Embroidered patch, also known as a cloth badge, is a piece of embroidery which is created by using a fabric backing and thread. During the first half of the twentieth century they were commonly embroidered using a shiffli embroidery machine. High-speed, computerized machines have led to mass production.

There are various methods of affixing them to the fabric surface. Embroidered patches can be attached with a pin, sewn on, or affixed with more modern methods such as iron-on, dryer heat-activated adhesive, and Velcro backing.

Chenille is a type of fabric that is created by stitching piles of yarn or thread onto a backing fabric. The resulting fabric is soft and fuzzy and has a distinct textured look. Because chenille is often used for applique patches and other decorative elements, it can be quite profitable to produce. Once primarily used in letterman jackets (or varistiy jackets), chenille patches now have a variety of uses. You can add chenille patches to shirts and tees, jean, jackets, caps, and a whole lot of other clothing and accessories.

Woven patches are patches done by stitching a design with threads into a piece of fabric. They are made by interlocking threads of cotton or polyester - stitched together in the desired design then woven onto backing material like iron-on, sew-on or hook-and loop before being cut out with an atrractive border such as merrowed edges or heat sealed ones.

PVC patches are a modern alternative to the more common embroidered patch. Made of durable plastic, PVC comes in and endless array of colors that can bring your custom design to life with a look and feel that is unachievable with embroidery. PVC is one of the oldest man-made materials and has thousands of industrial uses,  discovered by the French chemist Henri Victor Renault 1835, PVC or Polyvinyl chloride is a type of plastic that has a smiliar feel to rubber and is valued for its durability. This plastic is softer than other types of plastic and is a common replacement of rubber.

TPU is the abbreviation of thermoplastic urethane. This material has excellent properties of high tension, high tensile strength, toughness and aging resistance. It is a mature envionmental protection material. TPU patches are created by modifying the hardware or software of existing TPUs. This can involve changing the chip's architecture, the type of memory used, or how the TPU is connected to the rest of the system. Alternatively, software modifications can be made to optimize the TPU for a specific task.

Printed patches are not made with thread at all. As the name suggests, they are actually made via printing directly onto the fabric. This gives you a photo-realistic, high-fidelity design. Print out your digital photo on the sawgrass SG1000 on a special piece of sublimation paper. Heat press your photo onto a piece of white patch material, then carefully remove the transfer paper. Next you will heat press a piece of Heat Spun to the back of the patch material.

The weave of a woven patch is created with a much thinner thread, just like a woven label. The thinner threads enable a tighter weave so there can be more detail in the work. The threads also provide cleaner lines and a flatter apperance, closer to a printed look. The thickness of the patch is also more streamlined and thin.

An embroidered patch is stitched more densely with a heavier embroidery thread, the threads make the patch feel thicker also gives off a certain lift and three dimensional look. This is a great option if you don't have a lot of text or detail on your patch and would like the overall classic look of an embroidered patch. 

So if your artwork is precise, has small details or has very find lettering, then you may consider woven patches as your best option.

Woven labels are typically made using a process called "jacquard weaving". Here are the general steps involved in creating a woven label:

Design creation: First, the label design is created on a computer. The design can include text, logos, and graphics. 

Loom set up: The design is then programmed into a speical loom that is set up with the specific yarn colors needed for the label.

Weaving: The loom weaves the design using the programmed pattern. The weaving process creates the label's texture and design. 

Cutting: Once the label is finished, it is cut off the loom and trimmed to the desired size.

Folding: The woven label may be folded in different ways, depending on it's intended use. For example, a clothing label may be folded in the middle and sewn into a seam, while a hang tag may be folded in thirds and attached to a product with a string.

Finishing: The woven label may undergo additional finishing processes, such as heat-cutting the edges to prevent fraying or adding an adhesive backing for easy application.

The finished label can then be sewn or otherwise attached to a product.

Woven labels are durable and long-lasting, making them a popular choice for branding and labeling various types of clothing and other products.

Printed labels are typically the cheapest choice of all since they are easy to print. Woven labels are made on a loom and need more care, which means they are more costly, and material need to be of more durable nature. Woven labels are costlier, but they differ on the intent and importance of the clothes.

1. Background color and embroidery thread color options:

1) Twill background: twill background make the logo looks 3D effect. background is recessed, logo is raised, but this background will make patch look thin.

2) Embroidery background: 100% embroidery background makes patch look thick and more details. We have hundreds of thread colors for you to choose from, so we can make any colors you want. Our twill and embroidery threads all tested with OEKO-TEX 100, you can safely use it.

2. Embroidery border options:

All of our patches will have one of these types of borders. They prevent the patch from fraying or unraveling and give the patch a good pronounced edge.

1) hot cut border: Heat cut borders are recommended on patches that are in complex shapes. This type of border is also called a hot cut or laser cut edge.

2) merrow border: A merrow border or " loop stitch" border is great for patches that have a more simple shape. This border also makes the patch feel thicker and more substantial.

