Badges of all sorts
All about badges
A badge is a device, patch, or accoutrement which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath (e.g., police and fire), a sign of legitimate employment or student status, or as a simple means of identification. They are also used in advertising, publicity, and for branding purposes.
Badges or patches can be made from metal, plastic, leather, textile fabric, rubber, etc., and they are commonly attached to clothing, bags, footwear, transportation vehicles, home electrical equipment, etc.
Badges have become highly collectible: in the UK, for example, the Badge Collectors' Circle has been in existence since 1980.
In the military, badges are often used to denote qualifications received through military training, rank, etc. Similarly, youth organizations such as scouting and guiding use them to show group membership, awards and rank.
Textile badges or patches can be either woven or embroidered, and can be attached by gluing, iron-on,sewn or applique.
Members of fraternities and sororities often refer to the pins that signify their membership as badges.
One of the best-known badges is the typically star-shaped U.S. sheriff's badge, made famous in Westerns.
The BBC children's programme Blue Peter also awards its own "Blue Peter badge" to members of the public who appear on the show. These are highly collectible as they cannot be bought - except from people who have been awarded one and wish to sell it.
Case badges are thick (about 3 mm deep), 3 cm x 3 cm lucite stickers that are often packaged with various computer parts, such as processors and video cards. Modern computer cases are frequently embellished with an indentation on the case's front panel to facilitate the affixing of a case badge.
In work places employees are often issued name badges which identify them. Name badges are also commonly issued in high schools and hospitals. They are often used to tell legitimate workers from impersonators.
Badge
A badge is a device or accoutrement which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath (e.g., police and fire), a sign of legitimate employment or student status, or as a simple means of identification. They are also used in advertising, publicity, and for branding purposes.
Badges can be made from metal, plastic, leather, textile, rubber, etc., and they are commonly attached to clothing, bags, footwear, vehicles, home electrical equipment, etc.
Badges have become highly collectible: in the UK, for example, the Badge Collectors' Circle has been in existence since 1980.
In the military, badges are often used to denote qualifications received through military training, rank, etc. Similarly, youth organizations such as scouting and guiding use them to show group membership, awards and rank.
Textile badges or patches can be either woven or embroidered, and can be attached by gluing, iron-on,sewn or applique.
Members of fraternities and sororities often refer to the pins that signify their membership as badges.
One of the best-known badges is the typically star-shaped U.S. sheriff's badge, made famous in Westerns.
The BBC children's programme Blue Peter also awards its own "Blue Peter badge" to members of the public who appear on the show. These are highly collectible as they cannot be bought - except from people who have been awarded one and wish to sell it.
Case badges are thick (about 3 mm deep), 3 cm x 3 cm lucite stickers that are often packaged with various computer parts, such as processors and video cards. Modern computer cases are frequently embellished with an indentation on the case's front panel to facilitate the affixing of a case badge.
In work places employees are often issued name badges which identify them. Name badges are also commonly issued in high schools and hospitals. They are often used to tell legitimate workers from impersonators.
Button badges are a highly collectable round badge with a plastic coating over a design or image. They often have a metal pin back or a safety pin style back. The most popular size is 25mm (1 inch) but the badges can range anywhere from this size right up to 120mm badges. This style of badge is often given as part of a birthday greeting such as a birthday card.
Name Tags
Name tags may be temporary (the iconic image being the "Hello! My Name Is ________" sticker) or permanent. Temporary ones typically can be written upon so that the wearer's name may be handwritten or printed. Permanent name tags are usually made of lightweight metal or plastic. Name tags may be attached to garments with adhesive, or worn with the assistance of a magnet or pin. Some name tags are worn around the neck using a lanyard or necklace.
Name tags are used by some customer service companies, such as fast food restaurants, so that customers may identify employees by name. Professional employees or representatives of public-facing organizations such as universities, banks, or other companies where employees do not wear uniforms, may wear name tags as a way of distinguising or identifying the bearer as such, while allowing the employee to wear daily business wear. Police and military personnel often wear name tags that are separate from the badges that identify their official capacity. Loose associations of people gathering together for conventions and other events where socialization is encouraged often wear name tags.