Trochus shell buttons vs MOP button

[Fishball]

What is the different between them beside price and colour ( I think white MOP is "whiter")?

Don't know what is it?

photo taken from Permanment style
The conical shell is trochus shell, the flat one is white MOP

 

[holymadness]

Jesus, can you imagine how many of those things they use to make all the buttons for all the high-end shirts in the world? What is 'mother of pearl' anyway? Is it some sort of crustacean's shell? Can you farm it?

 

[Fishball]

Yes, they farm it, at least in Aussie.
BTW, not many "high end" shirts used MOP buttons, just really "high end" one used it.

 

[apropos]

MOP is much more iridescent than trochus.

 

[Mauro]

Oyster vs any other fresh or salt water shell. that is the difference.

 

[Kent Wang]

I wonder if the meaty parts are eaten.

Are there oyster farms just for MOP or are they the same farms as the food oysters?

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Originally Posted by apropos

MOP is much more iridescent than trochus.

It's true, MOP is more expensive too. I actually just placed an order of MOP buttons for a line of shirts I'm doing. Trochus can look very similar to plastic.

 

[upnorth]

Originally Posted by Kent Wang

I wonder if the meaty parts are eaten.

Are there oyster farms just for MOP or are they the same farms as the food oysters?

Why have one when you can have both, or three, for that matter, if you include pearls, not just their mother.

 

[apropos]

Originally Posted by patrickBOOTH

Trochus can look very similar to plastic.
+1. I've had to resort to the tooth test before to double-check that plastic buttons was not put on my shirts by mistake (trochus makes a higher pitched sound when tapped against your teeth than plastic, which makes a dull sound).

 

[cpcp]

All my Zegna shirts use Trochus buttons.

 

[Fishball]

Many shirtmakers use Trocus button, the pics shown of the premenant style was posted at the entry about T&A factory visit. Some of my Ascot Chang used it.
I never need to use my teeth to test the button. If the trochus button really look like plastic, then it is really poor quality.

 

[Fishball]

Originally Posted by patrickBOOTH

It's true, MOP is more expensive too. I actually just placed an order of MOP buttons for a line of shirts I'm doing. Trochus can look very similar to plastic.

If you don't need extra thick MOP button, it is not too expensive, but yes, it is more expensive than trochus.
But being cheap is not a bad thing, you can get 12pcs 4mm16L trochus buttons for just USD3, but you need ~USD20 for a set of MOP.

 

[Mauro]

I am waiting for the new price guide for the extra thick MOP buttons. I can only imagine what they are at retail.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Originally Posted by Fishball

If you don't need extra thick MOP button, it is not too expensive, but yes, it is more expensive than trochus.

True, but when you're doing a whole line of shirts even a 15 cent difference adds up quickly. In my opinion, that premium for MOP is worth it.

 

[Don Carlos]

Originally Posted by holymadness

What is 'mother of pearl' anyway? Is it some sort of crustacean's shell? Can you farm it?
True MOP, also known as nacre, is the exact same substance that makes up pearls. It's produced by a variety of mollusks including the oyster, but not limited to the oyster. Oysters are the most common source, though, because they're easy to farm and harvest. Nacre/MOP is stronger and more iridescent than the shell lining found in the trocus and many other mollusks. You can usually tell the difference by how the nacre will give off more of an iridescent shine, whereas the trocus or similar substance will have a duller/less brilliant look to it. Nacre as seen on the inside of an oyster shell: