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Forums > Tutorials / How To / Where To

Woven Patches

Folkloyd666
Tue, 23/05/2017 - 05:51

I am searching for more information on how woven patches are made.


Korpi's picture

The basics aren't too much different than embroidered patches, its just the machining process that varies for the most part:

1: Make the art
2: upload the art to a computer (after this part the patch manufacturer takes over)
3: run a specialty program that converts the art to a digital design that is a weavable pattern (the software and file formats are proprietary, they are usually specific to each brand of machine)
4: manually edit the design to fix defects (the automatic conversion that the computer software does isn't 100% perfect)
5: the computer aided machine/loom system is prepped and loaded with multiple spools of thread corresponding to the colors in the design (the number of colors in a design depends on how many spools the machine can hold)
6: the design is sent to the computer aided weaving machine/loom system, it will weave a piece of fabric with the design "woven" into it (depending on the machine, this can be one patch at a time or many patches on the same segment of fabric)
7: a fixative stiffening fabric is glued to the back of the woven fabric (this is the white/gray/black backing on the patch)
8: hot knives are used to cut the patch from the woven fabric, some companies then hem the edges but others don't (this is the end of the process for some patches but most metal patches go to the next step)
9: the cut patches are taken to the merrowing machine, each patch is individually run through the machine to add the merrowed boarder (this is the special type of lock stitch around the edges of the patch)
10: packaged and shipped to the distributor, label, or artist.

Or do you mean something more in depth like where to buy the equipment and learn to do it yourself?

Folkloyd666's picture

Thank you, I am looking for something more in depth like where to buy the equipment and learn to do it yourself. I got a patch that was done amazingly well - it's on my battlejacket, and it's woven. It made me really want to learn how to make woven patches.

Korpi's picture

You'll have to contact one of the machine manufacturers and setup an appointment. Last I knew a merrowing machine alone was atleast $6,000 new; a weaving loom machine is much more expensive depending on what payment route and service plans your business goes with.

[Edit] FYI, I've never worked for a company with a machine for woven patches. Embroidery machines we're way cheaper and came in a variety of price ranges from $500 to $10,000 so it was always the default choice.

Folkloyd666's picture

Yea, How come patches are so cheap if the machines are so expensive?

Korpi's picture

Embroidery machines come from the consumer sector and industerial sector. Whereas label weaving machines started in the industrial sector and have stayed there. Thus why label/patch weaving loom/machines are expensive; they're for business use, not home.

Patches are cheap based on supply and demand, wholesale supply chains, material contracts, size of production, geographic location, corporate monetary backing, profit margins, all that general business model stuff that allows you to buy a backpack for $14.99 at Costco when it would take you $35 or more to buy the materials from the store and make it yourself.

[EDIT]
This is generally what the machines look like:
https://www.wotol.com/images/thumbs/800x800/129064_e7c9f4e2b17cb540c1b37...
And this is an illustration of sorta how the process works:
https://evasweaving.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/double-weave-fabric-on-t...

Folkloyd666's picture

Hey - I'm wanting to have some custom woven patches made of some bands but the person can only do 50 or more. How could i re-sell without getting in trouble?

SatanicGutsFuck's picture

id consider trading for something of equal value then selling or contacting then reselling