Pick the size for the garment, then the material for the story you want on the front. Plastic fashion buttons are easy; corozo, shell and cotton read as considered — and we stock them. Full sew-on technique lives in Buttons: types, sizing and sewing them on .
All colors: buttons shelf.
Ligne sizing cheat sheet
One ligne ≈ 0.635 mm. Our sets are labeled in millimetres — map them here before you cut the buttonhole.
| Ligne | About | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 16–18L | 10–11.5 mm | Shirt fronts, collars, fine blouses. |
| 20–24L | 12.5–15 mm | Dresses, cardigans, light jackets — our 12 mm and 15 mm sets. |
| 28–32L | 18–20 mm | Coat fronts, statement closures — our 18 mm eco and corozo flowers. |
| 36L+ | 23 mm+ | Heavy coats and decorative only. |
Eco-friendly materials we stock
Corozo (tagua nut)
Plant ivory from the tagua palm — dense, takes dye well, ages with character. A strong eco swap for plastic fashion buttons.
Shell
Natural shell with depth and sheen. Choose for garment fronts you want to show, not hide.
Cotton / soft fiber buttons
Soft hand for baby clothes and gentle garment fronts. Less “click” than resin.
Eco-composite / bio buttons
Plant-based composites sold as a lower-impact alternative to virgin plastic — still read the listing for care and heat.
Colorful resin sets (teal, pop-of-color, terrazzo) also live on the buttons shelf when you want saturated plastic-free-looking fronts — check each listing for material.
Buttonholes
Length ≈ diameter + thickness + 3 mm. Test on a scrap with the same layers and interfacing. More detail and shank technique: full buttons guide . Stabilize with interfacing on fine cloth.
Quick answers
- What does 24L mean on a button?
- Ligne — one fortieth of a French inch, about 0.635 mm. 24L is roughly 15 mm across. Multiply ligne by 0.635 for millimetres.
- Which eco-friendly button material is best?
- Corozo and shell for durable garment fronts; cotton for soft applications; eco-composite when you want color range with a plant-based story. Avoid mystery “eco plastic” with no fiber or feedstock named.
- How do I size a buttonhole?
- Button diameter + thickness + about 3 mm ease. Domed and shank buttons need more length than flat ones of the same diameter.
- Where can I buy eco buttons from Kitschy Notions?
- On the buttons shelf — corozo, shell, cotton and eco-composite sets linked in this guide. Stock rotates; the shelf stays linked even when a colorway is out.