Custom patches with no minimum: how to order just one (or a handful)
Most patch companies are built for runs of 50 or 100. If you need one patch for a jacket, five for a band, or twelve for a club, you're better off with an embroiderer who works in small batches. Here's how to brief one so the quote comes back right the first time.
Why one patch costs more per piece
A patch has two kinds of cost. The one-time costs are digitizing the design into a stitch file (commonly $10 to $75 per design, according to Z Digitizing's pricing guide) and setting up the machine. The per-piece costs are stitches, backing and the edge.
On a single patch, the one-time costs land on that one patch. On twelve, they're shared. That's not a minimum, just arithmetic, and it's why the second batch from the same file is much cheaper than the first.
What to specify
- Size. Width and height in inches or millimeters. Small detail and tiny text below a certain size won't stitch legibly; the maker will tell you.
- Shape. Circle, shield, rectangle, or cut to the outline of the design.
- Coverage. A fully stitched patch covers the whole surface in thread. A partially stitched patch lets the twill background show, which uses fewer stitches.
- Edge. A merrowed (overlocked) edge suits simple shapes. A satin-stitch border can follow complex outlines.
- Backing. Sew-on, iron-on, or hook-and-loop. Iron-on is convenient; sew-on lasts longer on things that get washed.
- Thread colors. "Match the artwork", or a list.
- Quantity, and whether you might reorder.
How many stitches is a patch?
Fully stitched patches are dense. As a reference point, ASI's example puts a solid 2 x 2 inch fill at about 5,600 to 6,900 stitches depending on density (ASI), and a patch adds its border on top. A 3 inch fully stitched patch is a much bigger job than a 3 inch outline design.
If you want a quick sense of the number, the stitch count calculator gives a range from the size and coverage.
Ask for the file
When you pay for digitizing, ask the maker for the stitch file (DST or PES, for example). If you lose touch with the maker or want a reorder elsewhere, you won't pay to digitize the same patch twice.
Post it
Post your patch with the artwork, size, edge and backing. It's free and there's no minimum quantity on the platform; each maker sets their own. Embroiderers bid with a price and a turnaround, and your payment is held until the patches arrive and you confirm delivery.