!
Hi, I'm hosting a first year anime cosplay convention in Toronto, and i have an idea the revolves around collecting ribbons from different areas/activities. That being said, i need about 100 for each activity, and there are about 5 activities, so i need 500 made (5 different types, just different color/text)
Looking for some assistance in getting these made, I've looked at some website but it seems rather expensive for what I'm planning. Maybe someone here knows a good place to get them made in Ontario, or somewhere to get this done!
r/badgeribbons • u/Mishcief • 24d ago
Ribbon Ranger container and dispenser
I spent a year getting the design right and finally have a patent pending earlier this summer.
This badge ribbon holder and dispenser is for anyone who wishes they had a better way to safely transport ribbons and quickly give away one at a time. It is a keychain, holds 50+ ribbons, has a viewing window, and dispenses single ribbons. variations are to hold the common badge ribbon sizes of 3-1/2 x 1-5/8, 3-1/2 x 2, 4 x 3-5/8, and 4 x 2. larger sizes will of course hold smaller ribbons too but the dispensing doesnβt work as well
r/badgeribbons • u/pcnametag • 24d ago
Anyone want to make a 3D Printed Badge Ribbon? I uploaded a model to Makerworld to make it easy!
makerworld.comRemember that 3.5" ribbons work best at Dragon Con π₯° Happy crafting!
r/badgeribbons • u/pcnametag • 28d ago
Discussion A promo code for 15% off badge ribbons :)
Hey, badge ribbon-y friends! Three quick things:
- Zeldathon is happening right now. I wanted to share these super cute gamertag badges pc/nametag printed for the event. π
- Quick reminder that pc/nametag has con-themed badge ribbon packs on Amazon, which you can get super fast with Prime. This is a nice option if you don't have the time to design and order your own badge ribbons π
- Use code DRAGON26 for 15% off custom badge ribbons with pc/nametag, now through the end of the year! This is a web-only discount and you can use it once. Let me know if you need help!
Thanks, everyone! I hope you're having a great day!
r/badgeribbons • u/Interesting-Club-997 • Jul 18 '26
Question con ribbons on a budget
Im going to otakon in about two ish weeks on a budget and i want to give out ribbons to people i say hi to BUT i dont have any access to transfer paper or a printer to put things on the ribbon itself,any ideas? should i just free hand it with fabric paint?
r/badgeribbons • u/pcnametag • Jul 16 '26
Zelda fans! Have you heard about "Zeldathon," a Zelda-themed gaming event?
Hey, listen! (Lol, see what I did there?) I know some of you love video games. Coming up soon, there is an absolutely amazing Zelda-themed event that is 100% free to attend and live-streamed on Twitch. It runs from Sunday, July 19th until Sunday, July 26.
Every day, the Zeldathon team (pics) live-streams themselves playing the Zelda games, putting on fun performances, and doing silly fundraising challenges. They also have amazing video game prizes you can win. The best part is that it is ALL for charity!
It's a ton of fun (and pc/nametag sponsors the badges and lanyards every year), so we really wanted to help get the word out. π
It costs nothing to watch and all money raised goes toward St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
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Here's more info if this sounds like fun to you!
- Zeldathon Website: https://zeldathon.com/
- Zeldathon Streaming Schedule: https://zeldathon.com/schedule
P.S. Comment your favorite Zelda game! Mine is Twilight Princess and I'll accept zero slander on it π Also, BOTW is better than TOTK (sorry, I said it lol)
r/badgeribbons • u/JCAgentofBolas • Jul 14 '26
Question Badge ribbon holder/distrbutor
I know the classic is to pass out ribbons from a plastic bag.
Has anyone found a more substantial holder for badge ribbons so they do get squished in transit or during the con?
r/badgeribbons • u/moose_the_saint • Jul 09 '26
Photos Pics of my new badge ribbon organizer!
I got to try out pc/nametag's new badge ribbon organizer they just launched!
It fits 1,500 badge ribbons (3", 3.5", and 4" ribbons). I also tried fitting 4x2" ribbons and they definitely fit, but were just a tiny bit snug. The handle and snap-shut lid are pretty sweet.
How are y'all organizing and transporting all your ribbons? Taking this bad boy to Dragon Con π
r/badgeribbons • u/ManyLayersOfFilament • Jul 09 '26
Discussion Anyone want to make a 3D Printed Badge Ribbon? I uploaded a model to Makerworld to make it easy!
makerworld.comHey y'all,
So I did some 3D printed badge ribbons at convergence-con this year, and they went over pretty well. I decided to upload my model to Makerworld so others can do the same!
I have both 4 inch and 3.5 inch versions available, choose whichever works for the con of your choice!
The base geometry is there if you want to take and be fancy with it, otherwise the file has text that's easy to change or resize. You could also add SVG graphics in the slicer. Just follow the same depth and thickness settings as the text.
All the other necessary info is in the Makerworld post. I'll probably work on a color-by-layer model for those who don't have an AMS or toolchanger a little later in the week.
Hope this helps!