How to Design a Custom Patch and Prepare Your Artwork
Design a patch at its intended physical size. The construction, lettering, edge and backing all need to work within those dimensions. Starting with the finished item helps you avoid approving a design that looks clear on a screen but becomes crowded on a garment.
Custom Patches accepts AI, EPS, PDF and SVG artwork, with high-resolution PNG and JPG files also accepted. Digitising is included free of charge, and you receive a free digital proof before production.
Define the purpose and dimensions
Decide where the patch will sit and what the viewer must recognise. A company name, team symbol and small founding date may have different levels of importance. If space is limited, identify which element must remain most visible.
Measure the available width and height in millimetres or centimetres. Include the shape and orientation. For an existing fastening panel, measure the panel as well as the space around it. Use the size guide to check a paper template.
Choose a construction before refining tiny details
Different processes translate the same artwork differently. Embroidery turns the image into stitches; weaving builds a textile image; printing uses the source artwork in a printing process; moulded designs need a suitable relief layout.
Select a likely construction using the patch type comparison. If you are unsure, send the design and describe the physical appearance you want.
Prepare the lettering, colours and outline
Lettering and lines
Review text at actual size. Give letters room to remain separate, especially where the design contains small enclosed spaces or closely arranged lines. Avoid judging legibility from a highly magnified screen view.
Colours
Supply Pantone/PMS references where relevant. Colour matching can be offered for suitable production methods, but a reference still needs to be translated into the chosen material. Identify any colour that is especially important to your brand.
Border and outline
Keep essential text and symbols away from the finishing area. Merrow and laser-cut borders are available depending on the design. A complex contour needs to be reviewed with the intended edge rather than treated as a separate decision at the end.
Which artwork file should you send?
| File | How to prepare the submission |
|---|---|
| AI, EPS, PDF or SVG | Send the original available artwork and explain the intended dimensions |
| PNG or JPG | Use the highest-quality original, not a reduced screenshot |
| Multiple files | Identify the current version and explain which reference controls colour or layout |
A file extension alone does not guarantee production-ready artwork. A PDF can contain a low-resolution image, for example. Include the actual source rather than converting a small image into another file type and expecting new detail to appear.
What happens during the proof process?
We review the artwork and requirements, provide a quotation and create a free digital proof. You can request changes before approval. Production starts only after the proof is approved.
Check the proof against the intended order: spelling, dimensions, orientation, colour references, shape, border and backing. A digital proof supports design approval; it does not fully reproduce the texture or physical colour of a manufactured sample.
Check your submission before sending
- Include the current artwork and finished width and height.
- State the quantity, patch type and backing, or ask for advice.
- Explain which lettering or design features cannot be changed.
- Add colour references and garment information where relevant.
- Provide the delivery location and any required arrival date.
- Use artwork you own or have permission to reproduce.
Send your design for a quote. For detailed decisions, read about small text and colour matching or border finishes.
Let’s make it yours.
Your design, checked with you before production.