Acrylic vs. Glass vs. Crystal Awards

When purchasing an award, plaque, or trophy to honor the excellence of those in your workplace, acrylic, glass, and crystal are all possibilities. These materials often look similar at first glance. However, each material is unique and used for different reasons.

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Key differences between acrylic, crystal and glass awards include:

• Chemical Makeup
• Weight
• Impact Resistance
• Scratch Resistance

• Light Diffraction
• Workability
• Price

What Exactly Does That Mean To You?

1. Chemical makeup - While all three materials look similar as finished products, they are very different on a chemical level. Acrylic awards are made of a synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate. It is technically classified as a type of glass, but it is for all intents and purposes a thermoplastic. Acrylic is the most chemically diverse material of the three. Glass and crystal awards are more similar in terms of their chemical makeup. They both are composed of sand, sodium carbonate, limestone, and a few other additives. However, glass contains little to no traces of lead, while crystal possesses a higher lead content &#; which is what leads to the differences in light diffraction explained below

2. Weight - Holding each finished material in your hands can help distinguish acrylic, crystal and glass awards from each other. Because it is a thermoplastic, acrylic is very lightweight and not nearly as heavy as glass and crystal. Depending on the design and style of the glass or crystal award, the weight can vary between the two materials. However, a crystal trophy is heavier than a glass trophy of equal shape and size due to its higher lead content.

3. Impact Resistance - It should come as no surprise that an acrylic award, a thermoplastic, is significantly more impact resistant than a glass or crystal award. In fact, acrylic is seventeen times more impact resistant than glass. It is very durable and difficult to break when dropped. Glass and crystal, on the other hand, are much more delicate. Both materials will shatter when dropped. However, due to its increased weight, crystal is the least impact-resistant material and is extremely delicate.

4. Scratch Resistance - While acrylic is more impact resistant than glass and crystal awards, it is more susceptible to surfaces scratches due to everyday wear and tear. Acrylic is a much softer material and, therefore, easier to scratch and damage. Conversely, glass and crystal awards have tougher surfaces that are more scratch resistant than acrylic. If crystal and glass sustain surface scratches, though, the damage is more irreparable and may require professional help. Because the material is more soft and malleable, scratches on acrylic can usually be buffed and polished out.

5. Light Diffraction - In terms of appearance, one of the most noticeable differences between acrylic, glass and crystal is the dazzling aesthetic. Light beautifully sparkles, glitters and shimmers as it travels through the crystal and eventually is diffracted. On the other hand, acrylic and glass awards do not diffract light when it passes through. The glittering quality of crystal is one of the main visible characteristics that distinguish it from glass and acrylic.

6. Workability - When it comes to creating various trophies, awards, and plaques, all three materials can be formed into incredible shapes and complex designs. Because glass and acrylic are made of more flexible materials, they can be formed into just about any shape you can imagine and remain sturdy. Crystal is softer than glass, which makes it ideal for carving more complex three-dimensional shapes rather than molding them.

7. Price - While crystal tends to be more expensive than acrylic and glass, it all depends on the of time and attention to detail required by the trophy, award or plaque design. Acrylic and glass are easier to work with and mold while crystal takes more time to cut and carve. Work time and design complexity is often the reason why crystal is more expensive than acrylic and glass. Some crystal awards, however, can be very affordable. The crystal awards from K2 Awards start at $14.99 a piece.

Custom awards aren't just to honor the recipients; companies also use them as a motivational tool to everyone else attending the awards presentation. These beautiful awards are perfect for banquets, sporting, corporate events, and workplace anniversaries. Customize each acrylic trophy and award with free engravings. Add a custom award title, name, and any other information. Before you pay for your acrylic awards, we provide a design proof within one to three days for your review and approval before production.

Choose from acrylic trophies and acrylic plaques in various shapes and colors, including clear acrylic, or create your own custom logo acrylic awards. Some of our acrylic awards have color accents, and all are durable and shatter-resistant.

We offer a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee for every acrylic trophy, so contact us at 800-4-Awards if you have any questions. Order customized acrylic awards from Awards.com today.

Everything You Need to Know about Acrylic Awards

These days, many, if not most, companies have some employee recognition program, and with good reason. It is a simple, cost-effective way to maintain employee morale and improve retention rates. Of course, having an employee recognition program necessitates finding good, impactful gifts and awards to give your star performers, and that is where it can get tricky. If you shopped around for awards and recognition, then you know that some of them can be notoriously expensive, which is the main reason that acrylic awards are such a great alternative.

Companies big and small, whether a startup or an established business, need an employee recognition program to compete in today's business world. Multiple studies have shown that employee recognition can motivate and inspire staff, promote company loyalty, and improve productivity. All of which are necessary for the success of a business. When it comes to employee gifts, companies have several options, but many are choosing acrylic awards. If you are unsure what acrylic awards are or why they are gaining popularity, here are a few things you should know.

