What a fridge magnet is actually made of, and how to get one that works

A fridge magnet is really two separate decisions bolted together: the magnetic material underneath, which does the work of holding it to the door, and the printed or moulded face on top, which is what the reader actually notices. Getting one that works means matching the first to the door it has to grip, and the second to how long you want it kept.

What holds it to the door

The material is usually one of three things: a flexible magnetic sheet (ferrite powder bound into a rubber-like sheet, the type behind most printed promotional magnets), hard ferrite (a rigid ceramic magnet, common in cheaper novelty pieces), or neodymium (a rare-earth magnet, far stronger for its size and the type used where a magnet needs to hold real weight). Thickness matters as much as material: a 0.4 mm sheet holds itself to a clean door, while 0.6 mm or 0.75 mm is what you specify if the magnet needs to hold paper as well. The full breakdown of what each material is and where it is used is in the guide on what a fridge magnet is actually made of.

Whether it will stick at all

None of that matters if the door itself will not take a magnet. Some stainless steel doors are finished in a non-magnetic grade, and no magnet, however strong, will hold to them. Before specifying anything, it is worth knowing which doors this affects and why.

Who actually prints these

The UK fridge magnet printer directory is built for a business specifying a printed promotional run. It lists named UK printers and suppliers, the magnet types and finishes each one produces, and what to line up side by side before you commit to an order.

• Flexible magnetic sheet print, the standard construction behind most calendar and promotional magnets
• Photo and custom print for shorter personal runs
• Epoxy-domed and resin work, used for souvenir-style finishes

Each entry sets out, where the supplier publishes them, the minimum order quantity, the magnet backing type on offer, typical turnaround and the proofing process you would go through before a run is printed, along with a note of where to check any trade body membership or company registration. Appearing in the directory is not an endorsement of any supplier; the directory page sets out its own listing criteria, worth reading before treating an entry as vetted. Treat every figure there as a starting point for a conversation, and confirm current stock, cost, minimum order quantity and lead time directly with the printer. Where a trade body membership such as the British Promotional Merchandise Association or a Companies House registration is stated, check it before committing to a large run.

Where to go next

This site is organised as a set of guides, covering construction, ordering specifications, safety around small magnets, and print setup. All guides lists them by topic, so you can go straight to the one that matches what you are ordering or troubleshooting. If you already have artwork ready to send to a printer, the artwork resolution checker will tell you whether it is set up at a printable size and resolution before you send it, though it checks the file you give it and can be wrong about what a printer will accept.