Ribbon (award)

A ribbon is an award made from ribbon and presented to mark an achievement. Such ribbons usually have a pin, brooch or bridle clip as a fastener with which the award can be attached to clothing, animals, walls, or other surfaces.

Award ribbons can be simply a flat piece of ribbon, a flat-folded ribbon, or fancier manipulations of the ribbon material, such as rosettes. A rosette consists of ribbon that is pleated or gathered and arranged in a circle so that it resembles a rose, usually with streamer ribbons attached. Some ribbon rosettes will also have loops, petals and star points as part of the design whilst using Satin ribbons, Velvet ribbons, Sheer ribbons, Lamé ribbons, Tartan ribbons and printed ribbons including personalised printed ribbons to promote the sponsor, event or the reason for giving.

Ribbons are usually imprinted with information about the award, such as the name of the event, the sponsoring organization, the placement (such as first place, second place, etc.), and the date. More sophisticated awards also include the name of the recipient, special motifs and logos.