subject: Custom Patches Are Affordable, Durable, Attractive Marketing and I.D. Tools [print this page] Custom Patches Are Affordable, Durable, Attractive Marketing and I.D. Tools
The traditional art of hand embroidery dates back to ancient Egypt and before. Many cultures worldwide have a longstanding tradition of decorating fabric with needle and yarn or thread. Today's machine-created custom patches keep the this ancient art form alive, updating a traditional handicraft to create beautiful designs in a contemporary, cost-effective way.
For centuries, embroidered clothing and decorations such as embroidered tapestries could only be created by hand by talented artisans. As a result, only those with significant wealth could afford such hand-made products making embroidered items symbols of prosperity. To compare today's custom patches to finely crafted hand-made works of art hardly seems realistic.
But the Machine Age resulted in the creation of embroidery equipment that enabled the creation of designs and patterns that just wouldn't be possible any other way, including in hand embroidery. Modern custom patches are an example of the designs that can be created in this manner.
Machine embroidery originated in the 1800s with the creation of hand embroidery machines. As the century progressed, the sewing machine and later, powered embroidery equipment, made machine-produced embroidery a reality. This ultimately contributed to the creation of custom patches.
The computer revolution of the last 25 years truly revolutionized machine embroidery. Computer control of embroidery machines made it possible to create custom patches in very large quantities at very low cost. Computer control also turned patch production into a high-precision operation. The new machinery enables uniform, repeatable designs and a higher thread count per inch, creating outstanding quality custom patches. No matter if you order 50 custom patches or 100,000, they will all have the same appearance and top construction quality.
The embroidered patterns of custom patches don't fade with time, unlike silk screen printed designs. Modern custom patches are strong enough and durable enough to outlast the garments they are attached to. They're powerful identification tools. Embroidered custom patches can feature just about any logo or message to indicate membership in a civic organization, military unit or other group. Police officers, bikers, Boy and Girl Scouts, and many other organizations rely on custom patches to identify their members.
Another benefit of computerized embroidery machines is that they can turn virtually any logo, design or idea into custom patches. The designer can create practically any style, shape or size patch he or she desires. Anyone can create a design on-screen, and revise it endlessly until it has exactly the desired appearance. Then, with the press of a few keys, the embroidery machine creates perfect custom patches.
With such high-precision machinery, the potential designs for embroidered patches can be almost limitless. No matter if you want custom patches for group identification, promotional purposes or other reasons, the creative possibilities and low cost of production mean you can see your message on a patch.
The bottom line is, embroidered custom patches offer a modern take on an ancient art form, not necessarily a lesser one. While there will always be room for the artistry of hand embroidery, the machine created custom patches of today also serve an important function.