The Advantages of Acrylic Awards

Recognizing excellence doesn't have to break the budget. By choosing acrylic awards engraved with the company logo or acrylic trophies dedicated to high achievers, you have access to eye-catching and versatile options capable of being customized for special occasions.

At Awards.com, we offer a wide selection of designs and custom shapes, but adding color printing brings a new dimension to these awards. Custom acrylic awards provide a unique platform for celebrating top performers within an organization, ensuring that their achievements are highlighted in a personalized manner. This adaptability of personalized acrylic awards makes them an increasingly popular choice among corporate recognition programs aiming to honor a person meaningfully while adhering to budgetary constraints.

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Acrylic has several advantages over crystal awards, not the least of which is the fact that it is so easy to sculpt acrylic into a stunning variety of shapes, which means you find acrylic awards in a staggering variety of configurations of all shapes and sizes. In appearance, it closely resembles crystal but is both lighter and substantially less expensive, which means you get more award bang for your buck.

Acrylic Versus Crystal and Glass Awards

Acrylic awards usually have a clarity that exceeds glass and is only about half the weight. Best of all, though, acrylic is resistant to the sun's damaging rays, which means that awards crafted from the material will retain their clarity and brilliance for years to come. They don't tend to dull notably over time.

The material resembles crystal, only it is more affordable. This is always good news for businesses that want to reward their staff but are also closely watching their bottom line. The resin-based thermoplastic is typically clearer than glass, so the reward looks elegant while only weighing half as much. Best of all, unlike crystal, glass, and other materials, acrylic is resistant to sunlight, chemicals, and pollutants that can turn other awards dull or cloudy. Since it is thermoplastic, this material can be easily heated to create various unique shapes, giving bosses and managers a wide assortment of options.

Design Your Own Acrylic Awards

Given their low cost and availability in various colors, ensuring that every award you give your employees is unique is incredibly easy. This holds even if your award program is several years old. New award models are being introduced all the time, and you can, if you desire, order custom designs, which will ensure that you never hand out the same award more than once.

When you combine that with the fact that acrylic is easy to etch and engrave, giving you virtually unlimited customization and personalization options, it is easy to see why it is such a popular, widely used material for awards. Having a plaque award custom-made allows each event to be unique, ensuring that every award can stand out visually amongst the recipient's other accolades. Consider engraved acrylic awards to add another layer of recognition. All that to say, if your company is on a budget, and most companies are, and you are looking for ways to stretch the dollars you have available in your award budget, acrylic is a top-tier choice. It is incredibly versatile and wonderfully low priced, which leaves you plenty of money left over for other gifts and awards to expand your recognition program further.

Acrylic's Versatility

Acrylic is available in several colors and can be used to create awards in almost any shape or design. These awards often come with stunning accents, adding to their appeal. This allows for a wide variety, making it easy for companies to find the perfect award for a well-deserving employee.

With acrylic awards, companies often do not have to worry about giving the same gift to every employee. There are different types of acrylic, but most awards are made from cell cast. This is when the liquid acrylic is poured between two sheets of glass. Most of the acrylic awards given by corporations today are created this way due to their stunning optical clarity. This process also gives the reward a frosty white image when it is engraved. While this is the most popular and common type of acrylic, there is another option.

Extruded acrylic engraves are clear instead of frosty, so they are not often used to create employee awards. It is an excellent way to give cell cast awards a mirroring effect and create other accents. Another problem with extruded acrylic that makes it ill-suited for most awards is its tendency to get "gummy" during engraving. This is due to the heating process when it is poured through the die.

There are several benefits to choosing acrylic awards over glass and crystal. Most companies cite its affordability as the main reason they first considered this type of material and continue using it due to its stunning appearance. With acrylic awards, businesses can recognize their employees and stay on budget.

FAQs about Acrylic Awards

To learn more about acrylic awards, call 1-800-4-AWARDS (800-429-) or review our frequently asked questions below.

What makes acrylic awards a great choice for employee recognition?

Acrylic awards offer a cost-effective, elegant solution for recognizing employee achievements. They are known for their clear, crystal-like appearance, lightweight design, and durability.

Can I customize acrylic awards with my company's logo and individual names?

We offer customization for each acrylic award, including adding your company's logo, award titles, recipient names, and any other relevant information.

How durable are acrylic awards compared to glass or crystal awards?

Acrylic awards are known for their shatter resistance and durability. They are lighter than crystal, resistant to sunlight and environmental factors, and retain their clarity and brilliance over time.

How can I purchase acrylic awards?

You can order via online, , or .

How can I ensure my acrylic awards order is accurately processed?

All orders will be acknowledged by us in writing via . Your order is billed once it is shipped.

Can I cancel my acrylic awards order? How?

Yes. We will acknowledge all cancellations in writing via .

Can the acrylic awards be shipped internationally from the United States?

Yes. We accept and deliver orders around the world.

How is the acrylic award retrieved or replaced if lost or damaged?

If you are unsatisfied with your order, please contact our customer care department at 1-800-535-.

For more Custom Shaped Acrylic Awardsinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.