See your patch in 360° before you order it
Every design you make in the free AI designer can be turned around in 3D, with the patch type and backing you picked: the raised stitching, the border, the thickness and the back.
Design a patch freeTry it on a sample patch
Pick a patch type and a backing, then turn it. This is the same 3D view the designer opens on your own design.
Patch type
Backing
Drag to turn it, or let it spin. Flip it over to see the sew-on back.
What the 3D patch preview shows
The surface of the material
Raised thread with its grain on embroidery, a flat fine weave on woven, deep loops on chenille, a smooth print on printed, and glossy molded levels on PVC.
The edge
The rolled merrow border an embroidered patch is finished with, or the molded edge of a PVC patch. A shape too complex for a merrow gets the stitched edge production would give it.
The thickness
Every patch is drawn 1/8 inch thick, at true scale for its size, with the backing as part of that 1/8 inch rather than added on top.
The back
Turn it over to see the backing you picked: sew-on, iron-on, hook and loop, adhesive, magnetic, pin, or a fabric button loop above the top edge.
Why a 360 view helps you choose
A flat picture shows the art, but not what the patch will feel like. Embroidery stands up off the fabric; PVC is molded rubber with a sheen; woven is flat enough to hold fine lettering. Turning the patch shows the difference at a glance, on your own design rather than a stock photo.
The back matters just as much. Whether it goes on a jacket, a backpack, a hat or a plate carrier decides the backing, and seeing an iron-on, a hook and loop or a magnetic back on the actual patch makes that choice easier before you order.
- Opens from the 360° button on every design in the AI designer.
- Follows the type and backing selected in your order options as you change them.
- Also on your order page, so you can show it to whoever approves the order.
Questions
How do I open the 360 view?
Design a patch in the free AI designer and press the 360° button at the top left of the design. It is also on your order page, as "360 view", once you have ordered.
Does the 360 view change when I change the backing?
Yes. It reads the patch type and backing currently selected in your order options, so switch from sew-on to magnetic and the back of the patch changes with it.
Is the 360 view a photo of my patch?
No. It is a simulated 3D preview built from your design, to show what the material, the edge and the backing look like. Thread texture, thickness and finish vary slightly in production, and every order is drawn by our team and approved by you before it is made.
Does it work on any shape?
Yes. The patch is built from your design's own outline, so a shield, a badge or a custom die-cut shape turns as its own shape. Circles and ovals are drawn as true circles and ovals, the way a cutter cuts them.
Why do I only see a flat turning card?
The 3D view needs WebGL, which a few browsers and older devices turn off. When it is not available you get a simple turning card of your design instead.
Does it cost anything?
No. The 360 view is part of the free designer and does not count as a design.
Design yours, then turn it around
Describe the patch in plain words and see it in seconds. Want one part different? The AI patch editor changes just the area you box.
Design a patch free