Designing Your Custom Patch | Tips for Embroidery, Colors, and Text

Learn essential tips for custom patch design. From size and font to color, get expert advice to make your embroidered patches shine.

Custom embroidered patches are a long-term investment. And if there's one thing certain about the word long-term, it is that every little detail needs to be carefully curated. The good thing about custom patches is that they are only attached to your garment or belonging once they are ready. This partially dispensable quality often leads to carelessness, and as a result ruining your overall experience.

If you've ever gotten a custom embroidered patch only to throw it in the bin, then the chances are you've not done your due research. Best custom patches require some effort and understanding on your end to ensure premium quality results. Even a small decision like selecting the wrong font, the wrong thread or the wrong provider for your custom patch design can lead to a compromised end result.

Lucky for you, you've landed at the right page to find out everything you need to design the finest quality custom embroidered patches for your wardrobe.

Embroidery Tips for Best Custom Patches

Not all patches are made the same, and when it comes to embroidered patches, there definitely are limitations to what you can and cannot achieve. There is no denying that embroidered patches look the most sophisticated and the most versatile. There's a sense of bespoke elegance that cannot be achieved with woven, PVC or printed ones. However, there are limitations when it comes to designing a good one. Following are a few tips you should keep in mind for achieving the best custom patch results:

1.      Know What You Want: A good idea is to always start your design with understanding your expectations from the end product. Where do you want to attach your patch? How big is that surface? How will it look from a safe distance? For instance, a large patch on your back would have a different impact than a small one on your sneaker or the lapel of your jacket.  Once you have the size and visibility figured out, you will have a better idea of how far you can play with designs, fonts, and colour contrasts.

2.      Size Matters: As with most good things in life, selecting the right size is crucial for your embroidered custom patch design. Ideally, it shouldn't be too small. Embroidery on a patch is similar to a drawing with a thick felt tip pen. Intricate details on a small patch may look great on paper, but they wouldn't translate so well on an embroidered patch. A good size is anywhere between 3 inches to 5 inches, with 3.5 inches being the most popular size.

3.      Use Bold Fonts: This one may seem like an obvious extension of the last point, but it is important to point out that fancy cursive fonts may not render too well when embroidered. Again, try using a bold pointer for your custom patch design, if it looks legible, and aesthetically appealing on the correct size on your screen, then it will look the same with your end product too. If not, perhaps go back on the drawing board and go font hunting again. Often, custom patch makers request clients to compromise, but we don't. We ask you to explore far and further, with millions of fonts readily available online, you are bound to find more than a few that will fit your and your embroidered patch's requirements.

4.      Keep the Design Simple: Yes, if there is one place we'd like you to compromise is to keep the design streamlined for best quality. Overcrowded, intricate designs would look like thread on steroids when designed. Contrasting colours usually go best with custom embroidered patches since the bold embroidered lines pop out more. A simple flower outline or a logo outline would be more impactful than deciding to design a whole flower garden or writing the name of your brand.

5.      Use Colours Wisely: If there is one tool that can take your custom patch game to the next level, it is the colours you will select. The right colours can help create the mood you are aiming for. With embroidered patches, going for bold colours can hardly ever go wrong. Custom patch designs are all about making strong statements, and bold colours help you do just that. And no, bold does not necessarily mean your custom patch has to look like a unicorn in a circus.  Bold colours mean selecting hues that can make the design more prominent, and they will withstand regular washes much better.

6.      Borders or No Borders? This one entirely depends on your custom patch design and your own preference, but borders are a great idea to bring together a simple design. Imagine a black and wide simple logo with a bold red or blue border. When it comes to embroidered patches, little details like the border can help you play around with the limitations you have in terms of simpler designs.

The fact is, keeping in mind these little details when designing your custom patch can help you start designing like a pro, and these details start with understanding that different types of patches work best with different designs. A border on a woven custom patch would be quite insignificant, but can make a bold statement on an embroidered one.

At CustompatchesbyBob our aim is to provide the finest quality patches that serve their purpose. We wouldn't want you designing a patch that wouldn't shine like the star it should. Hence, our primary focus is to start with the basics- with you understanding that your patch has the potential to let your personality and individuality shine through, you just need to know how to make it happen.

We are forever able for guidance, tips and assistance throughout your journey with us to help you create a collection of custom designed patches that can be passed on for generations.