PATCH BUYING ADVICE.
These are the questions that come up once you have decided to order something but not yet decided what. Which construction holds your artwork, how a backing actually attaches, what changes when a design gets smaller, how to care for a patch after it is applied. The material and guide pages cover the buying decisions; these articles go narrower, into the specific problems those pages do not have room for.
EXPLORE BY CATEGORY

Manufacturing
How patches are actually made, from artwork review through stitching, molding and inspection.
1 ARTICLE
PVC Guides
Molded PVC: 2D and 3D relief, detail limits, and how it differs from silicone and rubber.
1 ARTICLE
Design & Artwork
Preparing artwork that survives production, including small type, gradients and generated images.
1 ARTICLE
Business & Branding
Planning patch orders as part of a brand, a program or a merchandise release.
1 ARTICLE
Materials
Choosing between the nine constructions, and what each one can and cannot hold.
1 ARTICLE
Woven Patch Guides
Fine flat thread, small lettering, and where woven beats embroidery.
1 ARTICLE
Backing & Attachment
How patches attach: heat, stitching, hook-and-loop, adhesive, magnets, pins and loops.
1 ARTICLE
Care
Looking after patches after they are applied, organized by construction and attachment.
1 ARTICLEPOPULAR THIS MONTH

How Embroidered Patches Are Made
5 min read
PVC, Silicone and Rubber Terms
4 min read
How to Design a Custom Patch
5 min read
Planning Patches for a Team
4 min read
Thread Choices for Patch Color
4 min readFREE RESOURCES
Download our most popular resources and templates.