Wood Button

Definition and Overview

Wood buttons are buttons made primarily from wood. Depending on the species, grain, color tone, and surface finish such as coating or oil, each piece tends to look different, and the natural appearance can be treated as a design element. In addition to round shapes, there are square and irregular shapes as well.

Because they are natural materials, even within the same product number there may be individual differences in color, grain, and the appearance of knots. In product planning, it is important to share in advance in the specification sheet the range in which these individual differences are accepted as a material characteristic and the range managed as an appearance standard.

Materials and Structure

In general, two-hole or four-hole pierced styles are common, and they are sewn on by passing thread through the holes. Two-hole styles tend to give a clean impression, while four-hole styles make it easier to distribute the thread shank, so they are also used in places where you want to prevent the button from rotating.

A shank button has a structure in which thread is passed through the shank on the back side. It makes a small space between the button and the textile more easily and is also suitable for thick plackets, but care is needed so that large force is not concentrated at the base of the shank. The cutting direction of the wood, its thickness, and the thickness around the holes also affect resistance to cracking.

• Pierced styles: two-hole, four-hole, cat eye, and others.
• Shank style: sewn on with a shank on the back side, making sewing thread less visible on the front.
• Surface finish: uncoated, coated, dyed, and others change the color, water resistance, and feel.

How Sizes Are Indicated

The size of a button is expressed by its diameter in mm, and also in lignes. Lignes are a unit used for button sizes, and in orders and specification sheets the unit should be clearly stated so that it is not confused with mm notation. For non-round shapes, check the height, width, or maximum diameter.

When selecting a size, confirm the buttonhole length, textile thickness, placket width, and ease of handling by hand together. In particular, because the thickness and edge rounding of wood buttons differ by specification, check not only the diameter but also the thickness and whether it passes through the buttonhole with the actual product.

Main Applications

Because they make use of the texture of wood, they are used for shirts, blouses, cardigans, dresses, jackets, coats, and more. When combined with textiles that have a natural feel such as linen, cotton, and wool, it becomes easier to match the material feel.

Outside of apparel, they are also sometimes used for bags, accessories, and fabric products for interiors. However, for areas subject to repeated heavy loads or for applications expected to be exposed to water, suitability should be judged with the risk of cracking, deformation, and surface deterioration in mind.

How to Attach and Handling Precautions

Pierced wood buttons are sewn on with button sewing thread, and when ease is needed for thick fabrics or plackets, the thread shank is made with a root wrap. Root wrapping is the process of creating a thread stem between the button and the textile. If it is tied too tightly, the textile may pucker or excessive force may be applied to the button, so provide a thread shank appropriate to the fabric thickness.

Since wood is affected by moisture, heat, and dryness, resistance to washing, dry cleaning, and ironing varies depending on the type of wood and the surface finish. Check not only the care label but also the test results and handling conditions as an accessory. Do not apply a hot iron directly, and avoid leaving it in a damp state.

Impact or strong tightening may cause cracking around the holes or along the grain. In addition, friction, water exposure, ultraviolet light, and detergents may cause discoloration, color transfer, and changes in surface gloss. Before mass production, it is reassuring to conduct washing tests and appearance checks in combination with the textile.

Differences from Similar Terms

Nut buttons are buttons made by processing tagua, the seed of a palm fruit, and the raw material differs from wood buttons made from timber. Both have a natural appearance, but the grain pattern, hardness, processability, and appearance after dyeing are not the same.

Real buffalo horn buttons use buffalo horn as the raw material, and shell buttons use shells as the raw material. Compared with these natural material buttons, wood buttons are characterized by their grain and matte texture. Polyester buttons and urea buttons are made of resin, and their color and pattern uniformity, as well as their tendency toward water resistance, differ from wood.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can wood buttons be machine washed at home?

Suitability for home washing depends on the type of wood, the surface finish such as coating or dyeing, and the washing conditions of the product they are sewn onto. Because there is a possibility of swelling from moisture, shrinking from drying, discoloration, and cracking, conduct washing tests on the finished product before adoption and align the care label with the accessory handling conditions.

How do you choose the size of a wood button?

In addition to the diameter in mm or lignes, choose by checking the thickness, buttonhole length, textile thickness, and placket width. Because ease of passing through changes depending on the shape and edge rounding of wood buttons, it is important not to decide only by the specification dimensions, but to actually pass them through the buttonhole and check ease of fastening and unfastening.

How can cracking in wood buttons be prevented?

The basics are to choose a shape with enough thickness around the holes and not to tighten the thread too much when sewing. For thick fabrics, make a root wrap to reduce the load on the button. Also, check the washing, drying, and ironing conditions, and handle them so that strong impacts such as dropping or compression are avoided.