Materials and Finishes
Our wide range of production materials includes everything from brass and other metals to gemstones, natural quartz, crystal, glass and concrete – and that’s just a start. For companies looking to bring their product ideas to life, or looking for bespoke component manufacturing, we offer a true partnership in building customized products based on your unique requirements. Browse our production and manufacturing materials below to get an idea of our custom product design & development capabilities.
Metals
Aluminum
Aluminum is a common metal that is aesthetically similar to silver and very reflective. It is much lighter than other metals, with about 1/3 the density of steel. It's light and ductile which makes it easy to work with. That's why you find aluminum in cans and wiring. We use aluminum in our modern drawer pulls.
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc with varying quantities to achieve different chemical and electrical properties. It has been favored throughout history for the bright gold appearance. Brass is corrosion resistant, has a low melting point, and is easy to work with. These characteristics have made it popular in all kinds of decorative hardware. Brass is our favorite metal and we use solid brass in chain, house letters, house numbers, cabinet knobs, and door knobs.
Copper
Copper is a highly useable metal with excellent physical and electrical properties. Freshly exposed copper has a shiny orange appearance which can be protected by lacquering it. Copper is one of the few metals that occurs in nature with a useable metal form. This led to copper being extremely popular in ancient history — Ancient Egyptians loved copper as much as we do now.
Iron
Iron is the most popular metal of all time (it's call the Iron Age after all). We know iron was used as far back as 4000 years ago, is the primary ingredient in steel, and is even a requirement for life. Iron naturally has a rough, dark appearance but can be polished to a sheen. It is an incredibly strong material ideal for heavy lifting and items that need to be durable. We use iron in our chain and drawer pulls.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is a specific category of iron alloys that have special properties. Its primary characteristic is a passive film which forms on the surface of the metal and protects it from the elements. This chemical reaction happens naturally and will self-heal, which is why even scratched stainless steal won't rust — unlike steel with a protective coating. We sell stainless steel utility chains which are strong and weatherproof.
Steel
Steel is a major industrial metal that has been used for thousands of years for its high strength and durability. What once was used in swords and spears is now used in skyscrapers, bridges, and other infrastructure. Though we're not bridge builders, we also use steel for its workability and strength. Our steel chains come in a wide variety of finishes that allow you to take advantage of steel's massive strength in almost any color or metallic finish you'd like.
Finishes
Aluminum
Aluminum is both a material and a finish. The aluminum finish is technically a satin anodized aluminum that appears softer and smoother than unfinished aluminum. You will see this finish on many other aluminum products because it's quite popular.
Antique Brass
Unlacquered brass naturally antiques, but you don't have to wait. Our antique brass finish is darker than raw brass and has an organic aged appearance. This finish varies smoothly between a deep-yellow and bronzed-yellow which looks quite lovely paired with antique hardware and fixtures. Sometimes this finish is referred to as Dull Brass or Old English.
Antique Copper
Copper naturally oxidizes when exposed, which turns the metal from its characteristic shiny orange to a matte green — this is why the Statue of Liberty is green. Antique copper is a darker copper finish that makes it look naturally aged without being oxidized. The finish has a lovely variation from a deep bronze-like brown to lighter copper-brown accents in some of the bends or wrinkles in the metal. Antique copper is loved for its gorgeous brown tones and we supply it on many chandelier chains.
Acid Dipped
Acid Dipped is a raw brass finish that accentuates the golden color of brass. It's called acid dipped because the finish is achieved by bathing the metal in acid which adds a protective coating and evens out the metal's color. This finish looks brings out the yellow color of brass more than polished brass but is less shiny. Acid dipped is one of our most popular finishes and is available on most of our brass chandelier chains
Antique Nickel
Antique Nickel is, in many ways, the opposite of polished nickel. This finish dulls the metal's shine and darkens its color. The result is a deeper antique nickel color that looks like it's been aged over time. This finish varies between darker and lighter greys in the bends and grooves of the metal. On smooth faces such as rectangles or standard chain links, the finish is more consistent — refer to the product images to double-check what antique nickel will look like.
