Kim F.
Kim F. is the Production Director at Awards.com and has spent her career in award manufacturing. She oversees custom design, sourcing, and merchandising, which means she is the person who decides what is possible, what it costs, and where it comes from. She has been in the industry since 2008 and is a founding member of the team that relaunched the company in 2014.
She writes about the material side of awards: what crystal, glass, acrylic, and metal each do well, how a piece is actually built, and how those choices shape both the look and the price. Her goal is to help you pick the right material for the job before you spend anything on it.
Kim's articles on materials and manufacturing
- The Manufacturing Process Behind Acrylic AwardsHow acrylic awards are cast, cut, and finished, step by step.
- How Are Crystal Awards Made?From raw blank to polished, engraved piece.
- How Are Trophies Made?How custom trophies are built and assembled.
- How Award Plaques Are MadeWhat goes into a plaque, from plate to board.
- Acrylic Awards vs. Other MaterialsHow acrylic stacks up against crystal, glass, and metal.
- Acrylic vs. Crystal AwardsThe real differences, and how to choose between them.
- Glass vs. Crystal AwardsWhat separates glass from crystal, and why it matters.
- Custom Award Material OptionsThe materials custom awards are built from, compared.
- Plaque Materials ComparedWood, glass, acrylic, and metal plaques side by side.
- Acrylic Embedment vs. EncasementThe two ways to seal an object in acrylic, and when to use each.
- Acrylic Award Shapes and Custom OptionsWhat shapes are possible in a custom acrylic design.
- How to Choose an Acrylic AwardSizes, styles, and cost, explained.
- Award Plaque SizesPicking the right plaque size for the occasion.
- About Glass AwardsWhat glass awards are and where they fit.
- How to Clean Acrylic AwardsKeeping acrylic clear and scratch-free.
- How to Care for Crystal AwardsSimple ways to keep crystal looking new.
- Are Acrylic Awards Eco-Friendly?An honest look at acrylic and the environment.
- Eco-Friendly Crystal AwardsWhat "sustainable" really means for crystal.
