Frequently Asked Questions

Send us your existing patch, logo, or a sketch along with the size and quantity you need. We'll provide a prompt, no-obligation price quote by email or phone. Once you approve your design, we manufacture and ship your order. You can request a quote online or call 800-543-5441.

You can send an existing patch, a digital logo file, or a photo or rough sketch of your idea. Don't worry about the file format — send whatever you have and we'll work with it. With four generations of embroidery expertise, our team will help turn it into a finished patch.

Yes — our minimum order for custom patches is 50 pieces. Stock patches have a lower 25-piece minimum. When you request a quote, an approximate quantity is all we need; we'll quote you a range so you can choose the quantity that works best for your budget.

Yes. We can produce a pre-production sample of your actual design so you can see and approve it before we run the full order. Pre-production samples carry a fee — just ask and we'll include the cost in your quote.

Please allow approximately 28 days, depending on the season — we'll confirm the timeframe when we quote your order. If you have a specific event or deadline, tell us up front and we'll let you know what's possible.

Yes — we serve customers across the United States and ship nationwide. A shipping and handling charge is added to your order; we'll include it when we quote you so there are no surprises.

Pricing depends on the size of the patch, the quantity, the colors, and how much detail or embroidery coverage the design has. Larger quantities and simpler designs generally cost less per piece, and many customers find our pricing beats what they were paying before. Just give us an approximate quantity and we'll quote you a range. If budget is a concern, tell us when you request a quote — we can suggest ways to adjust the design or quantity to bring the price down. Request a no-obligation quote to get your pricing.

No. We do not charge a setup fee or any other production fees. The only additional charge is a small shipping and handling fee.

You can pay by check or credit card. We can also invoice your department; payment terms are arranged with each customer, so just ask when you order.

Yes. We accept purchase orders from departments, agencies and organizations. Include your PO number when you place your order.

Yes. If your department or organization is tax-exempt, send us a copy of your exemption certificate with your order.

Yes. We'll send a W-9 on request so your agency can set us up as a vendor. Just ask by email or phone.

We make custom embroidered patches for police, sheriff, and law enforcement, fire departments and EMS, military units and veterans, and clubs, scouts, schools, teams, and businesses.

No. We make patches for departments, organizations and the uniform shops that supply them, not for individual collectors.

Embroidery is a different medium than print, so a patch won't match your artwork pixel-for-pixel — fine gradients, very small lettering, and intricate detail behave differently in thread than on a screen. That's where four generations of experience matter: we adapt your design so it reproduces cleanly and looks its best as an embroidered patch, and you approve the design before we run the full order.

We match the colors in your design as closely as possible to our embroidery thread colors. Please be aware that computer monitors and printers display colors differently, so what you see on your screen may not exactly reflect the final thread colors. If you have specific colors that must be matched, let us know when you request your quote.

We can help tweak or modify a design you already have, but we don't provide full graphic-artist services to create a brand-new design from nothing. If you have a logo, sketch, or even a rough idea, send it over and we'll guide you from there. For a completely new design, a graphic artist can prepare artwork that we can then turn into a patch.

Unfortunately, no. A patch is made by taking your original artwork, sketch, or idea and creating a pattern specifically for our embroidery machines — there's no intermediate step that produces a standard image or vector file you could use in photo or design software. If you need digital artwork of your emblem for a website, sign, or print, a graphic artist can create that for you.

Yes. Send us a sample of the patch you'd like reproduced and we'll match it as closely as possible. We'll return your sample after production if you'd like it back — just let us know.

Yes. The absolute minimum lettering height we can embroider is 1/8″, but at that size letters are more of a representation than fully legible text. For lettering that reads clearly, we recommend at least 1/4″ tall.

A thermoplastic backing comes standard on all our patches — it adds support and durability while staying thin enough to sew through. From there, you can add iron-on or hook-and-loop (Velcro) backing, or keep it as a standard sew-on patch. Patches can be made in any custom shape, size, and thread color, with a merrowed (rolled, ravel-proof) border or a laser-cut border, and partial or 100% embroidery coverage.

We finish every patch with a merrowed (ravel-proof) border or a laser-cut border (also called hot-cut). A merrowed border wraps the edge in thread for a classic, raised, ravel-proof look. A laser-cut border gives a thin, precise edge that follows any custom shape.

On a twill background patch, solid-color areas of the design are left as the twill fabric itself showing through — no stitching in those spots. On a fully embroidered patch, the entire surface is covered with stitching, including those background areas, for a richer, more textured look. Both options reproduce your design with the same detail; it's simply a style choice.

For most customers, patches are the better value. Direct embroidery onto a garment is a labor-intensive, more expensive process, and it commits you to embroidering each item individually. Patches are made on a twill backing that's ideal for embroidery, so they reproduce your design with excellent detail, and they can be applied as you need them — even reused or moved between garments. Many customers keep a supply of patches on hand and apply them to uniforms as needed.

Iron-on backing lasts approximately 50 washes and is usually recommended only for smaller patches. For larger patches, or anything that will be washed often, we recommend sewing the patch on for the most durable hold.

Yes. Once we've produced your patch, we keep what we need to run it again, so your reorders come out consistent with the originals — the same colors, size, and detail. Many departments and organizations come back to us year after year for exactly that reason.

Do not bleach. Machine wash warm. Tumble dry on low heat. Use a cool iron. May be dry cleaned.

First, make sure your patches were ordered with iron-on backing. All of our patches come standard with a thermoplastic backing that adds support and durability — this is not the same as iron-on backing and will not adhere when ironed. Only patches specifically ordered with iron-on backing can be applied with an iron or heat press.

With a household iron

• Do not use steam during ironing.
• Set the iron to the “cotton” setting (approximately 325°F). Important: use a lower temperature if working with delicate fabrics.
• Place a thin pressing cloth (e.g. a pillowcase) over the garment.
• Heat the cloth and garment first for about 10 seconds without the patch.
• Position the emblem on the garment and cover it with a thin pressing cloth.
• Press straight down with the iron and hold with pressure for about 20 seconds.
• Turn the garment inside out and repeat the ironing process.
• Inspect the patch to see if any areas were missed, and repeat the ironing process if necessary.
• Let it cool thoroughly before using.

With a heat press

• Set the heat press to 325°F. This can be higher (up to 400°F) or lower depending on the garment type.
• Place a thin pressing cloth (e.g. a pillowcase) over the garment.
• Heat the patch area of the garment.
• Position the emblem on the garment and cover it with a thin pressing cloth.
• Press down for 20 seconds.
• Turn the garment inside out and repeat for 15 seconds.
• Let it cool thoroughly before using.