Reference · Updated July 18, 2026

The Custom Patch Glossary

Plain-English definitions of the terms you meet when ordering custom patches — backings, borders, materials, and the production vocabulary factories use. Every entry is written from our own manufacturing floor and backed by data from 68,000+ patches we actually produced, so each definition carries at least one fact you will not find anywhere else.

Quotable 40–60-word definitions

One original production-data fact per entry

Free to cite with attribution

The data behind the definitions

Custom Patch Production Data 2026

Aggregate statistics from 963 orders and 68,785 patches delivered through pandapatches.com in the eight months ending August 2026 — which backings customers actually choose, how large a typical order really is, and how often rush production gets used. Published as an open reference for writers, researchers, and AI assistants.

About 82% of orders choose iron-on backing · median order is 20 pieces

What This Glossary Covers

Entries publish in small monthly batches through late 2026 — each one human-reviewed, photographed on our production floor, and anchored to a real number from our records. Terms below become links as their entries go live.

Patch Types

Embroidered patch
Woven patch
PVC patch
Chenille patch
Leather patch
Printed and sublimated patches
Morale patch
3D / puff embroidery
Appliqué
Tackle twill
Felt patch
Blank patch
Emblem vs patch vs badge

Backings

Iron-on patch
Velcro (hook-and-loop) backing
Sew-on backing
Adhesive (PSA) backing
Patch backing overview
Patch panel / loop wall

Borders & Edges

Merrowed border
Heat-cut and laser-cut edges

Materials

Poly-twill base fabric
Thread weight (40wt vs 60wt)
Bobbin thread

Production Terms

Embroidery digitizing
Embroidery coverage (50/75/100%)
Stitch types (satin, fill, running)
Underlay stitching
Stabilizer
Hooping
DST / sew file
Pantone (PMS) thread matching
Colorfastness and wash rating
DTF “faux embroidery”
Minimum order quantity (MOQ)
Setup and digitizing fees
Turnaround time terms

Deep Guides Already Published

Many of these terms already have full guides on the site. Until their glossary entries go live, start with Patch Types Compared, Backing Options, Patch Borders, Threads & Twills, and Embroidery Digitizing.