Snaps - Plastic Snaps and Where to Buy Them

Welcome to the second day of the snap blog series! Through this blog series, I am hoping to share my love of snaps with you. I haven't always loved snaps, but I have found that by using the good quality snaps along with the tools designed to install them, snaps can be fun to use! If you missed it, yesterday’s blog post was about metal snaps - which metal snaps work best and where to buy them. In today’s blog post I am going to talk to you about the other type of snap, plastic snaps. Once again,  I want you to know that the products I recommend are based on my use and opinion of them, I have not been given anything from the companies that make my favorite products nor do they even know that I wrote this blog series.

KAM snaps! This is the limited edition Pantone multi-color pack. Photo from the KAMsnaps website.

I was first introduced to plastic snaps while making Days for Girls kits that require plastic, KAM snaps. At the time, all I used was SnapSource metal snaps and so I was unsure that plastic snaps would hold up well, and I was afraid they would break easily during installation. I was wrong! KAM snaps are very strong and are very easy to install. There is another brand (Babyville) and there are off-brands of plastic snaps too, but the reviews are not as good for those as they are for KAM snaps. I don’t feel comfortable recommending them since I have not used Babyville or the off-brands. If you have some experience with these other brands, let me know in the comments.

Photo from the KAMsnaps website.

KAM snaps come in a variety of colors and sizes, the most common size used in KAM snaps is size 20. Some colors of KAM snaps can be purchased in a matte finish instead of a shiny finish. KAM snaps offer some different shaped snaps and some snaps that are engraved as well.

This starter kit is also available from KAMsnaps. It includes the same items in the kit described below except it has the floral pliers instead of the basic pliers and it costs $3.00 more. (Photo from the KAMsnaps website)

The KAM snap pliers (required for installing KAM snaps) can be bought in a kit that includes K2 pliers (basic pliers not the floral pliers), dies for installing snaps that are sizes 20, 22, 24 and for the heart, flower, butterfly and star shapes, 100 sets of size 20 snaps, an awl, and a screwdriver (used to change the dies) for $16.99. The only other tools that you need to install KAM snaps is a ruler and a marking pen or pencil.

Now that I have shared my recommendations for both metal and plastic snaps, I will tell you that metal SnapSource snaps are my go-to favorite snaps. I like the professional look that metal snaps give to a project and I think they are more durable in the long run. That being said, I think KAM snaps are a very good option and can in some cases (items made for babies) can be a better option. I don't think you can go wrong with either SnapSource metal snaps or plastic KAMsnaps.

I am excited for the next two posts in the snap series! The next two posts are all about what usually scares people away from using snaps, installation. Tomorrow, I will show you how easy it is to install colorful SnapSource metal snaps using the SnapSetter Tool. Then on Thursday I will walk through the installation process for KAM snaps. By Friday, I think you will be excited to install some snaps yourself, so I will share a quick and fun little FREE pattern for you that includes a snap! Make sure you don’t miss out on what is happening at Uniquely Michelle and sign up for the Uniquely Michelle newsletter below!