Embroidered Patches: Sizes, Backings and Borders Explained

Patches solve a problem that printed shirts do not. Print a logo on a shirt and the logo is stuck to that shirt forever. Put the same logo on a patch and it moves — onto jackets, caps, bags, aprons and workwear — and it still looks sharp after the garment underneath has been through a hundred washes.

They are also the cheapest way to make cheap clothing look deliberate. A plain work jacket with a well-made chest patch reads as a uniform. The same jacket with a flat screen print reads as a giveaway.

Ordering patches means answering four questions: size, border, backing and coverage. Get those right and the rest is artwork.

1. Size

Patch size is quoted as the average of width and height. A patch 4 inches wide and 2 inches tall is sold as a 3 inch patch — which matters, because that average is what you are charged on.

2. Border: merrowed or hot-cut?

Merrowed borders are a thick overlocked thread edge wrapped around the patch. It is the classic finish — think military and varsity patches. It only works on simple shapes: circles, squares, shields, ovals.

Hot-cut (sometimes called laser-cut or die-cut) borders are cut with a heated blade that seals the edge. This allows the patch to follow the exact outline of your logo, including letters, spikes and irregular shapes.

3. Backing: how it attaches

• Sew-on (no backing) — the most durable and the most permanent. Standard for uniforms and anything washed often. Costs nothing extra but needs someone to sew it.
• Iron-on (heat seal) — a glue film on the back. Fast and cheap, good for cotton and denim. It will not hold reliably on nylon, waterproof fabric or anything stretchy, and it loosens over many hot washes. For a garment you wash weekly, iron on and then tack the edge with a few stitches.
• Velcro (hook and loop) — removable. Essential for tactical gear, service uniforms and anywhere one jacket needs interchangeable patches. The most expensive option.
• Adhesive (peel and stick) — for one-off events and temporary use. It is not a laundry-safe option, so treat it as disposable.
• Button loop — a fabric loop so the patch hangs from a button or strap. Niche, but useful for bags and lanyard-style display.

Browse custom embroidered patches

4. Embroidery coverage

Coverage is how much of the twill backing fabric is covered in stitching, and it is the main driver of price after size.

• 50–75% coverage — your design is stitched and the background twill shows through. Cheaper, lighter, more flexible, and the twill colour becomes part of the design. Good when your logo sits on a solid background anyway.
• 100% coverage — the entire patch is stitched, with no fabric visible. Richer and more substantial, and the only choice if your design needs a background colour that twill does not come in. Costs more and the patch is stiffer.

If your logo is a mark on a white or black field, 50–75% on matching twill looks just as good as 100% and saves money.

Thread colours and matching your brand

Embroidery thread comes in fixed colour ranges — most suppliers work from a standard thread chart. Thread cannot be mixed like ink, so your brand colour is matched to the nearest available thread rather than reproduced exactly.

Supply your Pantone codes and ask the supplier to confirm the closest thread match on the proof. Most patches use between three and eight thread colours; beyond that the design is usually too complex for the size.

Alternatives worth knowing

• Woven patches — made on a loom with much finer thread. They hold far more detail and small text than embroidery, and sit flat rather than raised. Choose woven when your logo is intricate.
• PVC / rubber patches — moulded instead of stitched. Waterproof, hard-wearing, modern looking, and good for outdoor gear.
• Chenille patches — the fuzzy varsity-letter style. Big, bold, low detail.
• Leather patches — debossed or laser-engraved, popular on caps and workwear for a heritage feel.

If your logo keeps failing the detail rule at the size you need, woven is almost always the answer.

What patches cost

Patches are priced by size, coverage and quantity, and the per-unit price drops sharply with volume. Typical US ranges for a 3 inch embroidered patch:

Most suppliers include digitising (converting your logo to a stitch file) free with the order, but confirm it — where it is charged separately it is typically a one-off $30–60. Velcro backing usually adds roughly 20–30 cents per patch. These are market ranges for budgeting, not quotes.

Artwork checklist

• Send vector artwork (.ai, .eps, .svg) where possible.
• State the finished size you want, in inches, as width x height.
• Include Pantone codes for thread matching.
• Simplify gradients — thread cannot fade between colours, so each shade becomes a separate solid block.
• Check the smallest text against the 0.2 inch rule before you send it.
• Always approve the digital proof, and read the spelling on the proof rather than assuming it matched your file.

Using patches well

Patches work best as part of a consistent look rather than as a standalone giveaway. A chest patch on staff jackets, the same mark on caps, and a matching booth setup makes a three-person business read as a real operation.

Pair them with custom t-shirts for your team, and see our trade show giveaway list for what to hand out alongside them.

Final thoughts

For most businesses: a 3 inch hot-cut patch with sew-on backing and 75% coverage, ordered 100 at a time, is the practical default. It holds a logo and a short name, attaches permanently, survives the wash, and costs a couple of dollars.

Spend the extra on 100% coverage and a merrowed border only when the patch itself is the product — club colours, heritage branding, something people collect.

Design your patches