Quantity
The largest lever by far. Setup is a fixed cost spread across the run, so a thousand pieces can cost a fraction per unit of what fifty do. If you are near a break point, ask — we will tell you where it sits.
Patch Guidebook
Everything worth knowing
Everything worth knowing
before you order patches
A reference, not a sales page. Sizes that actually work on real garments, which construction suits which artwork, how the backings differ, what moves the price, and how to make the thing survive a laundry cycle.
- 01 Sizing What size to order for each placement.
- 02 Choosing a construction Match the patch type to the artwork.
- 03 Backings How it attaches, and what fails where.
- 04 What drives the price The four levers that move a quote.
- 05 Artwork prep What to send and what we fix.
- 06 Care & washing Keeping a patch looking new.
Chapter one
Size it to the garment, not to the artwork
The most common ordering mistake is scaling a patch to look right on a screen. Measure the actual placement on the actual garment first — the numbers below are what those placements normally take.
| Placement | Typical size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Left chest | 2.5" – 3.5" wide | The default corporate and uniform placement. |
| Cap front | 2" – 2.5" wide | Height is the real constraint — keep under 2". |
| Sleeve | 3" – 4" tall | Curve-sensitive; avoid wide rigid shapes. |
| Jacket back | 8" – 12" wide | Sew-on only at this size. |
| Varsity letter | 5" – 8" tall | Chenille standard for a letterman jacket. |
| Bag or backpack | 3" – 5" wide | Velcro if it needs to come off. |
| Name tape | 4" × 1" | Woven — embroidery closes up at this height. |
Chapter two
Let the artwork pick the construction
Every construction has one thing it is genuinely best at and one thing it cannot do. Start from what your design contains and the choice usually makes itself.
| If your design has… | Choose | Because |
|---|---|---|
| A photograph or gradients | Sublimated | The only construction with unlimited colour blending. |
| Text under 6 pt | Woven | A finer weave than embroidery can hold. |
| Bold shapes on a varsity jacket | Chenille | Plush pile reads from across a hall. |
| Rain, mud, salt or UV | PVC | Solid rubber, no fabric to soak or rot. |
| A heritage, hand-made feel | Leather | Debossing ages into the garment. |
| Stage lighting to catch it | Sequin | Movement and shine no flat patch gives. |
| None of the above | Embroidered | The most forgiving, most durable default. |
Chapter three
The backing decides how it fails
Backing is where most patch complaints actually originate — the patch is fine, it is just attached the wrong way for the fabric underneath it.
| Backing | Works on | Avoid on |
|---|---|---|
| Iron-on | Cotton, poly-cotton, canvas | Nylon, waterproof shells, leather |
| Sew-on | Anything, especially denim and leather | Nothing — it is the safe answer |
| Velcro | Tactical gear, bags, swappable kit | Fine or lightweight fabrics |
| Heat press | Bulk uniform runs, flat panels | Home application without a press |
Chapter four
Four things move the number
Patch pricing is not mysterious. Four variables account for nearly all of it, and three of them are under your control.
Size
Priced by area, not by width. Going from 2" to 3" square more than doubles the material and stitch time, so trimming half an inch off a large order is real money.
Colour count and coverage
More thread colours mean more machine changes; more embroidered area means more stitches. A design with an unstitched twill background costs less than one stitched wall to wall.
Backing and border
The smallest lever. Velcro and heat-press cost slightly more than plain sew-on; laser cutting costs slightly more than a merrowed edge. Pick these for the job, not for the price.
Chapter five
Send what you have, not what you think we need
People delay orders for weeks trying to produce a vector file. You do not need one — but if you have these things to hand, the first mockup lands closer to right.
- The finished size in inches, and where on the garment it goes
- Pantone (PMS) references if your brand has them
- A photo of the garment, especially its colour and fabric
- Any text that must stay readable at final size
- A deadline, if you have a real one
Chapter six
How to not ruin it in the wash
A well-made patch outlives the garment it is on, provided nobody puts an iron directly on its face.
Embroidered & woven
Machine wash cold, inside out, gentle cycle. Air dry where you can. They tolerate industrial laundering, which is why uniforms use them.
Chenille
Hand wash or spot clean, air dry, and never iron the face — heat flattens the pile permanently and it does not come back.
PVC
Wipe with a damp cloth. It is solid rubber, so it can be hosed down or submerged without any effect at all.
Leather
Keep it dry, spot clean only, and condition the leather occasionally if the garment sees sun. Never machine wash.
Sequin
Hand wash cold, lay flat to dry. Sequins snag, so turn the garment inside out if it goes anywhere near a machine.
Sublimated
Machine wash cold, inside out. The print is in the fibre rather than on top of it, so it will not crack or peel.
Still not sure?
Describe the job. We will tell you what it needs.
Tell us the garment, the artwork and the quantity. You will get a straight recommendation — including when the cheaper option is the right one.