Add Badges Documentation

design/badges/materials.md

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# Materials
+
+The vast majority of our badges are made with acrylic purchased from
+[Canal Plastics](https://www.canalplastic.com/) in New York. We have also
+made badges out of plywood from [Menards](https://www.menards.com/store-details/store.html?store=3511)
+in the past, and there are many opportunities for badge materials that remain
+unexplored, such as various metals and other random things that are safe to
+laser cut.
+
+We like acrylic because there are many different colors, variations, and
+effects available that can be used to make badges look unique. We also like
+that it is easy to work with and relatively inexpensive.
+
+## Acrylic
+
+Order from [Canal Plastics](https://www.canalplastic.com/)[^1]. They have a
+wide variety of colors and finishes available.
+
+> If you happen to take a trip to New York, stop by their physical store on
+> Canal St. and buy as many as you can fit in your suitcase. That way you
+> don’t have to pay for shipping, plus they offer student discounts if you
+> buy in person, so all in all it’s a lot cheaper.
+
+We typically use 1/16" thick acrylic for our badges. For badge cutting you
+should purchase either:
+
+- 2x 12" x 18" sheets (perfect for 90-110 badges)
+- 1x 12" x 18" sheet and 1x 12" x 12" sheet (perfect for 60-90 badges)
+
+We typically have a stockpile of acrylic in the office, so check if we can
+exhaust that before ordering more. If we do need to order more, we typically
+order eight days in advance to ensure that we have enough time to receive the
+acrylic before we need it.
+
+[^1]: While typically order from Canal Plastics, if it's an opaque or
+      transparent colors, try checking Amazon as it may have cheaper and
+      faster options. They often don't have the same variety of colors, but
+      they're good for last minute orders.