Impressions - October/November 2023 - 47

Popular candidates for heat sealing include
sweatshirts, T-shirts, jackets, polo shirts,
headwear, button-down shirts, industrial
uniforms, aprons, backpacks, tote bags and
luggage. As a rule, industrial heat sealing will
withstand up to 50 commercial washings,
though bleaching a heat-sealed patch is
not recommended.
By contrast, low-melt adhesives are designed
for use on fabrics that are delicate
and prone to scorching or shrinking when
exposed to high heat. In addition to those
garments that work well with industrial
heat-seal adhesives, low-melt is most often
used for performancewear, activewear,
swimwear, dancewear and lighter headwear.
To better protect delicate fabrics, you can
use a silicone pad to shield a garment against
the heat. Again, be sure to test in advance.
Low melt should never be used with any
garment that is going to be subjected to
industrial washing. Typically, a patch applied
using a low-melt adhesive will hold up to
25 washings in a home machine.
In terms of image and design type, most
types of emblems and patches can be heat
sealed, including embroidered, 3D embroidered,
sublimated, a combination of
embroidered and sublimated, woven, leather,
three-dimensional and PVC. In terms of
costs, heat sealing is the least expensive, least
labor intensive and fastest way to adhere a
patch or emblem to a product.
Sew On
One of the reasons why a client might
choose a sew-on emblem, as opposed to
a heat-sealed on, is the desire for a more
traditional look. Sew-on emblems and
patches are also more easily removed and
replaced, making it easier to prolong the
life of a garment in the event of logo or
personnel changes.
If you want to sew on a patch, then obviously
the product needs to be able to fit
into a hoop. It also needs to be made of a
material that will allow a needle to pass
through as well. Embroidered, 3D embroidered,
printed and sublimated, sublimated
and woven patches all qualify.
You can sew on a leather patch as well,
though a special needle is recommended.
PVC emblems can also be sewn on when a
special sewing channel is added to the design.
By contrast, three-dimensional emblems
cannot be sewn on, but must be heat-sealed.
Popular products typically employing sewon
emblems include sweatshirts, T-shirts,
jackets, bags, caps, sweaters, tote bags and
luggage.
Generally, sew-on emblems will last the
life of a garment even if subjected to commercial
laundering, though again, bleaching
is not recommended. This makes them ideal
for any type of work uniform. Although
labor intensive, as stated earlier, a sew-on
emblem can also be removed and replaced.
Sewing on an emblem requires having an
embroidery machine. The shape and design
of the emblem also needs to be digitized. The
garment must then be hooped, placed on the
machine and then removed and trimmed
after the emblem is sewn. This makes for a
more expensive and labor-intensive process
than with heat sealing. However, it's worth
it in those cases where a client is looking
for that classic look.
Pressure Sensitive
Pressure-sensitive adhesives can be added
to the back of a patch that is going to
be applied to any hard surface, including
wood, metal, plastic and glass. The application
couldn't be more straightforward.
Simply make sure the surface is flat, clean
and dry. If there's a chance of there being
any kind of residual finishes or chemicals on
the surface of whatever is being decorated,
Bevels, like those at right, can
also be a source of problems.
it's a good idea to also wipe the area with
rubbing alcohol.
Popular products for pressure-sensitive
emblem decoration include drinkware, luggage,
laptops, tote bags, coolers, binders and
just about anywhere else you might want
to put a decal or sticker.
The lifespan of a pressure-sensitive patch
depends on its usage. For example, with
drinkware, it depends on how the cup is
washed. If the item being decorated tends
to be left outside, a given patch or emblem
will understandably not last as long as one
applied to an item only used indoors. That
said, if an emblem is applied correctly, it can
last a couple of months at least, depending on
usage of the object and its exact location. 
Randy Carr is the CEO of World Emblem, based in
Hollywood, Florida, a company his father founded in
1993. World Emblem supplies a wide range of emblems
and patches worldwide with multiple manufacturing
facilities across the United States as well as facilities
in Mexico and Canada. You can reach Randy Carr at
rcarr@worldemblem.com or visit the World Emblem
website at worldemblem.com.
Oct./Nov. 2023
P.47
An example of a low-melt patch, used in this case
to avoid scorching the material of the cap being
decorated. Photo courtesy of World Emblem
Though leather can be sewn, it requires the
use of special needles and heavy-duty thread.
Photo courtesy of World Emblem
http://www.worldemblem.com
Impressions - October/November 2023

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