Wooden Buttons for the New Wren Bag

When designing, I always try and push myself to new boundaries…to try new options, to discover new possibilities. This is what happened with my new bag (which I still hope to launch next week). To close the bag I wanted to use a wooden button….but not just any wooden button….a BIG button….and it had to be real wood…and I wanted this button to be the wren label! How exactly this would work I had no idea.

The first problem I encountered was that nobody makes or stocks 1.5″ or 3cm real wood buttons. I asked every haberdashery shop I knew, I even went through sourcing agent All Source who eventually found some for me in a chinese market. I also asked several etsy crafters. Nicole Catroppo took me up on this challenge and for the last two months we have been brainstorming possibilities. She eventually managed to source wooden buttons big enough and was going to paint and print the Wren bird onto them. Thank you Nicole for all the time and effort you put into this project.

At the same time I was looking into my own local options. This has turned out to be the best way. I asked a local timber company if they could turn some wood for me and slice and drill some buttons. They tried and it worked after only a few samples.

However, the buttons were still very rough and needed some serious sanding. I tried various methods and machinery but by hand was the best (even though I landed up sanding my hands raw).

The buttons were made with Poplar wood that is hard, strong and easy to work with. It is also quite light in colour. I wanted a variety of wood colours so that I would have more options when matching a button to fabric. To achieve this I bought various wood stains and varnishes. I divided my buttons up and got dipping and painting….

I tried to prevent myself getting all sticky from the varnish by using surgical gloves. This did not work becuase the fingers of the gloves stuck together. My next idea, I thought, was rather ingenious: I strung fishing line to each button, dipped it into the varnish or stain and then wiped it down with a paper towel.

This did not work wonderfully either as the buttons got stuck in the varnish, the wood did not stain all over and when wiping the excess off, the paper cloth stuck to the buttons.

The fishing line did come in handy though: I hung the buttons on the washing line to dry using clothes pegs.

Then I took the buttons to a local laser cutter who has done various weird and wonderful projects for me over the years. Onto each button the Wren bird avatar was lasered (individually). The buttons came out fantastically! The detail achieved with the lasering is amazing. I love them!

I made some discoveries though: the stained and the untouched buttons came out really well. The contrast between the lasered Wren bird and the actual button was strong and defined. Unfortunately the varnished buttons did not come out as well. The Wren bird was there, but you had to feel for it. So….I started painting these to improve this contrast.

The buttons came out beautifully….

Now you just have to wait to see the WHOLE new Wren Bag….