Richmond, VA -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/01/2012 -- Trophies have a long, rich history all around the world, commemorating sporting events as well as other special occasions related to the arts and military achievements. The look and design of trophies have evolved over the years to reflect changing trends in fashion and availability of materials. Perhaps most important to the way trophies are constructed today is the invention of plastic, which is the principal building material of most trophies today. The different ways to mold, inject, and extrude plastic into various shapes has created a trophy industry filled with creative, low-cost trophies.

The trophies and military awards of days past were constructed out of readily available materials like wood, stone and steel. Carving and sculpting played a large role in the design and construction of early statues and trophies. It took a true artist to fashion a trophy and took countless hours to design and bring the piece to life. Using these raw materials, many amazing trophies were constructed that had a unique and lasting character.

These days, some trophies are still created by master artisans whittling away at wood, stone and metal, but many trophies are created using plastic as their foundation, while incorporating bits of precious metals and stone to bring the finished product to life. Instead of being created from one contiguous piece of material, most trophies are a combination of smaller crafted parts joined together to form a tribute for your favorite team, individual athlete or honored person.

The Trophy Base

The base of a trophy is often created using a process called extrusion. Extrusion uses tiny plastic pellets, which are melted down and fed into a mold at high pressure. This high pressure, melted plastic and mold work together to form a hollow base in just about any shape. The base is then covered in a thin layer of metal or painted to give it the look it needs. In order to make the base heavier and give it the weight it needs, it is filled with gypsum or similarly heavy material.

The Figure

The figure of a trophy is the most important piece of trophies. These are the representation of the athlete that garners the attention of fans and friends. Like the base of the trophy, the figure is most commonly extruded from a mold. Because there are so many different kinds of figures, a trophy manufacturer will have hundreds and hundreds of figures to put on the bases of their trophies. Like the bases, they are also covered in thin sheets of metal—such as gold, silver, and bronze—or painted appropriately.

The process of making trophies out of plastic has brought affordability to the trophy market as well as a wider selection. It is no longer expensive for businesses like K2 Trophies and Awards, to offer a trophy for a lesser known sport like ping-pong or shuffle-board. This opens up the world of trophies to all sports, no matter how well known or popular. Find out what kind of trophy you can get for your favorite sport today at K2Awards.com.

About K2 Trophies & Awards
K2 Trophies and Awards, located in Richmond, Virginia, has been providing trophies, awards, medals, and more since 2002, with the goal of satisfying every customer. With a large variety of trophies and other items in stock, as well as a talented team of trophy builders on hand, K2 Trophies and Awards strives to offer the widest variety of trophies for the best price and the fastest shipping. K2 Trophies and Awards provides an entirely secure and encrypted site, and works hard to ensure that each order is fulfilled to the letter before shipment, so that each customer may have the best trophy-buying experience possible. For more information about K2 Trophies and Awards, visit K2Awards.com.