Shell buttons History

Item Number : SB1115

MOQ : 3000pcs,small order is acceptable

EXW Price :

Button Type :

Place of Origin : Zhejiang China (Mainland)

Shell buttons and Mother Of Pearl buttons have many years history.  Before 1950, most shell buttons are made in Muscatine, Iowa, USA, but now Most mother of pearl or shell buttons today are made in China.

Muscatine years ago was the “Pearl Button Capital of the World”, because Muscatine is situated on the Mississippi River, there was easy access to the mussel shells.  There were several shell button factories here (49 at one time) and many people would also cut out the shell button blanks in their homes, selling the blanks to the factories for extra cash.

John Fredrick Beopple, an immigrant from Otlensen, Germany and farm laborer in Columbus Junction in the late 19th century is credited with beginning the pearl button industry in Muscatine, Iowa.

Old Handmade Button Cutting Machine

Today at the beginning of the New Millenium the industry has recovered, shell buttons coming out of America, China, India, Japan and Philippines. Shell buttons in all sorts of shapes, sizes, qualities, types and styles being used on almost any type of garment as was happening in the mid-Victorian period. And with people wanting to be different, other types of shells are now becoming fashionable and are being used for making them.

The main species of shell buttons are: 1. Abalone shell; 2. White mother of pearl shell; 3. Black mother of pearl shell; 4. Trocas shell; 5. River shell  6.Agoya shell.

Buttons Cut into Different Shapes

YanHong shell button company is one of biggest shell button manufacturers in China. We have many kinds of shell buttons for your choice, like White MOP buttons, black MOP buttons, brown MOP buttons, Trocas shell buttons, river shell buttons, agoya shell buttons, abalone shell buttons, etc.

The custom production is welcome, like engraving logo, customised sizes, thickness, colors and styles. If you have any request about shell buttons, please contact us freely at your time.