National Button Week is observed during the third full week of March and celebrates an article of clothing that most people simply overlook. Although buttons are a useful and important tool used for keeping purses, jackets, shirts, and other objects closed, or are used simply as decorative accessories, few people regard them as important.

And in our opinion, that’s a shame. Buttons have been around for over 5,000 years and were first created in the Indus Valley Civilization. For thousands of years, from that moment to this, buttons have been an ever-present part of our world.

The History of National Button Week

Even though buttons have been around for thousands of years, National Button Week has only been around for a little over three decades. It was first created in 1989 by the National Button Society and has been observed during the third full week of March ever since.

Amazing Facts About Buttons

Since we’re discussing buttons, we thought it would be nice if everyone learned a little bit more about them. That’s why we decided to do some research and find some related button facts that will astound everyone, regardless of whether they’re a button collector or not. We’ve listed these amazing facts below:

• King Francis I of France wore approximately 13,600 gold buttons on a court costume.
• Buttons have been made from every imaginable material, including ivory, conch shells, and lead.
• Early settlers in North America used buttons to trade with Native Americans.
• It’s believed that King Louis XIV spent over half a million dollars on jeweled buttons.
• In China, buttons were often used to indicate rank.
• The first modern use of buttons occurred in Germany or France during the 13th century.

Observing National Button Week

We imagine that most people will probably not observe this holiday week. We get it. Not many people are interested in buttons. However, for those who are interested, this is a good week to start or add to a button collection, create arts and crafts using buttons, or join the National Button Society. It’s also a good week to spread the word about this week using the hashtag #NationalButtonWeek on social media.