Resin casting is a process in which liquid resin, usually polyurethane or epoxy, is poured into a mould, where it cures into a solid part. For custom awards it offers a superb balance of fine detail, design freedom, colour and finish options, and moderate cost, making it one of the most versatile ways to turn an intricate concept into a tactile, weighty finished object.
Looking for a trophy in this material? See our custom resin trophies.
Resin casting is arguably the most flexible instrument in our Antwerp studio, and it is where 3D printing, silicone moulding and hand finishing come together most beautifully. A printed master, a silicone mould and the right resin let us reproduce almost any form with rich detail, in clear, coloured, metallic or stone like finishes. Understanding its range, and its limits, is central to advising clients well.
How Resin Casting Works
The process usually begins with a silicone mould taken from a master pattern, very often 3D printed in our studio. Two part resin is mixed, the liquid components combining and reacting so the resin begins to cure. It is poured into the mould, where it flows into every detail, then left to harden into a solid, dimensionally faithful part. Once cured, the part is demoulded and finished.
The chemistry offers useful control. Pot life, the working time before the resin sets, and cure time can be selected to suit the part. Fillers and pigments can be blended in before pouring, changing colour, weight and surface character. This flexibility is what makes resin casting so adaptable across award designs.
The Design Freedom Resin Offers
Resin casting places very few limits on form. Because it pairs with flexible silicone moulds, it happily reproduces undercuts, fine texture and complex sculptural geometry that rigid processes could not release. This freedom is why so many bespoke, sculptural awards are cast rather than machined or moulded, the design leads and the process follows.
It also integrates seamlessly with our digital workflow. A concept modelled and 3D printed becomes a master, the master becomes a silicone mould, and the mould yields cast copies. Our 3D printed trophy page shows how this chain runs end to end in our studio.
Finishes, Colour and Special Effects
Resin is a canvas for finish. The range available makes it one of the most expressive materials we work with.
- Water clear resins: for glass like transparency and embedded elements.
- Pigmented resins: solid colour cast throughout the part, not just on the surface.
- Metal filled resins: bronze, aluminium or brass powders for a genuine cast metal look and weight.
- Stone filled resins: marble or granite effects with convincing heft.
- Embedded objects: logos, foils or artefacts suspended within clear resin.
These effects can be combined and then enhanced with hand painting, polishing or plating. Our materials overview explains how each behaves in a finished award.
Resin Casting Versus Metal Casting
Clients sometimes ask whether an award should be resin or metal. Resin casting is lighter, less expensive, faster and offers more colour and clarity options, while capturing equally fine detail. Metal casting, through sand or investment methods, delivers genuine metal weight, permanence and prestige, at higher cost and longer lead time.
Often the smartest answer blends both. A metal filled resin gives much of the presence of cast metal at a fraction of the cost, and cast resin parts can be plated to read as solid metal. We help clients weigh perception, budget and purpose rather than defaulting to one material.
Weight, Feel and Perceived Value
An award is judged the moment it is lifted, and weight signals quality. Plain resin is light, which can undercut the sense of value in a premium piece. We address this deliberately, blending in mineral or metal fillers, adding cast or machined metal cores, or weighting the base so the finished object feels substantial in the hand.
This attention to tactile experience is where craft matters. The geometry may be digital in origin, but the decision about how an award should feel when held is a human one, made with the recipient in mind.
Practical Considerations and Limits
Resin casting has honest constraints. Air bubbles must be managed, often with vacuum or pressure, to keep visible surfaces flawless. Some resins are sensitive to UV over long periods, so archival pieces use stabilised grades. Very large single pours generate heat as they cure and must be planned carefully. Silicone moulds wear, so large runs need multiple moulds.
We anticipate all of this. Experience lets us select the right resin, plan gating and degassing, and schedule mould counts so every finished award is clean, stable and consistent. Being candid about these factors is part of responsible advice.
When Fabit Recommends Resin Casting
We recommend resin casting for detailed, sculptural or tactile awards in small to medium quantities, especially where colour, clarity or special finish effects matter. It is the natural partner to our 3D printed masters and silicone moulds, and it offers the broadest creative range of any single process we run. For very high volumes we compare it against injection moulding, and for genuine metal permanence against metal casting.
With master making, moulding, casting and finishing all in house, we control the entire chain. See finished pieces on our custom trophies service page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can resin awards look like solid metal?
Yes. Metal filled resins and plating give the weight, colour and finish of cast metal at lower cost and faster turnaround.
How much detail can resin capture?
Exceptional detail, because it is cast in flexible silicone moulds that reproduce fine texture and undercuts faithfully.
Are resin awards durable?
Very. Cured polyurethane and epoxy are tough and stable. For long term UV exposure we select stabilised grades.
Can I embed a logo or object in clear resin?
Yes. Water clear resin can suspend logos, foils and artefacts for a striking display effect.
If your award calls for detail, colour or a distinctive finish, our Antwerp studio responds within 24 hours and ships worldwide. Begin your brief at our design studio and we will bring your concept to life.
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