HowNest
If you’re running a print shop inside you’re likely focused on providing your customers with valuable job skills.
Our shop serves producing everything from forms and flyers to stickers and embroidered shirts.
Recently, we’ve been getting requests for custom patches—both iron-on and Velcro styles—and we expect demand to skyrocket once we offer them, just like it did with our stickers.
However, producing patches in quantities of 100 or more comes with unique challenges in a jail setting, especially when traditional methods involve hand-trimming with scissors.
Not only is this tedious for high-volume orders, but handing out scissors to inmates poses safety concerns, and the results often look uneven.
So, how can we create professional-looking patches efficiently and safely? Let’s walk through a practical solution tailored for our environment, including equipment recommendations and a process that minimizes risks while maximizing training opportunities.
Why Patches Are a Great Addition to Your Print Shop?
Patches are a fantastic way to expand your shop’s offerings. They’re versatile, in demand for uniforms, promotional items, and community events, and they provide inmates with hands-on experience in embroidery, design, and production. Since you already have Tajima embroidery equipment, you’re halfway there.
The key is to adapt the patch-making process to a high-volume, correctional facility setting where safety and efficiency are top priorities. We’ll focus on creating both iron-on and Velcro patches, ensuring the process is scalable for orders in the hundreds and doesn’t rely on unsafe tools like scissors.
Step 1: Design and Embroider the Patches
Start with your Tajima embroidery machine, already used for shirts and hats, to create patches with a few tweaks. Pick a simple design that fits your clients’ needs—like sheriff badges or department logos—with bold text and a clean border to keep production time short for orders in the hundreds.
You can choose between a fabric-backed patch (like twill), which is faster due to fewer stitches, or a 100% embroidered thread-only patch, which takes longer (up to an hour per patch) but avoids fabric cutting, a plus for safety in a jail setting; for high-volume production, we suggest starting with fabric-backed patches.
Hoop a heavy-duty stabilizer, such as a water-soluble or heat-sensitive film, in your Tajima, then place twill or polyester fabric over it, stitching a placement outline followed by a tacking stitch to secure it, before embroidering your design with a dense satin stitch border (at least 3mm wide) for a clean, durable edge that prevents fraying.
Step 2: Cutting Patches Safely and Efficiently
Skip the traditional patch-making method of hand-trimming excess fabric with scissors after embroidery, as it’s impractical for orders of 100+ patches and unsafe in a correctional facility; instead, invest in a laser cutter for a safe, efficient solution that uses a focused beam to precisely cut fabrics like polyester, nylon, and twill, eliminating the need for risky sharp tools.
A basic diode laser cutter like the xTool S1 (around 20W) works, but for better performance, opt for a CO2 laser cutter in the $3,000–$5,000 range, which offers cleaner cuts for intricate shapes and should be operated by trained staff or supervised inmates since the enclosed beam poses minimal risk.
Step 3: Adding Iron-On and Velcro Backings
After cutting the patches, add the backings: for iron-on patches, use a heat-seal film like Fuse-N-Bond by placing the embroidered patches face down on a heat press set to 320–330°F and 40 psi for 10–15 seconds.
Lay the film over the back (paper side up), press, then flip and press again for 10 seconds to create a strong, professional bond that departments can easily apply to uniforms with an iron or heat press; for Velcro patches.
Cut hook-and-loop strips to match the patch size using the laser cutter to avoid scissors, then attach the hook side to the patch back with hot-melt adhesive or Gorilla Fabric Glue, applying the glue evenly, pressing firmly, and letting it cure for 24 hours, while providing the loop side separately for clients to attach to garments, making the patches removable and reusable for tactical or uniform use.
Step 4: Safety and Training Considerations
Laser cutters are a secure option because they don’t require handheld sharp tools, but they should be operated in a controlled area with limited access. Train inmates on the embroidery and heat press steps, which are low-risk and provide valuable skills in design, machine operation, and production.
Reserve the laser cutting step for staff or highly trusted inmates under supervision. If a laser cutter isn’t feasible, a hot knife (or a soldering iron with a cutting tip) can be used to cut polyester or nylon fabrics, but this still requires careful oversight due to the heat element.
Final Thoughts
By integrating a laser cutter into your patch-making process, you can produce professional iron-on and Velcro patches in high volumes without compromising safety.
This method not only meets the demands of your clients but also provides inmates with practical training in embroidery, laser cutting, and production—skills that can help them secure jobs after release.
Start with simple designs, invest in the right equipment, and watch your patch production take off just like your stickers did!
