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How to Choose the Right Shirt Buttons for Garment?

Shirt buttons may seem like small components, but in large-scale garment production, they directly affect product quality, brand image, and long-term wear performance. Great shirt buttons come in a variety of materials and sets, each impacting the shirt's formality and durability.

For B2B buyers—including garment factories, distributors, uniform suppliers, and brand owners—choosing the right shirt buttons ensures smooth sewing operations, stable supply, and consistent quality across every order. Shirt buttons are categorized by their attachment method, materials, and standard sizes.

In this complete wholesale guide, we explain shirt button materials, sizes, shapes, features, and applications—helping you make the right purchasing decision.

Common Materials of Shirt Buttons

Understanding material differences helps B2B buyers choose the right option based on price positioning and target market. In areas like NY, buyers can find a wide variety of specialty and vintage buttons, including options made from natural materials, metal, and unique designs.

Metal Buttons

  • Metal buttons are durable and often used for uniforms or workwear.

  • Metal buttons are also used for functional, heavy-duty closures like snaps on Western shirts or shank buttons on blazers.

Natural Materials

  • Shell, horn, and bone buttons are common in high-end shirts.

  • Mother of Pearl is a popular material for shirt buttons, valued for its luster and elegance.

  • Corozo buttons are favored for their natural look and durability.

  • Wood or leather buttons are often used decoratively on casual shirts.

  • Toggle buttons are elongated and fastened by looping a cord or leather strap around them, often used on duffle coats.

Material choice impacts the shirt’s formality, durability, and price, so understanding these differences is essential for making informed sourcing decisions.

1 Plastic Shirt Buttons (Most Popular for Bulk Orders)

Resin Buttons

  • Smooth surface

  • Wide color range

  • Easy dyeing

  • Cost-effective

  • Suitable for men’s dress shirts and school uniforms

Resin buttons are the most common choice for factories looking for cheap but durable solutions for mass production.

Polyester Buttons

  • High durability

  • Strong color fastness

  • Stable thickness

  • Ideal for automatic sewing machines

These are widely used in export garment production for Europe, America, and the Middle East.

2 Natural Shirt Buttons

Mother of Pearl (Shell Buttons)

  • Natural shine

  • Premium texture

  • Luxury appearance

  • Used in high-end dress shirts

Coconut Buttons

  • Eco-friendly

  • Unique natural grain

  • Popular in sustainable brands

Wooden Buttons

  • Rustic aesthetic

  • Suitable for linen and casual shirts

Natural materials elevate brand value and retail pricing.

3 Metal Shirt Buttons

  • Strong and durable

  • Common in denim shirts

  • Decorative and functional

Used when extra strength is required, similar to how high-quality metal and nylon zippers for garments are chosen for durability and reliability in heavy-use apparel.

4 Eco-Friendly & Recycled Buttons

Global brands increasingly request:

  • Recycled plastic buttons

  • Biodegradable materials

  • Sustainable production certifications

This trend is growing in EU and US markets.

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Standard Shirt Button Sizes Explained

Shirt button size is measured in Ligne (L).

Most Common Sizes:

  • 14L–16L → Sleeve placket buttons

  • 18L–20L → Front placket buttons

  • 22L–24L → Decorative or oversized styles

Other specifications B2B buyers should confirm:

  • Thickness

  • Hole type (2-hole / 4-hole)

  • Shank or flat back

  • Hole spacing (important for sewing machines)

Consistent size ensures stable automated sewing and reduces production delays.

Common Shapes of Shirt Buttons

Button shapes influence design style and market positioning.

Popular shapes include:

  • Round (most common)

  • Flat buttons

  • Concave surface

  • Pearl effect

  • Matte finish

  • Glossy finish

For fashion shirts, decorative shapes and laser logos are increasingly popular.

Applications of Shirt Buttons

Different garments require different button specifications.

Dress Shirts

  • Clean finish

  • Medium thickness

  • Gloss or pearl effect

Casual Shirts

  • Matte or textured

  • Coconut or wooden styles

Workwear & Uniforms

School Uniforms

Correct button selection directly affects brand positioning and retail price.

How to Choose a Reliable Shirt Button Supplier

When searching online, buyers often visit multiple websites and compare suppliers, including dedicated polyester sewing thread manufacturers. Reliable suppliers usually offer:

Additionally, professional B2B websites implement a security service that may be performing security verification to protect customer data and prevent malicious bots. During this process, a verification page may be displayed to the user, indicating that the security service is verifying user authenticity before granting access to the main website content. Secure platforms protect buyers’ inquiries and ensure safe transactions.

If a website displays messages like “security verification successful” or performs automated protection, it typically means the system verifies real buyers and blocks bot attacks—ensuring your inquiry reaches the supplier directly.

Why Choose MH as Your Shirt Button Wholesale Supplier

MH is a global garment accessories supplier established in 1999, also providing wholesale bag and luggage accessories alongside garment trims. ButtonMode provides a tailor-grade replacement set of buttons that are durable and designed for high-end tailoring standards. YWBUTTON offers a variety of unique shirt button designs in different colors and materials.

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About MH:

  • Serving customers in 150+ countries

  • Over 10,000 garment accessory products

  • Strong international supply chain

  • Professional export team

  • Stable production partners

Advantages for B2B Buyers:

  • Wide range of shirt buttons (plastic, shell, metal, eco-friendly)

  • Multiple sizes and shapes available, with matching waistband gripper tapes and linings for trousers and skirts

  • Stable bulk supply

  • Competitive wholesale pricing

  • Custom OEM support

  • Fast response to inquiries

  • Secure and professional website ordering process

MH focuses on wholesale business—not retail—supporting garment factories, distributors, and brand owners worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What size buttons are used for dress shirts?

Typically 18L–20L for front plackets and 14L–16L for sleeves.

What is the most durable material?

Polyester buttons offer strong durability and wash resistance, especially when paired with color-matched polyester and rayon embroidery threads for logos and decorative stitching.

Are cheap shirt buttons reliable?

Cost-effective resin buttons are widely used in mass production and can be very reliable when sourced from a professional supplier.

Can I customize logo buttons?

Yes, OEM logo engraving and laser marking are available for bulk orders, and many brands also use 150D/2 rayon embroidery thread to highlight logos with a glossy finish.

Conclusion

Shirt buttons are a small component with major impact on garment production quality, durability, and brand image.

For B2B buyers, choosing the right material, size, shapes, and supplier ensures:

  • Smooth sewing production

  • Stable supply chain

  • Competitive pricing

  • Long-term customer satisfaction

If you are looking for a reliable wholesale shirt button supplier, MH provides professional solutions tailored for global garment manufacturers and can coordinate 40/2 polyester sewing threads for bulk production alongside buttons.

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