10 Best Practices in Designing Custom Patches That Stand Out

Branding apparel and marketing materials with custom patches is a game-changer. The attractive appearance, durability, and affordability of customized embroidered patches can help boost your brand recognition and reach on a small budget. However, you can even get more done with custom patches when you create designs that stand out right away. 

The good thing about creating custom patches is that you don’t even have to be a professional designer or expert to create good-looking patches. In this post, we will explore some of the most effective design techniques and best practices that will help you create custom patches that are both eye-catching and reflective of your brand’s ethos.

Work With a Theme

It makes sense to settle on a theme first before you start designing. Fortunately, custom patches are versatile and can be adapted to suit various themes or concepts. You can take inspiration from different sources to create a unique theme. Think about your business, customers, and how your patch will likely be used to align the design accordingly. 

Break Boundaries With Innovative Designs 

Following the norms will make your patches look like everyone else’s. To get the best effect from your custom patch, you should go for an innovative design that stands out right away. This can be achieved by making unconventional design choices, such as using unique colors, shapes, and fonts and combining different elements in the most innovative way possible.

Your final product should be a piece that persuades people to take a second look and reflect on your custom badge a little longer. Breaking through conventional creative horizons can help you create something unique and extraordinary that catches people’s attention this way.  

Add 3D Effects

Similar to the point mentioned above, regular or flat custom patches look too regular. You can upgrade the appearance of your embroidered patch by incorporating 3D effects into your design such as raised lettering and textured backgrounds. These effects will make your design more visually striking, delivering the best results in terms of catching and holding people’s attention. In addition to the visual effects, the raised elements in 3D patches give it more tactical quality and enhance its overall impact. 

Color is Everything

Anyone with basic branding knowledge knows that color is one of the most important elements in creating captivating branding materials. In designing your custom patches, choose colors that communicate your brand identity. However, you should also ensure your color choices will blend neatly when embroidered. When using multiple colors, choose colors that boldly contrast with each other to create intriguing visual effects. 

Consider Backing Options

When designing custom patches, one of the decisions you’ll have to make is your choice of backing material. Although this mainly determines how the custom patch will be attached to apparel and promotional materials, the backing option can also elevate the appearance of the badge. For instance, a thin plastic backing has a slimmer profile compared to custom patches velcro, this should reflect in your design decisions as well. 

Keep It Simple 

In an attempt to create the most outstanding custom patch possible, avoid creating designs that are too intricate to reproduce with embroidery. Complex designs with multiple colors, tiny details and intricate patterns may look good on screens, but think of how they’ll turn out when printed on materials. While modern embroidery machines can replicate super complicated designs with great precision, you’re better off with a much simpler and bolder design that looks fantastic. 

Try Luminescent Materials 

Glow-in-the-dark custom patches have become quite popular in recent times because of their benefits. The glowing effect of these patches makes them stand out in low-light conditions, adding a unique touch to your customized badges. 

Although this is less about the design itself, but the material use, it’s an important decision you have to make during the design process. Consider opting for this option if you want custom patches that stand out. It is also a fun and whimsical way to personalize your custom patch. 

Integrate Interactive Elements  

Branding with custom patches is more than decorative. One of the ways to make your design impactful is to incorporate interactive elements that force people to take a second look or even take a specific action that pushes your marketing effort in some way. Consider patches with hidden messages, small puzzles, or QR codes. Features like this will spark the curiosity of people and make your patch more memorable. 

Consider The Shape And Size 

The shape and size of your design are among the most basic decisions that can impact the visual effect of your custom patch. Conventional shapes like squares and circles get boring easily. For the best effect, try out shapes like speech bubbles, lightning bolts, half shapes, and drip effects to give your custom patch a unique appearance. The size of the patch really depends on where it’ll be used. Factor this in when making your design decision. For instance, a patch meant to be used on a hat will likely come in a smaller print compared to custom patches for jackets and tees. 

Mind Your Text

The text on your custom patch design is one of the most important elements. Not only does this affect the appearance, the functionality of the patch depends on the legibility of the text. Make sure people can read the text clearly, especially in contrast with the rest of your design. 

To make the text as readable as possible (especially for smaller patches) use bold and easy-to-read fonts. The minimum recommended size for your text is 0.25 inches. Go for standard fonts such as Helvetica and Arial for small designs. You’ll get more freedom with font flexibility when designing larger patches. For these, you can freely use ornate texts without worrying about the visibility of the text. 

Conclusion 

The Internet has made it easy to design your custom patches in minutes. However, despite the simplicity of the process, you should still put maximum effort into creating quality and impactful custom designs by following the best practices as highlighted above. More importantly, you should work with a reputable manufacturer like THE/STUDIO that can bring your design idea to life perfectly. Get in touch with us for high-quality patches that align with your brand image.