Registered businesses: your first design digitized free (Simple or Medium, standard turnaround). See terms →
Merrowed, laser-cut & heat-seal

Embroidered Patch Digitizing

Patch digitizing builds an embroidered patch file around the edge finish you'll use (merrowed, laser-cut or heat-seal) so borders stay clean and the twill never shows through. We size the file to the finished patch, including backing, and keep names and unit text readable. Every patch file has one flat price and is delivered in 4–8 hours.

Border built for your edge finish
Sized to the finished patch, backing included
Stitch simulation preview before production
Upload your patch design → See all prices
A pile of embroidered twill patches with merrowed borders on a workbench Illustrative photo
Digitizing since 2015
Send your patch artwork
Tell us the edge and backing before we start
From $12 per design
Merrow allowance or laser-cut satin wall built in
Full-coverage fills so no twill shows
Names and small text adjusted to stay readable

Free quote, nothing to pay now. Need rush, formats or notes? Use the full form

3
Edge finishes built for
Unlimited
Revisions, no time limit
100%
Face coverage over twill
3
Backings sized for
4–8h
Standard delivery
At a glance

Patch digitizing specs

What it isA stitch file for a stand-alone embroidered patch, with the border built for the way the patch will be cut or finished
Edge finishesMerrowed (overlocked), laser-cut and heat-seal
BaseTwill or stabilizer, with fills dense enough that the base never shows
BackingsSew-on, iron-on and hook-and-loop; backing changes finished size, so tell us which
Common usesClub and brand patches, morale patches, department badges, name tapes and cap patches
Files deliveredDST, PES, EXP, JEF, VP3 or your machine's format, plus a stitch simulation preview
What to sendArtwork, finished size, edge finish, backing, thread colors
PriceOne flat rate per design, border for any edge finish included. See the price table below; rush +50%
TurnaroundStandard 4–8 hours · Rush 2–4 hours · Super rush 1–2 hours, 24/7
Why patches are different

The edge decides everything

A patch is embroidery with nowhere to hide. There is no garment to sink into and no seam to break up the eye: every stitch sits on twill, fully visible, right to the boundary.

The border has to match the finishing method. A merrowed edge needs an allowance for the overlock to bite into. A laser-cut edge needs a dense satin wall at the cut line or the twill frays the moment it is handled.

Get the edge wrong and it shows straight away: fraying, base fabric peeking through, or a merrow that eats into the design because nobody left room for it. If the patch is going onto a garment as a direct stitch instead, that is a different build; see logo digitizing.

Tell us the edge finish before we start. The same artwork is digitized differently for merrowed, laser-cut and heat-seal patches; it is not a decision you can make after the file is built.

What we build in
01

Edge-specific border

Merrowed patches get an overlock allowance; laser-cut patches get a dense satin wall at the cut line. It is built into the file, not added later.
02

Full coverage over twill

Patches are judged up close, so fills are built so no base twill shows through anywhere on the face.
03

Backing-aware sizing

Sew-on, iron-on and hook-and-loop backings each affect the finished dimensions, so we size to the patch you want, not the artwork you sent.
Edge finishes

Which edge suits your patch?

EdgeHow the border is builtBest for
Merrowed (overlocked)A border with an allowance the overlock stitch wraps around, so the merrow bites the border and not the artworkCircles, ovals, rectangles and shields with gentle curves
Laser-cutA dense satin wall right at the cut line that locks the twill so the edge doesn't frayCustom outlines, sharp corners and detailed shapes
Heat-sealTell us the heat-seal edge when you order so the border is planned for it rather than for a merrowShapes finished on heat-seal equipment
Military, first responder & morale patches

Unit, department and name patches

We digitize unit patches, department badges, name tapes and morale patches from the artwork and specification you send: exact size, thread colors and layout. Small text such as names, ranks and unit designations is adjusted so it stays readable rather than closing up, and we will tell you if something needs to be larger.

You are responsible for having the right to use any insignia, emblem or trademark you send us. We build the stitch file; we do not check or grant permissions.

