What Are Shell Buttons Used For? Thickness, Uses and Limitations

Shell buttons are made from natural shell materials such as mother of pearl.

Compared with many other button materials, shell buttons are typically thinner due to the structure of the material itself.

Shell buttons are cut from natural shell blanks, which limits how thick they can be.

As a result, shell buttons are often lighter and thinner than comparable horn or corozo buttons.

Shell buttons are commonly found on:

These garments generally place less stress on the button during everyday use.

Button diameter is only one part of the equation.

Two buttons with the same diameter can behave differently if their thickness and material strength are different.

For example, a thin button may not perform the same way as a thicker button of the same diameter when used on heavier garments.

Because shell buttons are generally thinner, they may not be suitable for garments that place high tension on the closure.

Heavy coats, thick outerwear, and garments with substantial front panels may require thicker button materials.

When selecting buttons, diameter, thickness, material strength, and garment construction should all be considered together.

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