Patches: materials
Today, many patches that look like leather may actually be made from paper or polyurethane (P.U.). And occasionally a patch that is made from leather might look like something else.
Paper Paper can now be made to look very much like leather, and it's ideal for achieving fine detail in your artwork. Paper patches are very common on jeans, and most consumers can't tell the difference. Most paper patches are special thick paper that is run through an offset printing process with special indelible inks to receive your brand identity and other artwork or typography. This process allows almost unlimited colors and detail. Paper patches can either be square cut (through "chop cutting") or die cut into non-rectangular shapes. In some cases, a paper patch may also be silk-screened with special inks designed to withstand heavy washes, and special coatings are also available, but standard patches created through offset printing are quite durable and will tolerate multiple home washings. Sometimes a garment manufacturer will put paper patches through a separate residential-strength wash to achieve a "worn" look and then apply the patch as second trim to avoid the harshness of the industrial washes used on denim. Paper patches can often be manufactured more quickly than other patches.
Leather/Suede Even with all the excellent simulations we can now offer you, there's nothing like the feel and smell of real leather or suede when authenticity is important for your brand identity and/or retail price range. Although it's the most expensive choice for patches, leather is still popular for many brands. Talon International offers leather in several natural tan shades, as well as dyed shades of brown, black, white or your custom-dyed color. For custom colors of leather, we need a minimum order of 3,000 meters or approximately 250,000 patches. There are many different printing and finishing processes that can be applied to leather. Some or all of these processes may be applied to the same patch. (These processes are also available for P.U. patches.)
Embossing/Debossing A stamping die with heat and pressure creates a raised or indented effect for artwork, typography or a desired surface texture. Both embossing and debussing can be applied on the same patch.
Stitching Used to create decorative patterns at the edge or in the center of the patch, this kind of stitching is independent from the sewing process that attaches the patch to the garment.
Metal Hardware Metal plates and or rivets can be affixed to the patch. Metal hardware can be embossed or debussed as well as electroplated for different "stain" effects.
Silkscreen A full rainbow of colors can be screen-printed onto the patch, featuring your brand identity or other artwork. Please note that the original color of the leather will have an effect on ink color.
Polyurethane (P.U.) Also known a Pleather because of how it closely resembles real leather, P.U. is much less expensive than real leathers, but just as durable. It's a popular and affordable option for many fashions. P.U. patches are versatile and can be manufactured and finished just like leather patches, including embossing/debussing, stitching, hardware, and silkscreen.
Rubber Very common on surf wear, rubber is also popular on many other sports-related fashions. Rubber patches are made from silicone or liquid rubber that's poured into a brass or magnesium mold that features separate areas for each color used. Rubber molds can be quite detailed and complex, incorporating up to eight different colors in one patch. All kinds of creative embossed and debussed effects can be achieved, as you'll see in the samples shown. The patch can feature either a matte or gloss finish. Rubber is quite strong and can withstand most washes. However, garments with rubber patches should be turned inside out before ironing or tumble drying, and consumer care instructions should state this clearly.
Embroidered Patches Embroidered patches are well-known for their use as identification on uniforms of all sorts, but they can also be highly decorative and even fanciful for use in a wide variety of fashions. Using a full spectrum of polyester yarns, embroidered patches are woven on special machines that are set to follow your artwork, including type, logo or other imagery. Embroidery is very tightly stitched into a twill base, which may partially show in the final patch as "background" color. Patches that are "100%" embroidered with no twill showing are usually somewhat more expensive. Your artwork may need to be simplified somewhat to be reproduced using embroidery, but quite elaborate designs are possible, ranging from logos to fiery dragons. Your Talon International representative can review your artwork and let you know how it can best be reproduced with embroidery.
Pricing increases as the number of different colored yarns increases. Most patches feature 6-8 yarn colors plus the base twill color. Embroidered patches often feature an overlock border, which is thick stitching all the way around the edge, or they may be hot knifed, a method of cutting and sealing the base twill fabric to create the final shape of the patch. Hot knifing is less expensive than the overlock border. The polyester yarn used in embroidered patches is colorfast and can withstand repeated residential washings, but embroidered emblems are considered second trim and should be attached after industrial washes.
Washability As noted above, many patches are intended as second trim and cannot withstand industrial washes. We strongly recommend wash testing pre-production samples for any patch that you want to use as first trim.
