Brass Eyelets

A hole in fabric, leather, or canvas is only as strong as its reinforcement. Without protection, edges fray, stretch, and eventually tear. Brass eyelets solve this permanently—by clamping the material, protecting the cut edge, and distributing stress across a wide flange. Made from C2680 brass, these components offer natural corrosion resistance, excellent formability, and a warm gold appearance that ages gracefully.

Nuote Metals manufactures eyelets using progressive deep drawing from brass sheet—not from seamed tube stock. This process yields a seamless, burr‑free barrel with consistent wall thickness. With over ten years of production experience and more than 50 million brass eyelets shipped in the past five years alone—field returns below 0.02%—our quality record speaks for itself.

What Are Brass Eyelets?

They are small metal rings used to reinforce holes in leather, canvas, fabric, paper, and other materials. A brass eyelet consists of a flange (the flat, visible rim that sits against the surface) and a barrel (the hollow tube that passes through the hole). When set with appropriate tools, the barrel rolls outward, clamping the material securely between the flange and the expanded tail.

They serve several essential functions:

• Reinforcement – Prevents tearing, fraying, and stretching around holes
• Strain distribution – Evenly spreads tension around holes, preventing material deformation
• Securing – Provides attachment points for ropes, straps, laces, and drawstrings
• Ventilation – Creates breathable areas in footwear and bags
• Aesthetic finishing – Adds a vintage or premium look to garments, bags, and crafts

Brass is the preferred material for eyelets because it offers a unique combination of strength, malleability, corrosion resistance, and visual appeal.

Our Brass – C2680 High-Hardness Yellow Brass

We manufacture brass eyelets exclusively from C2680 (Yellow Brass) – a higher-zinc alloy that offers superior hardness and wear resistance compared to standard cartridge brass. This is the material we recommend for all applications because it holds its shape better during setting, resists deformation under repeated stress, and provides a consistently bright finish.

C2680 –  Brass Alloy

• Composition: 64.0 – 68.5% Cu, balance Zn
• Higher zinc content = increased hardness and wear resistance
• Excellent for plated finishes (nickel, tin, zinc)
• RoHS compliant (lead content <0.09%)

For outdoor and marine applications, we recommend our C2680 eyelets with nickel plating, which provides 96+ hours of salt spray resistance. All  eyelets from Nuote Metals are RoHS compliant.

Technical Specifications – Materials, Dimensions, and Finishes

Standard Dimensions – Eyelets (C26800)

We manufacture brass eyelets in the following shank diameters. Cap diameter and total length vary by size and are provided as standard ranges. Recommended material thickness is based on the shank diameter—smaller sizes suit thinner materials. Custom dimensions are available upon request.

Tolerances: Shank diameter ±0.05mm, cap diameter ±0.10mm, total length ±0.15mm. Recommended material thickness is a guide; actual thickness depends on application and setting method. Custom sizes and barrel lengths available upon request. No tooling charge for standard sizes listed above.

Surface Finishes

Mechanical Data (3.0mm Shank Brass Eyelet, Set into 0.2–0.3mm Material)

Watch How We Make Eyelets

Our progressive deep‑drawing presses transform brass sheet into finished brass eyelets in a single continuous sequence—blanking, three-stage drawing, piercing, flanging, and separating. The video shows the entire process from coil feeding to finished parts, with real-time quality monitoring at every stage.

One Real Customer Example – 520,000 Pieces to Canada

This is one of many applications for brass eyelets. We include it to show real production use, not to suggest limitation.

An industrial textile supplier in Vancouver, Canada, needed eyelets for tarpaulins, boat covers, industrial curtains, and heavy‑duty canvas goods. The buyer audited our factory, inspected our ISO quality system, and placed a trial order after reviewing our third‑party test reports.

Nuote Metals supplied C26800 eyelets in six sizes—from 3.0mm to 5.0mm shank diameter—totalling 520,000 pieces. Each size was produced from the same coil batch to ensure consistent colour and finish. The eyelets passed 72+ hours of salt spray testing (ASTM B117) as part of the buyer‘s approval package. Each batch was accompanied by a mill test certificate (MTC) traceable to the raw material coil.

The shipment left our Dongguan factory on April 10, 2026, and is scheduled to arrive at the Port of Vancouver in late May 2026. This is their first shipment with us—and they have already indicated they will reorder.

