Leather labels and patches for apparel

In this post I will describe leather patches and labels that got very popular recently. I will show you various types and colours of leather labels, and explain what is the difference between embossed and laser engraved patch and why according to my opinion the second one is more useful nowadays.

Laser engraved or embossed label – comparison

Leather emblems might be produced in two ways:

• -embossing
• -laser engraving

For embossed patches special knife and matrix are needed. This is a kind of stamp, that emboss our logo and cut material into proper shape. With laser engraving we import digital project into laser and this makes engraving in the first place and secondly with bigger laser power make cutting so we obtain needed shape of label. The quality of graphics and general esthetic impression are very individual and usually dependant on designers idea and vision. Embossed labels has it specific effect of embossment but modern lasers are very accurate in graphics engraving and by adjusting speed and power of laser we can also control depth of engraver and even its shade. Laser is very precise and it handles very well with very small letters that might be invisible in embossing technique.

Examples of leather patches with very small letters and details (all engraved on laser)

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Whereas the most convincing argument in favour of laser engraved labels is their favorable price and low minimum order quantity. Those are a result that we do not need to order expensive matrix. It can cost even 100 EUR, so with small quantities it gets expensive. For example: if matrix costs 100 EUR, with 100pcs we get 1 EUR extra cost per single leather patch just to cover matrix cost. And we have to add to this cost of material, labour and manufacturer margin. When we decide for laser patches we cover only price of single patch (we do not cover cost of matrix or project). Of course with big orders cost of matrix will be paid quickly and it will not be so visible in total value of order. But nowadays trends in fashion and apparel industry are very rapid and variable, so it is hard to place order for few thousand patches. With each new season Customers want something new and different. With leaser engraved labels we just need new (or modified) digital project. This result in much bigger universality of laser engraved patches: we can order any pattern and shape with 100 pcs.

Selection of material for leather patches

In most cases chosen material determines 3 aspects of label: colour of background (leather), colour of engraver (contrast) and thickness. Sometimes the same type of leather (usually faux leather) is available in different colours, but thickness stays the same. For example ground leather is usually thinner than nubuck materials. In some cases material thickness has big significance (because of sewing method or apparel fabric that we should sew our patch on). It is worth to consider this aspect when ordering leather patches. Colour of material is also connected with engraver contrast. It is so because laser brakes through outer layers during engravering and gets to inside layer or soffit that has its particular colour (usually different than main outer layer of leather). Here I placed some various colours and contrasts of engraver:

It is also worth remembering that faux lather patches (ground leather, polyurethanes) are mainly used during laser engraver method. Not natural, animal leather. Natural leather is much harder and laser engraver looks not as nice as on artificial and synthetic materials. If we have to use a natural leather it will be better to go with emboss method, as it gives better results on natural material.

Shape of labels for clothes

In most cases patches for apparel are in shape of square, rectangular, circle or ellipse. Of course with laser we can cut any shape – it should only be marked in the digital project. In practise very complicated shapes (like star or thunder) might be very problematic during sewing, what can influence sewing price, or in extreme cases make esthetic sewing very hard to achieve or even impossible.
It also happens that patches are supposed to be mounted by hand (for example with handmade products made on crochet or hand knitting). In such case we can cut additional small mounting holes and patch can be mounted with thread that goes through them and attach label to apparel. Below you can check example of such label (with four holes in each corner):

Leather patches producer

If you are looking for lather labels supplier you are in a good place 🙂 In our company we use leather patches very often for our headwear. Because of that we posses our own laser machine which we use for making lather labels for apparel.
Contact us if you need more details and offer. We handle orders from 100pcs and use the best Italian materials. Below you can find some of patches made by us: