Magnet or Button: Choosing Your "Impact" Art Souvenir
By Holly Bones Art & Design | Published: 2026-11-01
Category: Buying Guides
Choose the pin-back "Impact" button for fabric or wearable display, or the magnet version for fridges and steel surfaces. Match the backing to where you'll display it.
Quick answer
Choose the pin-back "Impact" button if you want to wear the artwork on fabric or attach it to a textile surface. Choose the magnet version if you plan to display it on a refrigerator or another magnetic surface and want to move it without leaving holes.
The backing changes where the artwork can live
Both versions use the same hand-pressed "Impact" artwork and measure approximately 40x60mm, so the decision comes down to the backing. A pin-back needs a surface it can pierce, such as a jacket, tote, or corkboard. A magnet needs a ferrous metal surface, such as a fridge door or steel cabinet. Neither backing is universal, so pick the one that matches your most common display spot rather than the one that sounds more versatile.
Think about how often you rearrange
Pins stay put until you deliberately unpin them, which suits a fixed spot on a bag or garment. Magnets slide and lift off easily, making them better for a fridge door where you rotate notes, photos, or small art. If you like changing displays seasonally, the magnet removes and repositions without fabric damage. If you want a set-and-forget attachment, the pin-back is the more stable choice.
Surface limits you should check before ordering
A magnet only works on magnetic surfaces. Stainless steel refrigerators with a non-magnetic finish, glass, wood, and painted drywall will not hold it. A pin-back needs a material it can pierce without causing unwanted damage, so it is a poor fit for leather, waterproof shells, and fine knits. Check your intended surface first; if it fails either test, this artwork is better suited to a framed print or another display format rather than a backing compromise.
Decision rules for the "Impact" backing
- If the display surface is fabric or a wearable: Choose the pin-back button. It secures to jackets, totes, and other textiles where a magnet has nothing to grip. Pin-backs leave a small hole, so avoid them on waterproof or delicate fabrics.
- If the display surface is a refrigerator or steel cabinet: Choose the magnet version. It holds on magnetic metal and lifts off cleanly when you want to rearrange. Test the surface with a kitchen magnet first; not all stainless steel is magnetic.
- If you want to move the artwork often: Choose the magnet. It repositions without pinholes or fabric wear, which suits a rotating fridge or memo board display.
- If you want a permanent attachment to a bag or garment: Choose the pin-back. Once pinned, it stays in place until you remove it, unlike a magnet that can slide or be knocked off a curved surface.
Product facts
- "Impact" Magnet or Button: The "Impact" artwork is available as either a pin-back button or a magnet, hand-pressed in the Ypsilanti studio and measuring approximately 40x60mm. The shared size and artwork mean your choice is purely about the backing and where you plan to display it.
"Impact" Magnet or Button
Who should choose which backing
Best for
- Shoppers who want to wear or pin the "Impact" artwork on a jacket, tote, or fabric display
- Shoppers who want a small art magnet for a refrigerator or steel memo board
Not for
- Anyone planning to display on glass, wood, or non-magnetic stainless steel, since the magnet will not hold
- Anyone who needs a hole-free attachment on leather or waterproof fabrics, since the pin-back pierces the surface
