Iron-on patches: how to apply

Heads up: iron-on patches only stick to cotton, denim, canvas, wool, and linen. They will not stick to polyester, nylon, waxed canvas, leather, or most synthetic blends. If you're not sure what your jacket is made of, check the tag.

1. Wash and dry the garment first. New clothes have sizing and oils on them that mess with adhesion. Start clean.

2. Set your iron to the right heat for the fabric. Cotton setting for cotton, wool setting for wool, etc. Steam OFF. This matters more than people think.

3. Iron the spot first. Smooth out the area where the patch is going so it's flat and warm before the patch touches it.

4. Place the patch. Cover it with a press cloth (a cotton tea towel or an old t-shirt works). Never put the iron directly on the patch.

5. Press for 90 seconds. Slow circular motion, firm pressure. Don't rush this step.

6. Flip the garment inside out. Press again for 30 seconds through the back of the fabric with the press cloth still on.

If the patch isn't sticking after two tries, something's off with the fabric. Hit reply and we'll figure it out.

Iron-on patches: how to wash

• Hand wash only. Cold water. Hot water breaks down the adhesive.
• Air dry. Flat. Do not put patches in the dryer. The heat and tumbling will destroy them.
• Wash inside-out if you have to machine wash the garment for any reason (I'd rather you didn't, but I know how it goes).
• No bleach. No fabric softener. Both eat the backing.
• Iron only on the BACK of the patch if you're touching it up, never on the embroidery itself.

If you treat them right, iron-on patches last for years. If you treat them wrong, they'll peel off in one wash.

Velcro patches (aka hook & loop)

Velcro patches are the low-maintenance option. No ironing, no adhesive, no drama.

• Attach them to any velcro-panel garment — jackets, backpacks, hats, tactical gear, whatever.
• Swap them whenever. That's the whole point. Different vibe for different days.
• Don't have a velcro panel? Every velcro patch ships with a separate loop backing piece you can sew onto any garment. Stitch it where you want the patch to live, and you've turned any jacket, bag, or hat into a swap-ready surface.
• If you need to wash the garment, remove the patch first. Throw the patch in a mesh laundry bag if you absolutely have to wash it with the garment.
• Hand wash the patch itself if it gets dirty. Same rules as iron-on — cold water, no dryer.

Common mistakes I see

These are the ones that end in a "help, my patch is ruined" email:

• Dryer. Just don't. I beg you.
• Polyester jackets. The adhesive won't bond. Use velcro patches for those (or sew the iron-on on).
• Rushing the 90-second press. I know it feels like forever. It isn't. Set a timer.
• Skipping the press cloth. You'll scorch the embroidery and it'll look rough within a week.

If something goes wrong