Iron-on patches

Iron-on is a heat-seal film laid on the back of a finished patch. It is not glue, and it is not a shortcut. It bonds properly to cotton and cotton-rich cloth under real heat and pressure, and it fails on almost everything else — which is worth knowing before you order five hundred.

An embroidered patch on cloth. Heat-seal holds it; stitching keeps it there.

How the backing works

A thin thermoplastic film is fused to the back of the patch during finishing. Under heat it melts, flows into the weave of the garment, and sets as it cools. The bond is mechanical, not chemical — the adhesive has to physically key into the fibres, which is why it needs a flat, absorbent, heat-tolerant cloth to work on.

Three things have to be right at once: temperature, pressure and dwell time. A heat press holds all three. A household iron holds none of them reliably, which is why so many iron-on patches lift at the corners after a wash or two. We will say so on your quote rather than let you find out later.

Sizes and pricing

Iron-on is a standard backing, not an upgrade. An embroidered patch with a heat-seal back costs the same as the same patch with a plain sew-on back — from $0.75 a piece. Size is measured as the average of height and width, so a 3 by 5 inch patch is quoted as a 4 inch patch.

Size	50 pcs	100 pcs	300 pcs	500 pcs	1000 pcs
2 inch	$2.95	$1.85	$1.10	$0.95	$0.75
2.5 inch	$3.45	$2.15	$1.35	$1.15	$0.90
3 inch	$3.95	$2.55	$1.60	$1.35	$1.05
3.5 inch	$4.65	$2.95	$1.90	$1.60	$1.25
4 inch	$5.35	$3.45	$2.25	$1.90	$1.55
4.5 inch	$6.15	$3.95	$2.65	$2.25	$1.85

Embroidered face with heat-seal backing, per piece in USD.

Woven, PVC and leather faces can carry a heat-seal back too, at those constructions’ own rates. Full coverage embroidery adds 15%, as it does on any patch.

Which fabrics take it

This is the part that decides whether iron-on is the right order. Tell us the garment at quote stage and we will back the patches to suit it.

Fabric	Heat-seal?	What we do instead
Cotton, denim, canvas, twill, poplin	Yes	The category iron-on was made for. We still suggest stitching if it will be washed weekly
Cotton/poly blends	Usually	Lower end of the temperature range, and test one first. The polyester content is what glazes
Nylon	No	Melts below the temperature the adhesive needs. Sew-on, or a hook-and-loop panel
Polyester shells, waterproofs	No	The inner coating is destroyed and the garment leaks. Sew-on only
Leather, suede, waxed cotton	No	Heat marks hide permanently and wax melts out. Stitched, or a leather patch instead
Fleece, terry, knitwear	No	Pile gives the adhesive nothing flat to grip, and pressing crushes it. Sew-on
Performance and stretch knits	No	The cloth moves and the patch does not, so corners tear. Sew-on
Flame-resistant and high-visibility	No	Modifying these can void the garment’s certification. Ask the garment maker first

The full reasoning behind each row is in our guide to which fabrics take an iron-on patch.

Applying them

If you are applying in-house, a heat press is the only equipment that does this properly: it holds an even temperature across the whole face and applies real pressure for a measured time. A domestic iron can work on small patches on heavy cotton if you are patient and press rather than slide, but it is not a production method.

For anything that will be worn hard or washed often, the honest answer is to iron the patch on to position it and then stitch the edge. Heat-seal holds it while you sew; the stitching is what survives. Our full method, temperatures and dwell times are in how to iron on a patch.

Specification

Patch face	Embroidered, woven, PVC or leather
Backing	Thermoplastic heat-seal film, fused during finishing
Suits	Cotton, denim, canvas, twill and cotton-rich blends
Edges	Merrowed, hot cut or laser cut
Thread colours	Up to nine; Pantone matching on request
Minimum order	50 pieces per design
Standard production	10–12 business days
Rush production	5–7 business days, at no extra charge
Shipping	Tracked, worldwide

Common questions

Will an iron-on patch survive the wash?

On heavy cotton, pressed properly, usually yes for a long time. On anything lighter, thinner or washed weekly, the corners lift first. Wash cool, inside out, and do not tumble dry. If the garment is going to be worked in, stitch the edge and stop worrying about it.

Can I get iron-on and sew-on in the same order?

Yes, and it is common. Split the run at quote stage — heat-seal for the cotton tees, plain backs for the jackets. There is no price difference between backings, so the split costs nothing.

Can an iron-on patch be removed?

It can be softened with heat and peeled, but it usually leaves a residue shadow on the cloth, and it is not designed to come off. If the patch needs to be removable — a name, a rank, a rotating design — order hook-and-loop backing instead.

Do you supply a heat press or application service?

We supply the patches. If you need them applied to garments, tell us at quote stage — for decorated apparel we can put the artwork straight onto polos, hoodies or caps and skip the patch entirely, which is usually cheaper and always more durable.

What is the smallest iron-on patch you make?

Two inches is the smallest standard size. Below that the adhesive area gets small relative to the edge, and the corners are the first thing to lift. For small badges and lettering, a woven face holds detail better — see patch sizes and how quotes are measured.

Get a free quote

Full price list

Custom Iron-On Patches