offering embroidered patches

If you’re seeking additional profits for your decorating business, look no further than patches. These perennial favorites are incredibly easy to handle — and even easier to sell. “They’re a profitable add-on for any shop,” says Stephen Batts, president, Righteous Threads Embroidery, Greensboro, N.C.

Part of the reason for their popularity is that patches are a natural for many customers, including Boy Scouts, police departments, and military groups, all of which require patches on their uniforms. They’re also a great option for businesses that use uniforms and have high turnover rates. Rather than buy a new uniform. every time a new employee comes on board, the business can remove the patch with the former employee’s name and replace it with a new one.

Schools and clubs also are big purchasers of patches. “Don’t just think of the major draws at schools, like the football team. You also have chess clubs with a dozen members, or kids who need patches for their backpacks,” says Larry Simon, sales, TwillUSA, Aurora, Ind. “If you look around, a lot of those customers aren’t being addressed.”

Another benefit: Some material, such as leather, also looks better when decorated with a patch rather than direct embroidery, which can sometimes cause puckering. Further, patches allow you to decorate unique and otherwise hard-to-reach locations on items where hooping could be a problem.

You also have the option of decorating the patch with a process other than embroidery, such as sublimation or screen printing. “You can give your customers more options, and that’s the key. Little things like that separate you from the competition,” Simon says. “As long as you’re making your margins, it doesn’t matter which option the customer takes.”

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