Pricing

What patch digitizing costs

DesignPriceNotes
Patch file (any edge finish)$12Merrowed, laser-cut or heat-seal border included
Same logo stitched straight onto a garment$10A separate flat file; see logo digitizing
Rush (2–4 hours)+50%Added to the base price of the design
Super rush (1–2 hours)+50%Added to the base price of the design

Flat rate per design, not per 1,000 stitches. Every price includes all machine formats, a stitch simulation preview and unlimited revisions with no time limit. Standard delivery is 4–8 hours, 24/7.

Get a price for this design → See the full price list
Common problems

Garment file on a patch vs a real patch file

These are the faults we see when a logo file is reused for a patch.

What goes wrong
Merrow eats the design. No edge allowance, so the overlock cuts into the artwork.
Laser-cut edges fray. The border is too light at the cut line to lock the twill.
Base twill showing through. Fill density set for a garment, not a fully visible patch face.
Small text unreadable. Names and unit text closed up into solid shapes.
Finished size wrong. Built to artwork size, ignoring what the edge and backing add.
How we build it
Edge allowance built in. The merrow bites the border, not your design.
Cut-line satin wall. Laser-cut edges stay locked through handling.
Opaque coverage. No twill visible anywhere on the face.
Legible small text. Letterforms adjusted so names and ranks read.
Sized to the finished patch. Edge and backing accounted for before we start.
What to send

What we need for a patch file

  • Artwork: vector, JPG, PNG, or a flat photo of an existing patch
  • Finished patch size in inches, including the border
  • Edge finish: merrowed, laser-cut or heat-seal
  • Backing: sew-on, iron-on or hook-and-loop
  • Base: twill color, or full embroidery with no twill showing
  • Thread colors and any exact wording for names or unit text
Upload your patch design →
How it works

From artwork to patch-ready file

Send artwork and finish
Size, edge and backing, so the border is planned from the start.
We build the face and border
Full coverage, legible text and the right edge for your cutting method.
Check the preview
Stitch simulation at finished size; changes are unlimited.
Sew, cut and finish
Run the file on twill, then merrow, laser-cut or heat-seal.
FAQs

Patch digitizing questions

Two free guides: types of embroidered patches on merrowed, laser cut, twill, felt and woven, and patch backing options on sew-on, iron-on, velcro and adhesive.

Merrowed (overlocked), laser-cut and heat-seal. Each needs a different border: merrowed needs an allowance for the overlock, and laser-cut needs a dense satin wall at the cut line. Tell us which before we start.

A patch stitches its whole face and border onto twill or stabilizer, and the border is built for the cutting method. A garment file needs neither, so reusing a logo file for a patch usually leaves twill showing and a weak edge.

Yes. Send a flat, evenly lit photo taken square-on with a ruler in the frame so we can match the size. We rebuild it as a new file rather than tracing the photo.

Yes. Backing changes the finished dimensions, so tell us whether the patch is sew-on, iron-on or hook-and-loop and we size the file to the finished patch.

Yes, from the artwork and specification you send. You are responsible for having permission to use any official insignia; we build the stitch file to your spec.

Standard polyester twill works for most patches, and heavier twill holds dense coverage better on large ones. Tell us what you run and we set fill density for it.

Each patch file has one flat price per design, with the border for your edge finish, every machine format and unlimited revisions included; see the price table on this page or the full price list. Rush (2–4 hours) and super rush (1–2 hours) add 50%.
Related patch pages

Send your patch artwork and edge finish

Tell us the size, edge and backing, and we'll return a patch file with a clean border, at a flat price per design.

Border built for merrowed, laser-cut or heat-seal
No twill showing through the face
Unlimited revisions, no time limit

New registered business? Your first design is free: one Simple or Medium design at standard turnaround. How the free first design works
Ordering for clients or in volume? See trade & distributor accounts.

1
Standard: 4–8 hours
Flat price per design, 24/7
2
Rush: 2–4 hours
+50% on the base price
3
Super rush: 1–2 hours
+50% on the base price
Upload your patch design →

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