Medal materials: die-cast metal, acrylic, sublimated
There are three medal materials we produce regularly at our iTrophy KL workshop. Die-cast metal medals are the traditional heavyweight format — a metal alloy medal with antique gold, silver, or bronze plating, paired with a printed neck ribbon. They are what serious tournaments expect, and they survive being passed around for years afterwards. Acrylic medals are CNC-cut from cast acrylic and full-colour UV-printed — significantly lighter, more design-flexible, and the right pick for events with younger participants or for fun-runs where finishers wear them home. Sublimated medals (typically sublimated metal blanks with a printed face insert) sit between the two on price and are well-suited to high-volume sponsor-branded events where the print quality matters more than the medal weight. As a medal supplier Malaysia we also occasionally produce hybrid pieces — die-cast metal frames with full-colour acrylic or printed inserts — for organisers who want both the substantial feel of metal and the print fidelity of acrylic on the same award.
How heavy should a finisher medal feel?
Marathon and half-marathon finishers expect a medal that feels substantial in the hand — 70-80mm in diameter and 8-10mm thick is the sweet spot, putting the weight at around 130-160g. Below that, the medal reads as a fun-run participation token rather than a finisher award. Above 200g and the ribbon starts to feel unbalanced when worn. For shorter charity runs and primary school sports days, a 60mm medal at around 60-80g is the right call — light enough for kids to wear comfortably for the duration of the event.
When does acrylic make more sense than metal?
Acrylic wins on three fronts: cost-per-piece at high volumes (RM 10-RM 22 vs RM 18-RM 35 for die-cast), design flexibility (any custom shape via CNC at low extra cost), and print fidelity (full-colour UV print reproduces sponsor logos exactly). Pick acrylic for fun-runs, primary school sports days, charity events with sponsor branding, and any event where the medal is part of the brand experience rather than a tournament trophy. Pick metal when the audience is competitive adults and the weight itself is part of the recognition.
“Die-cast metal carries the weight of tradition; acrylic carries the brand. The right medal material is the one that matches the audience.”
Standard vs custom-shaped medals
Stock medal designs (round, with generic sport icons or a generic-victor face) cover most weekend tournaments and school sports days at the lowest per-piece cost. Custom-shaped medals — your event logo cut into the metal or acrylic outline — make a much bigger visual impact and are the right call for events where the medal is part of the brand experience (marathon finishers, themed runs, signature corporate events). Custom acrylic medal shapes are routine and add minimal cost above stock shapes; custom die-cast metal medals require a one-time mould fee that pays back at around 200 units. After the first run, repeat orders move faster (2-3 weeks instead of 4-6).
Ribbon options: colours, prints, double-sided
Standard ribbon colours stocked at iTrophy are red, blue, green, yellow, and black — included free with every medal at standard production. Custom-printed ribbons with your event name, year, and sponsor logos are available on orders of 100 medals and above; print is single-colour standard, with full-colour available on premium orders. Double-sided printed ribbons are available for events with multiple sponsors who each want acknowledgement. Ribbon width is typically 22mm or 25mm. Custom Pantone colour matching is available on bulk orders where the ribbon needs to match a specific event brand colour exactly.
Packaging: bulk vs individually polybagged
Medal packaging affects both the per-piece cost and the on-site distribution workflow. Standard bulk packaging — medals stacked in a master carton with the ribbons separated — keeps cost low and is the right call for school sports days where teachers will distribute medals on the day. Individual poly-bagging — each medal sealed in its own clear bag with the ribbon attached — adds a small per-piece cost but speeds up the medal-handout flow at marathons and large fun-runs significantly. Premium individual presentation boxes are available for tournament podium medals and signature events where each medal is handed over personally.
Bulk pricing tiers: 50, 100, 500, 1000+
Per-medal pricing improves at clear thresholds in our pricing structure. Below 50 units, you are essentially paying single-piece rates — the right tier for small dojo grading ceremonies and very small tournaments. From 50 units, the first bulk discount applies. From 100 units, custom ribbon prints become economical and the per-piece price drops further. From 500 units, the per-piece price moves into marathon-organiser territory — the band where charity runs and corporate fun-runs typically sit. From 1000 units and above, we can apply combined-shipment freight savings and the full custom die-cast mould investment usually pays back. WhatsApp your target quantity and event date for a quote that already factors in the right tier. For very large recurring events (annual marathons, multi-year league play), we can also lock pricing for the next 12 months at sign-off so your event budget is predictable across the year.
Marathon medal special considerations
Marathon and large fun-run medals carry a different set of requirements to tournament podium medals. Size and weight matter — finishers want a medal that feels substantial, ideally 70-80mm in diameter and 8-10mm thick for full-marathon and half-marathon finishers. Sponsor branding is usually part of the deal, which means full-colour print or sublimation across the medal face rather than simple etched design. Volumes are typically high (500-5000 finishers depending on the event), which means individual poly-bagging is worth the small per-piece premium for fast handout at the finish line. Lead time matters — confirm the order at least six weeks before the event date for a fully custom marathon medal run.
Tournament medals: gold, silver, bronze conventions
Tournament medals follow long-established conventions that organisers and participants both understand. Gold for first place, silver for second, bronze for third, with all three usually identical in design except for the plating finish. Custom designs typically still respect the gold/silver/bronze plating distinction even on fully bespoke shapes. Top-three medals can be fitted with engraved back plates carrying the recipient name and event year for an extra premium feel — particularly common at corporate sports days and university tournament finals. For weekend league play with ongoing podiums each round, we set up a standing brief and despatch each round on a fixed schedule.
School sports day medals: affordability and bulk
School sports day is the highest-volume medal use case in Malaysia. A typical primary school sports day runs three events per standard with gold, silver, and bronze medals plus a small number of overall victor ludorum awards, which can easily push past 200 medals for a single school. Acrylic medals at bulk volumes are the cost-effective choice here — RM10-RM18 per piece at 100+ unit volumes, with stock ribbon colours included. Die-cast metal medals start from around RM18-RM30 at the same volumes for schools that prefer the more substantial format. We have shipped sports-day medal orders to schools across Selangor, KL, Penang, Johor, Sabah, and Sarawak.
Lead time and last-minute rush capability
Stock-design medals (round metal or acrylic, stock ribbon colours) typically run on 5-7 working days from sign-off, including ribbon assembly. Same-day or next-day rush is possible on small quantities of stock acrylic medals if you WhatsApp early in the morning. Custom-printed ribbons add 2-3 days to the lead time. Fully custom die-cast metal medals need 4-6 weeks for the first run — there is no realistic rush option for a brand-new mould. As a medal supplier Malaysia we do our best to flag honest lead times before any quote is signed off; if your event date is too tight for a fully custom run, we will recommend a stock medal with a custom ribbon as the practical alternative. For repeat events (annual marathons, multi-year league play), the second run is significantly faster than the first because the mould, print files, and ribbon spec are already on file with us.
