Types Of Patches You Should Know About: Complete Guide

In the old era, only simple, plain patches were used to cover holes in torn clothes. Nowadays, you can find a variety of badges with elegant designs and limitless ideas. Badges have been transformed over the past years, and now people are wearing different types of patches to showcase their identity. What are those different types that can elevate your outfits? The questions may pop up in your mind. In this blog, you will explore the different types of emblems to enhance your apparel or pick the right one for your brand.

Patches are the classic yet trendy item of the fashionable industry that we all love. They can transform your apparel and accessories into new ones. You can easily use them on your old jackets, boring bag, worn jeans, and not-so-favorite cap. Applying them can add a fun element and give it new appeal and charm.

What Are Custom Patches?

Custom patches Singapore are the branded fabric made of embroidery, leather, PVC, or printing, which is customized with the logo, message, or artwork to attach to apparel or gear. Brands are adopting them for their premium feel instead of direct printing, and they hold up better over time, in the laundry, and to friction than printing.

The emblems make the uniform look like the actual uniform, not just a time, and it helps in recognition across teams and locations. They are scalable, which is why bulk purchase is popular for merchandise and uniforms. Emblems are used across various industries like hospitality, service business,  logistics, construction, events, retail, and healthcare teams. They offer collectible items for merchandise that does not require sizing.

Popular Types Of Patches

Understanding the types of emblems is crucial to choosing the right one for your needs. Whether customizing them for personal use, team logos, or promotional use, knowing the different types helps to pick the perfect one.

1.     Embroidered Patches

Embroidered badges are often known as the classic and traditional badges that offer raised thread texture with a premium feel. People choose them for their established look, and they are best for classic logo badges, jackets, hats, clubs, and uniforms. They are perfect for:

• Corporate uniforms
• Retail staff
• General merch
• Sports team
• Service team

2.     Woven Patches

Woven emblems are made with tiny threads that are woven together, offering a smooth finish, tight weave, and crisp lines. They are perfect for designing small text, clean logos, and fine details. You can choose them for:

• Name patches
• Minimalist designs
• Detailed logos

3.     PVC Patches

PVC badges provide a look of modern rubber style, are weather-resistant, and have clean edges. They are designed for outdoor gear, high-abrasion use, tactical, and backpacks. These are a good match for:

• Outdoor brands
• Bags and backpacks
• Tactical style gear
• Security and event teams
• Gym bags

4.     Chenille Patches

Chinelle badges have a fuzzy, plushy, and high-visibility texture. They are best for letterman jackets, large letters, varsity style, and premium merch. These can be perfectly designed for:

• Varsity jackets
• Premium merch
• Clubs
• Achievement emblems

5.     Leather Patches

Leather badges are crafted for high-end appeal, offering a clean, minimal, and textured appearance. They are often used for premium jackets, denim, lifestyle brands, and custom hat patches in Bedok. These are a perfect match for:

• Hat badges
• Workwear brands
• Denim jackets
• Boutique merch

6.     Printed Patches

Printed badges are popular for the images or multiple colors and gradients for a clean detail. They are best for sharp, full-color designs and modern merch. You can use them for designing:

• Art-heavy emblems
• Small runs
• Fast promotions

7.     Bullion Patches

Bullion badges are crafted with metallic threads and feature a rich texture and high-end finishes. They are best for crafting luxury, ceremonial, and premium clubs and awards. The good matches for bullion emblems are:

• Golf Clubs
• Awards and commemorative emblems
• High-end uniforms

8.     Sublimated Patches

Ink is directly fused into the fabric in sublimated emblems, offering a smooth and vibrant look. They are ideal for full color artwork, photo-like prints, and gradients. You can use it to design:

• Artwork-heavy brands
• Complex illustrations
• Detailed and intricate color designs

9.     Appliqué Patches

Appliqué badges use fabric pieces that are stitched together. They are perfect for a layered fabric look, sport designs, and bold shapes. These are used to make:

• Bold letter designs
• Premium layered aesthetics
• Large shapes on jackets

10.     Sequin Patches

Sequin looks like a reflective sparkle and high-attention badges. They are used in the fashion industry, for statement merch, and dance teams. You can use sequin badges for:

• Stage wear
• Limited edition merch drops
• Glam fashion

Patch Application Methods

The patch application methods depend on the type of backing attached. The following are the types of backing methods used for applying badges.

●       Sewn On Patches

These emblems are stitched with the threads on the fabric, providing permanent attachment with heavy materials. They are durable and can work on every fabric, but require time and sewing skills.

●       Iron-On Patches

The iron-on badges have glue on the back, which is placed on the fabric and applied with the heat-press. It offers a quick fix used for casual clothing. They are fast, easy, and don’t need stitching, but are less durable and can peel after 20-25 washes.

●       Velcro (Hook And Loop)

Hook is applied on the back and looped on the back to attach the patches. They are interchangeable emblems often used for tactical gear. These are removable and reusable, but due to their thickness, they can snag a delicate fabric.

●       Adhesive

Adhesives are used to attach the emblem to the fabric, but they are used for temporary branding or events. These are simple peel-and-stick applications, but not ideal for permanent or long-term use.

Choosing The Right Type Of Patch For Your Brand

Choosing the right type of patch is crucial, according to the purpose, usability, feel, and environment. Here are the situations for choosing the right type of emblems.

1. For High Detail and Small Text: You should prefer printed or woven badges.
2. For Vintage And Varsity Look: It is ideal to pick chenille emblems for a luxurious and rich feel.
3. For Durability and Weather Resistance: Choose sew-on embroidery or PVC badges to prevent wear and tear.
4. For Premium And Luxury Feel: Prefer leather or bullion patches for an elegant and appealing outfit look.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.     Which patch type is most durable?

PVC patches are the most durable type as they are waterproof and resistant to extreme temperatures and mud. Sewn-embroidery badges are also durable for clothing.

2.     How to choose between woven and embroidered?

It is ideal to choose woven for fine details, small text, and a flat finish. Choose embroidery badges for a raised, traditional, and textured appearance.

3.     Can I wash all patches in the machine?

Sewn emblems can easily be washed in a machine, but iron-on badges, when washed in a machine regularly, start peeling and can be reinforced with stitches.

4.     What is the standard size of a patch?

Most of the patches are between the sizes of 2 and 5 inches, while the standard size for a prominent logo is usually 3.5 inches.

The Bottom Line

Custom patches may look simple, but the purpose behind them matters for choosing the right type. If you choose the right type of patch along with the right backing, you will get the right product that will be premium and last longer. Personalized badges are used on the uniforms, promotional merchandise, team identity, or hats.

The most popular type of badges is embroidered for a traditional look, woven badges for a fine look, PVC for durability, chenille for fuzzy texture, and leather for a rich and premium appearance. Printed emblems for images, bullion for metallic threads and rich texture, sublimated for a smooth and vibrant look, appliqué for a layered fabric look, and sequins for close attention.

You can apply emblems through the method of sew-on, iron-on, velcro, or adhesive. Choose the right type, like for intricate detail choose printed or woven, for durability prefer PVC or stitching embroidery, for vintage pick chenille, and for a premium feel choose bullion or leather.