Black
Black is a timeless finish and is by far our most popular color. We have two black finishes: Black and Oil Bronze Black. This black finish is achieved by spraying the metal with a special paint mixture made with fine black powder. The powder coating is then cured by heat, creating a completely uniform black finish that has a slight sheen. You can find products with this finish all over our site, but black chandelier chain is the most popular.
Brushed Brass
Brushed brass is a matte finish that dulls the reflectiveness of natural brass. This effect is achieved by brushing the metal with a special tool that creates micro-abrasions in the same direction. These tiny scratches capture and bend light that hits the metal, reducing its reflectiveness.
Brushed Gold
Brushed gold is a matte finish similar to brushed brass but slightly darker. It's non-reflective that creates an antique or modern aesthetic depending on what it's paired with. Dark wood or ornate woodwork and brushed gold hardware makes a lovely antique pairing. Simple white or black cabinets with brushed gold hardware makes a stylish modern look. Click the link to check out our brushed gold cabinet pulls.
Brushed Nickel
Brushed nickel is a matte finish and is non-reflective just like all the other brushed finishes. This finish is added to brass hardware by plating it with nickel and then brushing the nickel. The brushed finish creates a delicate-looking aesthetic which looks fantastic in modern styles.
Bronze
Bronze is a metal that has been used throughout the ages. It's darker than copper but can be a similar bright orange. Our bronze finish is brass that is bronzed to look like an antiqued bronze with a dark, chocolate-brown color. This finish has the appearance of aged bronze, without the marks of aging — it's a clean uniform finish.
Charcoal
A matte dark gray finish that compliments many designs. Achieved through a bronzing process on iron metal. Charcoal is a deep gray matte finish. It's near black, but not too dark which allows it to pair well with modern and antique styles. The charcoal finish is achieved with a bronzing process on iron and is unique to our iron products. Our most popular charcoal products are old country shelf brackets.
Copper
Copper is a beautiful metal but is pretty expensive. You can still have the copper look without the copper price tag with a copper finish. We achieve the copper finish through a technique called electroplating that perfectly wraps our brass chain with a copper plating.
Grey
Grey is a simple unassuming finish. It applies an even coloration that looks and feels like people would expect metal to look and feel. Grey is darker than nickel and a tad less reflective. When compared to a metal finish like antique nickel, grey has a more even color distribution that makes it easy to match with other items.
Matte Silver
Matte silver is a delicate-looking finish that bends the light to appear non-reflective. The finish is achieved by chemically treating brass and isn't solid silver. This means you can get the beautiful appearance of silver without paying a massive premium.
Oil Bronze Black
Oil Bronze Black is matte black finish that compliments any design. The finish is achieved by bronzing brass until it's completely black. Oil bronze black is a flat uniform finish that doesn't scratch off easily (but still can, so don't be too rough) and is indistinguishable from a naturally black material. It is our most popular finish and is available on almost everything we sell, but everyone loves our black chains.
Polished Brass
Polished Brass has a bright gold color with a reflective finish. This is the most popular kind of natural brass finish and is probably the image that comes to mind when you hear the word "brass." It's polished to a shine that will patina naturally over time, becoming darker, unless it's lacquered.
Polished Chrome
Polished Chrome is an extremely popular finish — for bathroom fixtures in particular. It's a smooth mirror-like metallic finish that is brighter than polished nickel or aluminum. Polished chrome differs from regular chrome because it is more reflective and has a blueish-silver color instead of plain silver.
Polished Nickel
Polished Nickel is a metallic finish applied by electroplating. It is a reflective silver metal with a slight warm tone when compared to polished chrome. Polished nickel is a very attractive finish that is what most people imagine when they think of shiny metal hardware. By popular demand, you can find this finish on most of our chandelier chains.
