Our Story
How We Began
Buttonsmith®, Inc. began out of a fourth-grade class project on trading Henry completed in 2013 when he was a student at Fall City Elementary in Fall City, Washington. Faced with the challenge of making something to trade at a school trading post, he rejected baked goods ("Mo-o-o-om, the baked goods market will be totally oversaturated!") and instead made pinback buttons to sell to his classmates. His dyslexia had made success in school a real challenge up to that point, so when his products very popular he was thrilled!
That summer, Henry moved to selling his products at local farmers markets. In 2014 Henry moved online to sell his products via his website and Amazon. The product catalog grew to include buttons, magnets, lanyards, fixed top badge reels and our patented Tinker Reel® badge reels, which have swappable tops.
The company continued to grow in 2015 completing a successful Kickstarter campaign to help begin manufacturing of the Tinker Reel® badge reels. That same year, the company headquarters and manufacturing facility moved out of the family home to Carnation, Washington and includes a small store front. In 2017, Walmart carried Tinker Reel® badge reels in 1600 stores nationwide. Since 2016, we have been a leader in customized products on Amazon.
Buttonsmith now has twelve employees and over $11M in cumulative revenue. Buttonsmith products are now sold on seven channels including Amazon, Etsy, Shopify and Faire. Starting with a hundred products in 2014, we now have over 10,000 products available across these seven channels. In 2022, we will be focusing on growing our wholesale pet products business, as well as investing in additional channel development.
Building the Blueprint for the Future of American Manufacturing
Buttonsmith creates items on demand. We've developed a suite of proprietary software applications that aid order management, product configuration, and listing development, as well as digital product photography, to enable us to manufacture goods in under three labor minutes.
Our proprietary software-driven manufacturing process allows us to make exactly what consumers want on-demand, with essentially no waste, AND without having to ship products halfway around the world. Using the power of software and computing, the Buttonsmith Operating System marries the efficiency of the assembly line with the personal touch and connection of the artisan craftsperson - in a format that is profoundly scalable. For the first time in human history, it's possible for nearly every manufactured item to be made exactly how the customer wants it, when they want it.
Being Nimble
In the spring of 2020 amid the pandemic, Buttonsmith was able to shift the business to selling cloth masks.. We had our cloth masks available on our website and Amazon months within a few weeks. When the first masks from China touched American soil, Buttonsmith was already on our 3rd iteration of masks based on real-time customer feedback after 100,000+ had reached American homes.
Our approach cuts down the time it takes to bring new items to market from months to only minutes. We can get goods into customers' hands faster than any foreign manufacturing because we have our production in the United States. We can shift production around to meet market shortages as new demands emerge.
Socially Responsible, Union Shop, Environmentally Friendly
Buttonsmith understands the value of being employee friendly, community friendly, ecosystem friendly and environmentally friendly. We are a 100% union shop affiliated with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), which is part of the AFL-CIO. We specifically choose manufacturing processes that do not harm the environment or our employees.
We use 100% sustainable energy for our production and are in the process of becoming a certified B-corp.
Meet The Team
Henry Burner, Founder
"I am writing with my dad a book set in a post-apocalyptic, near-future, feudal setting."
Favorite Product Mucha Perfecta Tinker Reel
Darcy Burner, CEO
"I am a voracious reader, and am happiest when I'm surrounded by books."
Favorite Product: Klimt Kiss Wristlet
Jonathan Shapiro, President
"I am a recovering college professor and recidivist entrepreneur."
Favorite Product: Maps Lanyard
Mike Burner, CTO
"In the Army, I patrolled the border between East and West Germany...when there was one."
Favorite Product: Mucha Gemstones Tinker Reel
Katherine Fugitt, Director of Design
"When I was a teenager, I helped my parents build a 32' sailboat. We lived on our sailboat for about a year and a half, sailing up and down the west coast of the United States, and throughout the South Pacific."
Favorite Product: Purple Crows Lanyard
Mark Beaufait, CFO
"Enjoy hiking and avocational geology. Have some meso-proterozoic stromatolite fossil friends."
Favorite Product: Made in the USA Custom T-shirt
Michael, Production Floor Manager
"When I was in high school, I traveled to Europe with a special choir from my school. I sang baritone with the choir in cathedrals in several European countries."
Favorite Product: Custom 2.25" Buttons
Amanda, Deputy Floor Manager
"I love to go to music festivals and am always in search of good sushi."
Favorite Product: Custom Lanyard
Evie, Customer Success Manager
"I have worn numerous hats throughout my life, serving as a social worker, HCA, horse trainer, stone mason, studio coordinator, and daycare teacher. In my free time, I paint landscapes onto traffic cones and build upcycled sculptures on the farm where I live."
Favorite Product: Custom Bumper Sticker
Francis, Production Automation Engineer
"I served in the army infantry for four years, attaining the rank of sergeant."
Favorite Product: Nebula Lanyard
Jaime, Production
"I grew up in a Zapotec village in Oaxaca, Mexico, and was a long-distance runner in the Mexican Army."
Favorite Product: Solidarity Lanyard
Kirena, Marketing Technologist
"I taught myself how to knit in high school."
Favorite Product: Blue Clean Dirty Dishwasher Magnet
Donovan, Production Designer
“I love to cook or make art in my free time. I’m originally from Omaha, Nebraska!”
Favorite Product: Wildflowers Lanyard
Mak, Lead Production Designer
"I always wanted to draw, but could never muster the patience to practice it. In High School, I discovered Photoshop and digital collaging. I've been experimenting with pixels ever since."
Favorite Product: Buttonsmith® Anatomy 1.25" Magnet Set
Boston
Jonathan's Border Collie
"I don't understand why my parents don't like that I jump our fence to
visit the neighbor dogs. I just love to play with people and dogs."
Favorite Product: Old Glory Custom Collar
Zephyr
Darcy's Service Golden
"I am good at giving hugs. I like to boss around the other dogs, so they remember who is really in charge.
Favorite Product: McGovern Sunflowers Custom Collar
Remiel
Jonathan's Golden
"I love to jump things, like fences and gates. I am a busy boy and like everyone to know that I am around."
Favorite Product: Turtles Collar
Juniper
Mike's Golden
"I am always looking for food, since I am still a growing puppy. I think everyone should be my friend and play with me."
Favorite Product: Green Trees Collar
Obi-Wan (Benny)
Katherine's Rescue Dog
"I am laid back and mellow about most things, but if I don't want to do something, I'll lay down and become a 70# lump."
Favorite Product: Isosceles Collar
Zeus
Evie's Golden
"Every day on my way to work, I sing with my mom. I aspire to be a cattle dog, and I'm recognized for my enthusiastic and goofy personality, always eager to make new friends!"
Favorite Product: Nebula Collar
Chester
Amanda's Corgi
"Chester the Corgi puppy loves naps, his lambie toy, and is currently growing up to be a big strong doggo."
Favorite Product: Nebula Collar
In Memoriam
