Nov 2017 No. 7

Greetings!

This is a special edition of Patch Talk. If you no longer have an interest in patches, please help us conserve internet resources by unsubscribing using the link at the bottom of this email. You can resubscribe or view back editions at any time by clicking HERE.
THE STORY
Arlene was a jumble of excitement and anticipation as she looked out the living room window anxiously awaiting the first arrival. Her daughter had married and moved to Florida six years ago but they'd still managed to get together at least once a year. Of course she was looking forward to seeing Michelle again but this mother-daughter reunion would include six very special people. She called them her "girls" though they were women now, all of whom had been in her Girl Scout troop from Brownies through Seniors. With the first ring of the doorbell, what ensued were ebullient greetings, hugs, gifts, swaps, and nonstop conversation as one by one the gathering grew.

Arlene had made sure her six patch jackets were cleaned, pressed, and hung nearby. She had every fun patch the troop had received and her jackets collectively represented a chronicle of their many years of events, activities, and shared experiences. It wasn't long before the "girls" were pouring over the arrays of patches, conjuring memories, laughing, hugging, and reminiscing. Nostalgia became the order of the day.
THE MORAL
The moral to this story is simple. Fun patches are, above all else, memorabilia; a fact with very significant ramifications. For customers who want their patches to last a lifetime and beyond, we've got you covered. Here's how.
SEW-ON NOT IRON-ON
We don't make iron-on stock patches because iron-on doesn't last. We embroider patches because embroidery lasts indefinitely....centuries, given proper care. It makes no sense to us to embroider art so it will last indefinitely only to provide a means for adhesion which will eventually crack and peel. Follow the links below to see how well iron-on has worked for a few people we selected at random from the internet...where there are plenty of people who are very unhappy with their iron-on experiences. We'll have more to say about iron-on liabilities in future editions of Patch Talk.
SQUARES & RECTANGLES
The most space for content a patch can offer is determined by multiplying the max height by the max width. For a 2"x4" patch, the maximum space is 2"x4" or eight square inches. Although special shapes may be novel (we do offer them for custom patches if the customer desires), they also involve wasted space as shown in the diagram below. And, wasted space means less of everything including value. With very few exceptions, we design our patches to provide the most content and value possible for a given size. With all else remaining constant, more content means more information to help trigger those all important memories.
MERROWED BORDERS
The functional purpose of a patch border is to prevent fraying at the edge. And though stitched borders work quite well on laser cut patches with synthetic fibers, the merrowed border offers the greatest integrity and longest life of all standard border types. It also serves as an ideal target to make sewing the patch to the garment as easy as possible.
PLASTIC BACKING
A thin backing of plastic film is all that is needed to secure bobbin threads and ensure the embroidery will remain tight and in tact for as long as necessary. Plastic backs are more flexible than iron-on backs and allow the patch to yield under the stresses of normal use. Not so with iron-on backing which, even if applied optimally, may begin to peel, usually at the corners first.

There is more to making patches than meets the eye. We know how hard volunteers and staffers work making memories. That's why we work hard to ensure our patches will be around to trigger those memories for as long as they're needed.
PATCHES ARE MEMORIES
CONTACT INFO
For IN-STOCK patches click HERE or call 1-800-728-2676
For CUSTOM patch designs click HERE or call 1-888-728-2426