Polished Silver
Polished Silver is a metallic finish that is available on select brass hardware. The finish is a silver plating that is reflective and has a slightly warmer tone than steel or polished chrome. Polished silver is a unique finish that is particularly attractive. We supply some chains and cabinet hardware with a polished silver finish.
Rust
Rust is a light brown finish usually applied to iron products to give an oxidized appearance. This is generally considered a living finish as it may continue to naturally tarnish over time if un-lacquered and exposed to the elements.
Satin Chrome
Satin Chrome is a softer finish that appears non-reflective. This finish has a color similar to chrome, but because it's matte, you can really see the true color instead of reflections. Satin chrome is an even silver tone that is brighter than nickel or satin nickel and available on several of our chandelier chains.
Satin Nickel
Satin Nickel is a smooth finish that is non-reflective. It's a matte silver color that is completely uniform across the entire product. Satin nickel is slightly darker than satin chrome and will work best in styles that want a deeper muted silver instead of a bright whiteish silver.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is a special iron alloy that has useful characteristics. Our stainless steel finish is only available on products made from stainless steel. It will appear darker than steel and is less reflective than most other finishes. We sell some stainless steel utility chains which can bear heavy loads and are weatherproof.
Brushed Stainless Steel
Brushed Stainless Steel is radically different from the traditional stainless steel finish. Brushed stainless steel is lighter and brushed to be less reflective. This finish is incredibly popular with modern styles in particular.
White
White is a matte finish that is completely non-reflective. This is a powder coating that is achieved by spraying the metal with a finely ground powder and then curing it with heat. The result is a hard matte finish that is completely uniform. We sell many of our steel chains with a white finish.
Zinc
Zinc is one of the most reflective finishes available. The zinc finish is as reflective as polished chrome but has a softer color that is slightly blueish. Zinc is a very popular finish for all kinds of hardware, especially bathroom fixtures and other all-metal items. We sell one chain with a zinc finish.
Gemstones
Amethyst
Amethyst is a form of Quartz that ranges from a bright to dark purple color. Knobs made from Amethyst have a medium to high color variation.
Camel Agate
Camel Agate has circular banks of dark mustard color which resembles fossil wood. Knobs made from Camel Agate have a low color variation.
Fluorite
Fluorite is a mineral that ranges in color from almost clear light green, to dark purple with hints of grey and more. Knobs made from Fluorite have a high color variation.
Green Moss Agate
Green Moss Agate is a gemstone which exhibits various shades of green and grey. Knobs made from this material have a high color variation.
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis Lazuli is a deep blue gemstone with specs of golden inclusions and grayish marble veins. Due to the inconsistencies of the grey veins, knobs made from Lapis are considered to have a medium to high color variation.
Obsidian
Obsidian is actually volcanic glass and has a glassy luster. Generally all Obsidian Knobs have a low to virtually no color variation.
Red Jasper
Red Jasper is a quartz stone ranging in colors, usually from red to orange and brown. Knobs made from Jasper have a medium color variation.
Rock Crystal
Rock Crystal is a type of quartz which is clear and mostly colorless. Although it is mostly colorless, knobs made from this stone can range from being completely clear to milky and opaque, as such knobs made from Rock Crystal are considered to be have a medium to high color variation.
Rose Quartz
Rose Quartz is a type of quartz stone which exhibits a mostly pink color with a creamy texture. Knobs made from Rose Quartz have a low color variation.
White Agate
White Agate is opaque and mostly white in color, however it can consist of some black and brown inclusions. Knobs made of White Agate have a low color variation.
Crystals
Black Crystal
Our Black Crystal Knobs are solid black and have no color variation. Due to the manufacturing process, some of our crystal knobs which are molded may exhibit small air pockets.
Clear Crystal
The Elegance collection of Clear Crystal knobs have a brilliant shine and are colorless. Due to the manufacturing process, some of our crystal knobs which are molded may exhibit small air pockets.
