Pin trading is an Olympic tradition that dates back even further than the torch lighting.

Since 1900, when athletes, officials and members of the media began swapping official pins for being involved with the Games, participants and spectators have spent the two weeks at the international sporting showcase amassing their ever-growing collections.

At the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Coca-Cola sponsored the first official pin trading center. This year, Warner Bros. sponsored the hub in central Milan, where traders from 18 different countries set up shop, NPR reported. One American collector has attended 12 Games to secure as many pins as possible, according to Universe Sports.

In recent years, pin trading during the Olympics has exploded in popularity thanks to celebrity participation and TikTok videos.

  • Tom Brady, Snoop Dogg and Novak Djokovic are just some of the famous faces involved in the pin swaps. 


@oliviasmartxox This year at @milanocortina2026 Winter Olympics, Pin collecting is NO JOKE! Might be as important than the competition itself… #milanocortina2026 #olympics #winterolympics #figureskating #icedande ♬ Little Things – Adrián Berenguer

“Pin collecting at the Olympics is a competition on its own,” figure skater and two-time Olympian Olivia Smart told LADbible. “It has become very competitive and even a bit aggressive – even the volunteers and fans have learnt the pin game here in Milan.”

Smart created her own limited run of custom pins featuring her dog, Linda. “We only had 30 made, so it’s been challenging trading with the right people for the right pins,” Smart said. “There’s even people who stand outside the Village entrance waiting to trade.”

‘Big Impact‘

The tradition tends to have a ripple effect for the branded merchandise industry.

Dan Arakawa, president of San Clemente, California-based supplier Emblematics, says his company usually sees a modest bump in pin sales in the buildup to and the aftermath of the Olympics.


“When pins are talked about in the media, it puts the product on top of customers’ minds,” Arakawa says. “It also adds a higher perceived value when such a large international event focuses on pins.”

We’ve seen many brands lean into Olympic themes like competition, patriotism and teamwork using custom lapel pins as a form of associative marketing.”

Tom Farrell

Marketing Director, EMT

Indianapolis-based supplier EMT also reports an uptick in lapel pin orders around the Olympics.

“Organizations look for ways to tap into the unity and excitement surrounding the Games and reflect that shared spirit in their own events and branding,” says Tom Farrell, marketing director at EMT. “We’ve seen many brands lean into Olympic themes like competition, patriotism and teamwork using custom lapel pins as a form of associative marketing. Olympic-style pin trading is also a fun way to encourage interaction and cooperation between departments at company gatherings.”

Of course, pins are a staple of the merch industry. They’re affordable, highly customizable and easy to distribute at scale. Their popularity isn’t seasonal, according to Felicia Huerta, marketing executive at Lorton, Virginia-based supplier ImprintID.

While the Olympics always shine a spotlight on pin trading, we tend to see steady demand for pins year-round.”

Felicia Huerta

Marketing Executive, ImprintID

“While the Olympics always shine a spotlight on pin trading, we tend to see steady demand for pins year-round for events, recognition programs, sports and corporate branding,” Huerta says, adding that ImprintID’s most popular pin is the 1″ Soft Enamel Custom Lapel Pin [see image above].

People tend to keep and display pins for years, especially if they’ve been earned or reflect a wearer’s personality, interests or sense of humor, Farrell says.

“We always say that lapel pins may be small, but they make a big impact,” he says. “Despite their relatively low cost, the bespoke quality of lapel pins carries a high perceived value. From a cost per impression standpoint, custom lapel pins are hard to beat.”