How to choose between custom embroidered patches and direct embroidery

How often have you walked into a store and found it challenging to find the right staff for your unique needs? You must have discovered it annoyed, frustrated, or angry unable to find the designated staff for the particular issue. All the mentioned emotions multiply when you are in a rush. It is detrimental to the business, customers are the greatest brand ambassadors, and when they are unsatisfied, you get little business or referrals. According to market research, satisfied and loyal costumes are five times more likely to purchase and four times more likely to refer. What’s the solution? You can use direct embroidery or custom embroidered patches for your employees. Both these methods will help customers and ingrain a sense of belonging to your organization. But, which one of the mentioned methods is better for your business? Read the blog to find out: 

What are custom embroidered patches? 

An embroidered patch is a piece of cloth with embroidery made using threads and fabric backing. People have used them for various purposes for a long time. It started as an item to repair torn clothes and later for decorations. During the 1800s, the military used patches for displaying names, ranks, missions, accomplishments, etc. Later, motorcycle clubs started using them, and now businesses and organizations use custom patches for branding, showing their stand, or growing awareness for relevant issues. 

Embroidered patches are one of the most popular types of patches. We create them with different stitches like run, satin, or tatami directly onto the fabric to make elaborate and precise designs. An under-stitching or flat stitching is sewn to keep the design linings from raising out from the surface. 

The process creates clear, and precise designs, so they are pretty popular. The stitches create nice, sharp edges and lay flat on the clothes. They are suitable for logos and brief messages; they bring out the natural character and add class to your products. The patches are ideal for wearable merch like caps, t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, uniforms, etc. 

Backings and edges: 

You can create custom embroidery patches with or without backing. However, if there is no backing, the patches will show twill and lose threads. It also provides stiffness and support to make them stay firm for a long time. 

Satin edge: A stitched border is embroidered on the patch directly; it leaves the patch edge neat and trimmed. If you want to create a direct embroidery look, it is a suitable method. 

Merrowed Edge: The patches are locked; it adds weight and durability to the patches. It eliminates the possibility of ragged or frayed edges. 

Laser-cut edges are also known as hot-cut borders. They are the most common border type in embroidered patches, making reliable borders with different thicknesses. People use the same colored threads to make these patches. 

Backings: 

• Iron-on is also called heat-sealed patches. They apply to apparel using heat. These backings allow your custom embroidery patches to be firm and stay stiff to avoid wilting over a period. However, these patches don’t work with synthetic fabrics like nylon. 

• Sew-on backings are helpful for a permanent fix. You can accomplish it either manually or with sewing machines. The patches remain firm and in place after washing; you can unstitch and use them on different apparel after unstitching. 

• Velcro patches come with a hook and loop system; we sew the hook on the patch and the loop on the fabric. They are pretty easy to use and are helpful for fast application. 

Fabrics: 

• Felt is among the most popular choices for custom embroidery patches because it doesn’t fray like other fabrics. These also need minimal edge finishing, and you don’t have to worry about stitches becoming loose; you also get a wide variety of colors. 

• Twill is a sturdy fabric made from weaving; they produce high-quality custom embroidery patches. It is the number one choice for creating smaller patches. You get sealed edges and iron-on or sew them onto apparel. They are suitable for creating patches with alphabets or numbers. 

What is custom embroidery? 

It is creating designs on the fabric using needles and threads. The designs can be simple or complex; using single or multi-colors depending on your requirements. If you can lay the apparel flat, you can embroider easily. Of all the different available methods of apparel embellishments, they consider embroidery, adding sophistication and class to materials. 

Process: 

We can divide the embroidery process into the following steps: 

• Image digitization: Most of the process is primarily automatic and starts with converting the image into stitch data. It is a machine-understandable language. 
• Instructing the machine: We load the data and threads onto the machine; it stitches according to the code.  
• Hooping the fabric is necessary to keep the material in place during the sewing process. 
• We carry a test out to see whether the machine is stitching according to the instructions. 
• Stitching: After the sample comes out of satisfying quality, we start the stitching process. 
• Finishing: After the embroidery is complete, we check it for loose or frayed threads. 

Now that you know about both of them, you can choose to accord to your requirements:

• Versatile: Custom embroidered patches are more versatile than custom embroidery. You can apply it to any clothing like jackets, hats, t-shirts, hoodies, etc. more easily than embroidery. 

• Budget-friendly: Custom embroidered patches are easy to produce with the latest machines in bulk than embroidery. You can also add more details on the patches compared to embroidery. 

• Collectible: You can remove and use the patches from one apparel to another; people also collect the patches as a hobby. Since they embed embroidery designs into the material, you can’t remove them. Once the cloth is ripped, the embroidery becomes useless. 

• Fashionable: Custom patches are more trendy than embroidery. 

However, there are situations when someone will choose embroidery over embroidered patches. 

• When you have expensive apparel like golf shirts. 
• When you don’t plan on removing and reusing the patches.

Conclusion: 

For branding and versatility, custom embroidered patches are better. You can create for your employees and help customers. They can contact the relevant person after seeing the patches on their uniform or caps. But, you need high-quality and durable patches to enhance customer experience and branding. EverLighten has over eighteen years of experience making custom patches for startups, large companies, nonprofits, sports teams, colleges, universities, celebrities, etc. 

EverLighten is thankful to create custom patches and flannel shirts for the NBA. The artwork was complicated and had high-quality standards. After a long communication, our team understood their requirements. We created the mock-ups for free and sent them. They were surprised and delighted with the quality and asked us to move forward. We manufactured over 20,000 custom patches with precise detail. You can check the story at https://everlighten.com/blogs/success-stories/nba-sports-and-teams-1. 

Fast turnaround time: They provide the quickest turnaround time for every order. 

24*7 support: Customers can contact them 24*7 for their queries resolution; they reply within half an hour. 

Real people, fabulous service: EverLighten loves helping; they offer various options. 

Free design help and unlimited customization: Your patch design will look as you imagined with support from in-house designers.  

No minimum order requirement: You can order any number of patches you need; they accept every order without a minimum limit. 

Worldwide shipping: They deliver worldwide, and customers can track their orders online with an order tracking tool.For more information, queries and design, visit https://everlighten.com/products/custom-embroidered-patches.