You would be surprised to know that the first patch in history came into existence through embroidery at least 500 years before the birth of Christ. The Chinese were the first people to experiment with them, using a variety of sewing techniques and textiles to repair and create linen pieces. Over time, someone had a bright idea to stitch some pattern on fabrics and even tapestries, and these would usually be quite small. These tiny pieces of fabric came became known as “patches” from then on.
Patch-making was traditionally done by hand, by sewing several times across hollow patterns to form the desired image. The textile industry evolved with the boom of the industrial revolution, and people from different walks of life started producing machines to make patch-making easier. Alphonse Kursheedt is the person credited for introducing the first ever embroidery machine in the 1800s. He initially created twelve looms to mechanize the embroidery process. Shortly after, Isaak Groebli developed another form of equipment that used a shuttle and continuously threaded needle, and this was popularized as the stiffly embroidery machine.
With the rise in presence of these sewing equipment came the ease in patch-making, and this was how embroidered patches came to be.
The first documented use of an official embroidered patch was by the military units of the United States during the Civil War (1861-1865), although there have been unofficial ones in use for military uniforms during the War of 1812 and Mexican War in 1845. They were primarily used to identify which units the soldiers belonged to, which evolved to become the shoulder sleeve insignia we know today. Veteran soldiers typically wore their sleeve insignias even outside of deployment to signify a certain merit. After this practice was sensationalized, people started wearing them for a variety of reasons – to display club membership, support for a sport team, employment in a certain company, love for a musical act, and many others.
The sudden popularity of these tiny pieces of fabric, coupled with the rapid advancement in technology, led to the automation of the patch-production industry. Nowadays, computer-operated sewing machines enable us to produce even the most intricate details and the most complex colour combinations through the use of multi-headed sewing machines which use several colours of threads, and go over a digitally-scanned pattern.
Aside from embroidery, other forms means of patch-making have also risen to popularity, such as those that make use of heat transfer, magnets, and Velcro. Not only the medium, but the very structure of the patchitselfhas also progressed through the introduction of different backings.
Iron on patches were revolutionized in the 1980s to feature various symbols from pop culture. In earlier decades they primarily came in squares of denim or other fabric that can be ironed onto garments which needed mending. The heat applied through a heat-source, usually an iron, activated the adhesive attached at the back of the patch to facilitate the bonding process. They were bulky, itchy, and not fashionable.
However, certain events in popular culture triggered the people’s tendencies to show their aggression and anger, which later became the punk movement. This movement sparked spirits of anarchy, and people started incorporating patchwork into their daily fashion go feature their favourite mantras, actors, and bands across their backs and shoulders. The purpose of these fabric scraps morphed from simply hiding worn out areas of clothing, to boldly representing identity and individuality among people.
Velcro patches, on the other hand, are similar to the iron-on variety, but instead of having adhesive at the back, they have Velcro lining to enable switching between different designs. This kind of backing is currently popular among military uniforms, and even for personal use because of their customizable nature. We suggest using this kind of backing when dealing with polyester, nylon, spandex, vinyl, and leather materials because they do not damage these sensitive surfaces. They are also popular choices when the patch is intended for temporary or accessory purposes.
Time may have weathered patches, but they are consistently revived and repurposed in the most creative ways possible. What used to be considered luxury items centuries ago were also considered unfashionable and reduced to merely mending materials. But now, they definitely stand for more than just ancient trinkets or our favourite celebrities. Patch-making has become an essential instrument in assisting our self-expression, and it has truly aided in the search for identity and personality for certain movements. They have grown from simply being small pieces of patterned fabric, to being huge factors in a person’s distinctiveness. A patch allows us to paint a certain picture or message across a particular medium that can appropriately express our individuality. It has proven itself to be an influential non-verbal way of creating graphic chronicles which depict not only our temperament, but also our connection to our culture.
If this article somehow managed to spark an interest for customized patches within you, you should get in touch with us and we’ll get you started.