What Drives the Price of a Custom Patch
There is no price list on this page and there is not going to be one. A patch price is the result of six or seven variables interacting, and any number published without knowing them would be either useless or misleading.
What this page does instead is name every variable, say which direction it moves the price, and tell you exactly what to send so the quote you get back is real. Read it and you will know which of the variables you can change if the quote comes back higher than you hoped. Coverage and color count are the two most people do not realize are adjustable.
The other half of a price is scope. A quote should tell you more than a number, and if it does not tell you what is being made, at what size, in what construction and with which backing, you cannot compare it to another one meaningfully.
Visual cost drivers
Change one variable at a time.
Size
Finished dimensions change both the material area and the production time.
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Coverage
Open twill and dense raised stitching represent very different amounts of machine work.
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Material
Embroidery, woven thread, PVC and printing solve the same artwork in different ways.
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Border
The outline and construction decide whether an edge is rolled, stitched or precision cut.
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Backing
Sew-on, heat-seal and hook-and-loop backs add different materials and finishing steps.
Explore this decision →In order of impact
What Moves the Number
These are the variables, in roughly the order they matter. Quantity and size do most of the work; the rest adjust it. None of them is a surcharge in the sense of a line item added afterward, because they are all part of what the piece is.
| Driver | Effect | Can you change it? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | The largest single factor in unit price. The setup work is the same whether we make one or a thousand, so it is spread across fewer pieces on a small run. | One piece to a run of thousands |
| Finished size | More material and more production time. Size also changes what is possible, so a larger patch sometimes solves a detail problem rather than only costing more. | A two-inch badge to a twelve-inch back panel |
| Construction | Each is a different process with different inputs. There is no single cheapest construction, because the answer changes with size and quantity. | Embroidered, woven, printed, molded, chenille, leather |
| Coverage and complexity | In thread constructions, how much of the base is covered is real production work. In molded ones, the number of distinct color areas does the same job. | Partial coverage to a fully covered design |
| Colors | Meaningful in thread and molded work, where each color is a separate operation. Effectively free in printing, where color count does not change the process. | Two colors to the construction's limit |
| Backing and hardware | Fitted during production rather than added afterward. Hardware-based options cost more than a film, and a mating loop field is a separate item. | No backing, heat film, hook, magnets, pin fittings |
| Deadline | A rush request is reviewed against your quantity, construction and destination before it is confirmed, and it affects scheduling rather than being a fixed premium. | Standard delivery or a reviewed rush |
The other half of the price
What a Complete Quote Should State
A quote should tell you more than a number. Here is what ours states, and what you should expect from anyone else's. If a quote does not tell you these things, you cannot compare it to another one meaningfully.
| Quote line | Notes |
|---|---|
| The first digital proof and one revision | Included with a patch order. Nothing is made until you approve it. |
| Vector conversion and digitizing | Included with a patch order. Standalone file work, ordered without a patch, is quoted separately. |
| Setup | No separate setup fee on a patch order. The setup work is why small runs cost more per piece. |
| US shipping | Free. Worldwide shipping is quoted, and Liberty pays duties and taxes on international orders. |
| A physical sample | Included once your order is confirmed and paid. A sample bought on its own first is credited in full against an order placed within 30 days. |
| Inspection | First-piece approval and inspection of every piece afterward. Defects or a material mismatch against the approved proof are remade. |
Before you commit
Commercial Checkpoints
Three commercial facts worth knowing before you commit, all of which sit in the quote rather than in the fine print.
Expiration date
A quote is valid for 14 days. After that, materials, quantities and scheduling may have moved, so we requote rather than honoring a stale number.
Payment milestone
Payment follows proof approval rather than the quote. Smaller orders are paid in full after you approve the proof; larger orders are split, with a portion after approval and the balance before shipping. The exact threshold is set out in your quote and in the terms.
Repeat-order basis
An exact repeat run is 10% off. Exact means the art, size, color, material and construction are all unchanged. Change any of those and it is a new piece rather than a reorder, which is worth knowing before you adjust something small.
Our process
The complete order sequence
Six stages. Three need action from you. Liberty Patches handles the rest.
for a brighter
tomorrow.
Before production
Your input helps Liberty Patches get every detail right.
- You
Share the brief
Artwork in whatever state it is in, the quantity, finished size, placement and date needed. There is no minimum.
- Liberty Patches
Review construction
Liberty Patches checks the design against the construction, redraws rough artwork, and includes vector conversion or digitizing with a patch order.
- You
Confirm the quote
The quote confirms size, construction, backing and quantity. Valid for 14 days. A quote is a price, not a commitment.
- You
Approve the proof
A digital proof shows size, colors, border and backing. Nothing is made before approval.
Production starts after this approval.
After approval
Liberty Patches handles the rest.
- Liberty Patches
Produce and inspect
Production follows approval and payment. The first piece is checked before the rest continues, and every piece is inspected afterward.
- Liberty Patches
Dispatch and receive
Finished patches are packed and shipped by UPS or FedEx. Tracking is sent by email or SMS where available.
