Patches are a great way to personalise any fashion piece, you have an idea, now to find out how to make custom patches!
Patches are a great product, weather you're adding patches as a fun low-cost item to your store, upgrading your event or want advertise some merchandise, you can find a patch to fit you. It isn’t enough to slap any old patch on a t-shirt and call it stylish – only the right patches will drive traffic and profit in your store.
Patches aren't created equal, so makes up a great patch and how to create a winning patch? here is an easy guide to join the huge patch community.
WHAT MAKES UP A GREAT PATCH?
While most patches do serve the same basic function, there are many different types of patches out there and different patches are good for different purposes. Here are just a few features that make up a winning patch:
Thoughtful Design
Unique, thoughtful design is crucial when it comes to a patch. You’ll want to make sure the colors are vibrant, the composition isn’t too busy, and any words are clear and readable. (Not a designer? Don’t worry we have a talented artist team that creates your idea for free with your order*)
High-Quality Materials
Create with polyester, twill, felt, black ballistic, nylon, camouflage, chenille, leather, PVC (to name a few of our options) when it comes to the materials your patch is made out of, you have a lot of options. The best material for your patch will depend on what sort of look you’re going for. For example, embroidered patches typically have a more classic look, while chenille patches have a fun, fuzzy look. Choose material that looks high-quality and matches the aesthetic you’re going for.
Durable Backing
Once your patch is on, you need to make sure it stays on. A great patch will have durable, reliable backing – ideally, backing that’s easy for your customers to apply. In addition to the classic iron-on backing, you’ll also find patches with velcro, adhesive, thin plastic, magnetic, or even pin backing.
Production Quality
When it comes to actually bringing your patch design to life, you’ll generally work with a manufacturer like us (Unless you’re super crafty and only need a very small amount!). Look for a custom patch manufacturer with great reviews, excellent customer service, and proven results. Important: before placing any order we provides a photo proof/sample for your approval.
Affordability
We make creating custom patches affordable, ethical and fast, wether you have a big budget and are looking to show off your brand or need something simple to grow your store simply ask us what option would work best for you. Every order comes with free shipping and no hidden fees (something that is not common).
Usefulness
Make sure the patches you’re selling actually fill a specific purpose. (And yes, style or decoration is a purpose!) You want your customers to see the patches you’re selling and immediately have an idea for what they’d put them on or how they’d use them in their everyday life.
+ Remember: What makes a winning patch for a store or project, might not necessarily be a winning patch for you. The best patches aren’t just beautiful, they fill a specific need your target market.
How to Create a Winning Custom Patch
Nowadays, creating a custom patch is easier than ever. You don’t need to have a huge budget, a sewing machine or even be a designer! All you need is the right idea and the right manufacturer to partner with. Here are the steps to creating a great custom patch:
1. Know your audience
If you’re going to invest your time and money into creating patches, you want to be certain there’s a market for it. Search online for favourite stores or marketplaces like Etsy and Amazon, and after some research you should have a good idea of who you’re making your patches for and how they might use them.
If you already have a store and a customer/fan base, think about the sort of products that have performed well in the past and prepare to create patches in a similar style. You might even consider asking your community first! If you haven’t started selling any products yet, brainstorm about the sort of brand and company you want to create and who you think might purchase your patches or custom apparel.
2. Choose the type of custom patch
We offer a large range of custom patches, chose from:
- Custom Embroidered Patches – The most classic patches, with a fabric backing and high-quality treading. Embroidered patches are great for high-contrast designs.
- Custom Woven Patches – Thin threads and a tight weave allow for a high-resolution finished product, making these patches ideal for designs that require crisp details.
- Custom Printed Patches – Photo-realistic depictions of your design, with more color options available than any other patch type offers.
- Custom Bullion Patches – 3D patches featuring tight wire stitching, making them extremely durable and artistic.
- Custom Chenille Patches – Fluffy patches that are ideal for larger designs and a fun, textured look.
- Custom Leather Patches – High-quality, vintage-looking leather patches that instantly elevate any apparel or accessory product.
- Custom PVC Patches – 3D rubberized patches that look totally unique and can weather any elements.
3. Design your patch
Time to get creative! If you’re not a designer, we offer free, expert designers at no extra cost to you. Simply describe your vision the best you can and we’ll help you bring it to life. If you're a designer and wanting to find a way to design a patch we recommend the tools below:
- Free photo editor by Pixlr
- Easy background removal by Clipping Magic (popular)
- Vectorise by Vector Magic
- Edit vector images by Vecteezy
- Canva suite (popular)
- Coraldraw suite (popular)
- Illustrator (Apple iPad) Illustrator (PC) by Adobe (popular)
- Photoshop (Apple iPad) Photoshop (PC) by Adobe
- Procreate by Savage (Apple iPad) (popular)
Here are a few patch-specific design tips to keep in mind as you sketch:
- Keep it simple. Since patches are usually rather small, make sure your design isn’t too cluttered or overly detailed. When it comes to your patch, less is more!
- Make sure any text is readable. Again, your patch will likely be on the smaller side, and small or delicate text is difficult to recreate with a traditional embroidery process. Make any words you include as big and thick as you can.
- Be smart about colors. Contrasting colors will make your patch really stand out. Choose bold, contrasting colors or a classic black and white for maximum impact.
- Get inspired. Your patch design should be unique, but that doesn’t mean you can’t gather inspiration from all over the place. If you’re feeling stuck, scroll through Instagram, Pinterest, and Etsy for patch design ideas – then, add your own twist on them!
4. Approve a design mockup
After completing your order but before shipping out all of your patches, you’ll have the chance to approve a mockup of your patch design. If everything looks great, you’ll move forward with the initial quoted timeline - if you’d like to make any tweaks, you can request editing at no additional cost. You’ll be able to go through as many revisions as it takes for you to feel completely satisfied before moving forward with production.
5. Make & ship
Once you’ve approved the design, you’re in business! Exact turnaround times will vary depending on the type of patch you’ve selected and how many patches you’ve ordered, but you’ll be able to track your order every step of the way.
We offer free Global shipping, or expedited shipping items if you’re in a bit of a rush. With a 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can rest assured that your patches will turn out as beautiful as you’d imagined.
That’s all there is to it! With Yourstuffmade and a little business savvy, it’s possible to create a high-quality, super-selling custom patch online, at a low cost. Once you receive your custom patches, all that’s left is to sell, promote and share with your community!
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