Fashion
Types of Patches You Need to Know
Patches have a long history in fashion. Initially, they were signs of poverty, then they represented membership to counter-cultures.
Patches have now entered mainstream fashion consciousness, and people are loving them! They’re a great way to make your clothing more unique and share your interests, team memberships, or support causes you’re passionate about.
Keep reading to learn about the different types of patches you can choose from.
Sewn-On Patches
Sew-on patches are the most common. These patches are embroidered onto a cloth material. After you purchase the patch, you stitch it onto your clothing, bags, or hats. Make sure to stitch completely around the edges, not just in a few spots.
Sewing on patches is the most efficient method to keep them attached. They’re firmly fixed onto the material, so they’re not going anywhere unless you rip all the stitching.
Sewn-on patches give you a wider variety for the placement of your patches. As long as you can get a needle and thread through the material, you can get a patch onto it. This isn’t the case for other methods.
This is also the most common option if you want custom patches. When businesses are designing custom patches for you, they don’t typically include the glue for iron-on patches.
This means sewn-on patches are best for their durability, the variety of ways you can use them, and the options for custom patch designs. Check out these patches for tactical vest, jackets, or other uniform items.
Iron-On Patches
These patches are made in exactly the same way as sewn-on patches, but with a layer of plastic added underneath them. When heat is applied to the patch, it melts the plastic. This acts as a glue, sealing the patch against the material.
This is the easiest way to apply patches to clothing. But there are some problems with this method.
The plastic glue will damage a lot of clothing materials, so you can only use it on certain items. The glue is also known to un-stick after a few cycles through a washing machine. And once it peels off, it can leave an ugly residue on the material.
This means you’re more limited in patch options, clothing and accessory options, and the patch doesn’t stay on as long with this method.
Combination Approach
Some people use a combination method. They iron patches onto clothing or accessories and then stitch around the edges too.
This method works well because you don’t have to stitch as efficiently since the patch is already stuck on. But stitching adds an extra measure to keep the iron-on patch in place, which makes it last longer.
Choosing Between the Types of Patches
Your choice between the different types of patches will be determined by where you’re wanting to put the patch, and how unique you want it to be.
Patches are a great option to make your clothing and accessories more unique. Buy some patches today!
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Kenneth is a proud native of sydney, born and raised there. However, he pursued his education abroad and studied in Australia. Kenneth has worked as a journalist for almost a decade, making valuable contributions to prominent publications such as Yahoo News and The Verge. Currently, he serves as a journalist for The Hear Up, where he focuses on covering climate and science news. You can reach Kenneth at [email protected].