3. Embroidery patch backing and accessories options:

1) No backing: Embroidered patches can be made without a backing. If fact, they start out that way. These patches will show the twill or threads on the backside of the patch, and are generally more flexible. Patches without backings do not have the same thickness or stiffness as patches with backing; therefore, the best occasion to order patches without backings is when they will be sewn onto garments or other types of fabrices.

2) Plastic backing: Plastic backing adds stiffness and support to the patch allowing it to stay flat over time while still leaving the patch thin enough to be sewn onto a garment. Stadri Emblems includes plastic backing at no extra charge. Plastic can be used with any patch, regardless of size, shape, or border type.  Plastic on the back of a custom patch will appear thin and matte. If you click the image above for a close-up, you will be able to subtly see the difference in texture in comparison to the non-backing patch shown in the "no backing" example.

3) Heatseal (iron-on)

backing: Heatseal allows patch application to your garment via home iron. Heatseal backings add stiffness to patches, allowing them to lay flat. Some patch companies rate their iron-on backing for 20-30 washes, while others, including Stadri, use more robust adhesives to achieve 50-80 washing cycles. When using heatseal, it is advisable to sew a few stitches to hold the patch in place. Heatseal doesn't work with nylon, and other synthetic fabrics.

Capturing the look of heatseal with a photograph is difficult; however, if you click on the image above and look closely, you'll see that heatseal gives the patch a shiny coating that will melt and adhere to the fabrice when heated.

4) Adhesive (Peel-and-Stick)

Backing: Adhesive in a sense turns your patch into an embroidered sticker. A glue is pressed onto the back of the patch, then is overlaid with paper to be peeled off at the time of use. An adhesive backing is a non-permanent option when applied to fabric or clothing; therefore, it is best for a single event. Although the glue is much stronger than what you will find on an average paper sticker, it will not withstand a cycly in the washing machine, and will also weaken over time. For permanent application, order your custom patches with plastic or no backing and sew them to your garments. The paper backing for adhesive patches can fit the shape of the patch or it can be oversized for quick and easy peeling and application.

5) Hook backing: Hook backing tends to be used in Military applications such as morale patches, where removing and reapplying patches happen frequently. If your uniform of garment already has a loop fastener area, one-sided hook is the best choice. One-sided hook is our most popular option, comprising upward of 95% of tactical orders. As you can see, we offer hook backing in other colors besides black, including but not limited to OD green, brown, and shade of gray.

6) Hook and loop backing: If your uniform or garments does not already have a loop fastener area, hook and loop is the best choice. This backing comes with both the hook and loop side. All you have to do is sew the loop fastener to your uniform.

7) Security backing: Security backing is a layer of thin plastic with your company name or any other  information you desire printed onto the plastic. If you are a reseller of patches this backing is ideal- if your customer ever forgets where his or her patches came from, the backing will be there as a reminder. Security backing also prevents theft and plagiarism of patches. Of course, it's only effective if the patch is not being affixed to a fabric.

8) Button loop backing: A loop of thread is attached to the back of the patch, creating a loop for a button to pass though. Although glued, they hold up extremely well- the only weight they are supporting is the weight of the patch. More often than not, the Boy Scouts of America and other Scouting organizations order their patches with button loops, allowing the patches to hand on a button of their uniforms.

It's easy. All you have to do is fill out a free quote. Send us your design and tell us how many patches you want to order. We'll reply within 1 day with a price and a production proof of your patch. Request any changes and order online or by telephone. If you don't have a design, we can help you create it for you, most of the time for free.

We do not have a minimum or maximum order. When you order through us, we can make as few or as many patches you need. Keep in mind the price per piece goes down as the quantities goes up.

If you have your own design, you can email us at sales@pin-elite.com or fill out a free quote and upload your image. We accept most types of formats, including .ai, .eps, .jpg, .png, .pdf, .doc, .docx, .bmp, and others.

If you don't have design, yes we can help you! all you have to do is sending us your ideas for your patch and we'll design a patch for you. 

We will send you a production proof, and you will be able to review and revise the design before you order.

We have more than 20 Tajima and Barudan embroidery machines imported from Japan. We offer many kinds of custom patches such as military patches, funny patches, velcro patches, woven patches, TPU patches, PVC patches and more. Excellent equipment and professional technical support us make very top quality patches. We guarantee each patch is subject to multiple checks. We insist on using the latest equipment to complete the most advanced designs. And also we provide our customers our best service as well as most reasonable prices.

Please contact Elite Patches. Choosing us is right choice!

1. Top-quality guarantee

2. Free sample

3. Timely delivery

4. Low market prices

5. Quality material - high quality threads and fabrics

We have been producing high quality embroidered patches for decades. As soon as we take a look at the artwork and the size of your desired patch, we will let you know if we think woven or embroidered patch will work best. If you are unsure of a woven or embroidered patch is the best option for you, we will send you samples, free of charge for your review. We will always make a sample of your custom patches for your approval before going into full production, so you will always know how your embroidered or woven patch will look.