Custom Military Patches

Unit, Squadron and Deployment Patches

Most military patch orders fall into a few families:

• Unit and squadron patches: the crest, mascot or emblem that identifies a company, battery, squadron, detachment or team. Usually worn on the shoulder or on a flight jacket.
• Deployment and exercise patches: a design marking an operation, rotation or exercise, often with the location, year and unit designation worked into the art.
• Team and section patches: smaller designs for a shop, crew, section or specialty within the unit.
• Program patches: ROTC and JROTC battalions, drill teams, raider teams and color guards.

Custom unit patches start from whatever you have: the official artwork file, a scan of an old patch, a sketch from the unit artist or a description of the idea. For the funnier side of unit culture, like call signs, mascots and inside jokes, see our morale patches for the team.

One note on artwork rights: branch seals and emblems are trademarks, so we don't sell licensed branch merchandise. We make patches from artwork you provide for your unit, crew or association, and we'll ask if a design looks like it needs permission.

Subdued vs. Full Color for Uniform Wear

Subdued patches use low-contrast, muted thread so the insignia doesn't stand out at a distance. On today's OCP-pattern uniforms, subdued designs are typically stitched in browns and tans; the Air Force, for example, uses a spice brown standard for its subdued flag and headquarters patches. We stitch to the thread colors you specify, so send your unit's color callouts with the art.

Full color is for dress and display: flight jackets, unit hoodies, shadow boxes, reunion wear and anything that isn't worn on the duty uniform. Full-color designs show detail better, since contrast does a lot of the work in thread.

Many units order both versions of the same design: subdued for the uniform, full color for jackets and keepsakes. Once the design is digitized, the second colorway is a thread change, not a new design.

Navy, Ship and Command Patches

Ship and command crests are some of the most detailed designs we see: hull silhouettes, heraldic shields, mottos, hull numbers and ribbon banners all packed into one circle. Custom navy patches for ships and commands usually work best a little larger, around 4 to 5 inches across, so the lettering on the banner stays readable.

They go on ball caps, command jackets, coveralls for off-duty wear, cruise and deployment keepsakes, and reunion apparel years later. For a crest with very fine lines or small type, a molded PVC version holds detail that thread can't, and it shrugs off salt spray.

Uniform Sleeves: Hook-Backed or Sew-On?

Hook backing is the default for current field uniforms and gear. The hook side is sewn to the back of the patch and presses onto the loop panel on the sleeve, plate carrier, pack or cap, so patches come off before washing or when someone changes units. Measure the loop panel before you choose a size, and keep the patch inside it. Our hook-backed patch styles page covers loop sizes and options.

Sew-on is for garments with no loop panel: flight jackets, dress items, unit hoodies and older uniforms. It's the most permanent option and the right one for anything washed often.

Name tapes follow the same logic. We make military name tapes in block capitals with hook or sew-on backing, one name per tape and no minimum per name.

Typical sizes

Veterans, Retirements and Reunions: Personalized Commemoratives

Patches outlast the service. Veterans' posts, ship and squadron associations, and reunion organizers use them to bring people back together, and they make some of the most meaningful gifts we stitch.

• Retirement patches: a personalized design with the member's name, rank, years of service and unit, for a shadow box or a jacket.
• Reunion patches: the unit crest with the reunion year and city, often paired with matching hats and shirts.
• Memorial patches: honoring a fallen member with their name and dates.
• Association patches: a post or chapter emblem for vests, jackets and caps.

Reunion committees often want shirts, hats and patches with the same mark, and we decorate all of them, which keeps an association's branded gear consistent. Have an old patch that's faded or frayed? We can work from a photo. Our digitizing old insignia service rebuilds the design as a clean stitch file.

Stitched or Molded PVC: Choosing Construction

Embroidered is the traditional choice and what most unit and reunion patches use. Thread on a twill base, with a merrowed or heat-cut border. Thread coverage of 75 to 100% gives a dense, uniform look; lower coverage lets the twill color act as background.

PVC is molded rubber with raised color layers. It's waterproof, won't fray and holds fine lines, small text and sharp edges. It's popular for tactical gear, maritime units and anything that lives outside.

What thread can't do: gradients and shading become solid color blocks, and tiny heraldic detail fills in. Text needs to be at least a quarter inch tall to stay sharp. If your crest has a lot going on, a bigger patch or PVC is usually the better answer than a cluttered small one.

Proofing Insignia for Accuracy

Insignia mistakes are permanent and public, so the proof matters. Every design is previewed before production, and bulk orders of 100+ pieces get a free mockup. Check your proof against this list:

• Designations: unit numbers, ordinal suffixes, hull numbers and abbreviations.
• Spelling: place names, operation names and mottos, especially Latin.
• Dates: deployment years, establishment dates and reunion years.
• Colors: thread colors against your unit's callouts, and subdued vs. full color.
• Size and backing: against the loop panel or garment it's going on.

We stitch from the specs and artwork you provide and don't certify patches as regulation-compliant; your unit or command confirms what's authorized for wear. The same applies to our law enforcement patches for agencies. If you're vetting suppliers, our patch maker checklist lists the questions worth asking.

Ordering for a Unit: Minimums, Fees and Timing

There's no minimum on embroidered patches, so you can order a single sample to approve with your command before a full run. Embroidered designs carry a one-time $35 digitizing fee per design. Once it's paid, the stitch file is yours to download from your account, and reorders for the next rotation or reunion don't pay it again. Size, construction, thread coverage, backing and quantity drive the per-patch price, which drops as quantity grows; live prices are on each patch product in this collection.

If your order is paid with government funds and has sourcing requirements, note that we don't provide compliance or sourcing documents, so confirm what your unit needs before you pay. Working to a ceremony or homecoming date? Rush orders are available, with the rush fee quoted with your order. Orlando-metro customers can pick up at our Orlando-area warehouse, or we ship anywhere in the US.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make patches in subdued OCP colors?

Yes. We stitch subdued patches in the thread colors you specify, typically browns and tans for OCP-pattern uniforms, and we can make a full-color version of the same design for jackets and keepsakes. Send your unit's color callouts with the artwork, and check the thread colors on your mockup before production.

Do military patches come with hook backing?

They can. Hook backing is the standard for field uniforms, plate carriers and packs with loop panels, and it lets you remove patches before washing. Sew-on backing suits flight jackets, dress items and hoodies. Measure the loop panel first so the patch fits inside it, and choose your backing when you order or request a bulk quote for 100+ pieces.

Can you recreate an old unit patch from a photo?

Yes. Send a clear, straight-on photo or scan, ideally next to a ruler so we can see the size. We'll redraw and digitize the design, clean up faded or frayed areas, and you'll preview it in our 3D Custom Designer, with a free mockup on 100+ pieces. Tell us the original thread colors if you know them, since old patches fade.

Do you make patches for veterans' groups and reunions?

Yes. We make reunion, association, memorial and retirement patches, from a post emblem for vests to a reunion patch with the year and city. There's no minimum on embroidered patches, so you can order one personalized retirement patch or enough for every attendee, and we can put the same mark on hats and shirts too.

How long does a deployment patch order take?

Timing depends on construction, size and quantity, and production starts once you approve your mockup. If you need custom military patches before a deployment, homecoming or ceremony, rush orders are available, with the rush fee quoted with your order. Tell us your in-hand date up front. Orders ship anywhere in the US, or pick up at our Orlando-area warehouse.