All Czech Glass buttons are handmade. Learn about the production process and the tools used in the production of these beautiful buttons

1 - MATERIALS

These are the negatives used to make the molds for the buttons. These negatives are valuable, and one of a kind, as they are the first step in the process of making the Czech Glass Buttons.

czech glass button molds

The negatives seen above make the molds. These hand-presses, with the molds inside, are what actually create the buttons.

hand presses for czech buttons

hand presses for czech glass buttons

Glass rods of different colors first get melted in the oven.

melting glass rods

2 - PRESSING

The shank of the button gets placed inside of the mold.

glass button shank

Our friend then takes the molten glass, and presses it into the mold. He carefully cuts the extra glass away with a pair of scissors.

czech glass button pressing

czech glass button pressing

czech glass button pressing

And behold! A new Czech Glass button is born! (its still a bit crude, though).

crude czech glass button

3 - FINISHING

The czech glass button you just saw gets its edges smoothed along a machine. And the final touches include either hand painting€. Or more often, a particular chemical coating that then gets fired in the oven.

machine

hand paint button

chemical for the czech buttons

Recognize these buttons? True craftsmanship, born out of hundreds of years of experience. 

czech glass button production


Cynthia Shanti Moralez CYNTHIA SHANTI MORALEZ

Shanti designs most of the beads and buttons produced for Nirvana Beads. She is also a Graphic and Web Designer