I didn’t realize buttons came in so many varieties

When you look closely at buttons that don’t seem very noticeable, you find a button world that is broader than you might have expected.

What kind of thing is it?

When you say buttons, you may think of them as fasteners that are used to hold clothing together and have an essential function.

However, from a design perspective, even a small button can change the overall impression of a garment.

Did you all know? Japan ranks third in the world in production volume of apparel buttons. (From TV Tokyo’s “100 Japanese People Who Change the World”)

ApparelX also sells a variety of buttons, so if you’re interested, please take a look.

About the types of buttons

When you think of buttons, what kind of button comes to mind?

In my case, press fastener and resin buttons come to mind.

When I searched for buttons on ApparelX, the screen below appeared.

In the blue-framed section, buttons are classified by material into resin, polyester, metal, shell, horn, and many other types.

Until recently I wasn’t very interested in buttons, so when I saw this, I was impressed and thought, “Wow, there are so many types!” I was especially drawn to the appeal of buttons made from natural materials.

Natural material buttons that impressed me

For example, shell buttons are, as the name suggests, buttons made from natural shell. The main types include takase shell, black mother-of-pearl shell, brown mother-of-pearl shell, and white mother-of-pearl shell.

Because they have a beautiful luster, I think their distinctive elegance and refinement make them perfect for shirts, blouses, and the like.

There are also real buffalo horn buttons, made from buffalo horn. Real buffalo horn buttons have a sense of weight and a unique sheen, making suits and jackets feel more elevated. While registering buffalo horn buttons, I had a strange thought: “If buffalo horns become buttons, what should we do about the buffalo?” After looking into it, I found that in Japan, the raw material for buffalo horn buttons is almost always imported from overseas. In many cases, the horn is removed after the buffalo has died.

Whether shell buttons, real buffalo horn buttons, or even wood buttons and nut buttons that I haven’t introduced yet, each one has a different pattern as proof of being natural. You could say they are one of a kind in the world.

That’s all for today’s share. Thank you for reading to the end.