What Our Customers Say – Real Feedback

Where Brass Eyelets Are Used

They are used across a wide range of industries and applications:

• Leather goods – Belts, bags, wallets, dog collars, horse tack, journals
• Apparel and footwear – Work boots, hoodies, shoes, corsets, lacing points
• Marine and outdoor – Boat covers, tarpaulins, sails, awnings, camping gear
• Bags and luggage – Strap attachments, handle reinforcements, decorative accents
• Industrial textiles – Heavy‑duty curtains, conveyor belts, protective covers
• Electronics – Cable management, wire pass‑through, grounding terminals
• Paper and stationery – Scrapbooking, booklet binding, hole reinforcement
• Crafts and DIY – Ribbon holes, decorative trim, cardmaking

How We Control Quality – From Raw Material to Finished Eyelet

Every batch of eyelets follows a layered inspection system.

Incoming material stage

Each brass coil is verified for composition (spectrometer) and thickness (laser micrometer). Coils outside specification are rejected.

Setup and first-off stage

The first 10 eyelets are examined under magnification for surface defects, then measured on an optical comparator. Shank diameter, cap diameter, and total length must match the drawing.

During production stage

Operators pull 5 eyelets every 500 pieces. Critical dimensions are checked with digital calipers and go/no‑go gauges. Any drift triggers immediate press stop.

Setting test (clinch verification)

Every 2,000 pieces, we set 3 eyelets into a sample of your actual material. The rolled clinch is inspected for symmetry, tightness, and crack‑free formation.

Corrosion testing (if applicable)

For plated or outdoor eyelets, samples are placed in our salt spray chamber per ASTM B117.

Final sorting stage

Every eyelet passes through an optical sorting machine with high‑speed cameras. After sorting, a random AQL sample (Level II, 1.0) is manually verified.

All inspection records are retained for five years and included with every shipment. Every batch is 100% dimensionally inspected before packaging.

Your Order – What's Inside the Box

• Eyelets in sealed poly bags – Labeled with part number, batch number, and quantity
• Mill test certificate (MTC) – Traceable to raw material coil
• Dimensional inspection report – 10 eyelets measured from the batch
• Plating or finish certificate – If applicable
• Certificate of Conformance – Signed by QA manager, batch‑traceable

Nuote Metals is ISO 9001:2015 certified. RoHS and REACH declarations are provided on request.

How We Work – Practical Information

• Samples – 20–50 free pieces for standard stocked sizes (customer pays shipping)
• Trial order – 10,000 pieces recommended for first‑time validation
• MOQ – 2,000 pieces (standard sizes), 5,000 pieces (custom finishes or total lengths)
• Lead time (stock) – 5–7 business days
• Lead time (custom) – 10–12 business days
• Tooling charges – None for standard sizes (1.0–5.0mm shank diameter)

Three Questions We Answer Often

Q1: What is the difference between a brass eyelet and a brass grommet? When should I choose an eyelet?

A: The main difference is the number of pieces and the application. A brass eyelet is a single‑piece component that is rolled or crimped into the material. It is commonly used in smaller sizes for apparel, footwear, and light‑duty applications. A brass grommet is a two‑piece system consisting of a ring and a washer that clamp together around the material. Grommets are stronger and used for heavier‑duty applications like tarpaulins, permanent signage, and heavy curtains. For most leather goods, garments, and craft applications, a brass eyelet is the right choice. For heavy‑duty industrial or marine applications, we recommend our brass grommets.

Q2: Can brass eyelets be used outdoors without tarnishing or staining?

A: Yes, with the right finish. Natural brass develops a patina over time when exposed to air and moisture—this is cosmetic and does not affect mechanical strength. For applications where appearance must be maintained, we offer lacquered finish (seals the brass, prevents tarnishing for 2–3 years) or nickel‑plated finish (silver appearance, 96+ hours salt spray resistance). For the Vancouver shipment above, the customer chose C26800 brass with standard lacquered finish for tarpaulins and boat covers, with pass/fail salt spray testing at 72+ hours.

Q3: How do I select the correct total length for a brass eyelet?

A: Select a total length approximately 1.0–1.5mm longer than your total material stack thickness. For example, if you are reinforcing material that is 0.25mm thick, choose a total length in the range listed for your shank diameter. This extra length provides enough material for the barrel to roll outward and form a secure clinch without bottoming out. If the total length is too short, the clinch will be weak. Too long, and the barrel may crumple. Send us your material thickness, and we will recommend the exact length.

Request a Quote – Tell Us What You Need

To receive a firm quotation for eyelets, please provide:

• Shank diameter (mm) – from 1.0mm to 5.0mm
• Total length (mm) – or your total material thickness
• Finish (natural lacquered / nickel‑plated / tin‑plated / zinc‑plated / painted)
• Estimated annual quantity

You can also attach a drawing, a photo of your current eyelet, or a sample part. We will reply within 24 hours with tooling cost (if any), piece price, lead time, and free sample policy.

Send your RFQ to Nuote Metals today. No pressure, no obligation – just a clear, competitive quotation.