With the many advancements in embroidery technology and computer graphics, creating your own custom embroidered patches is now more common than ever before. Customers can submit their own designs to patch manufacturers who will take care of the embroidery and ship the finished products directly to the customer. It couldn't be easier. As for the patch collector, this reality presents an even more interesting opportunity in terms of creating custom patches that will generate demand.
When it comes to collections of any type, what is the main objective of the collector? To get your hands on some of the most rare and beautiful specimens in whatever category you're collecting. Embroidered patches are no different. So what if you could create demand by designing custom patches for specific events and only ordering them in limited numbers? Truth be known, it's very possible to do successfully if you approach it the right way.
Design Is Everything
Patch collecting is as much about the beauty and artwork as it is about the event a patch is commemorating or the symbolism it represents. For example, you may create a custom patch to commemorate the 2012 presidential elections or some other special event; you may come up with a design for some particular club you belong to; you may just want to make a unique statement. Regardless of the purpose of the patch, it won't be collectible unless the design is attractive. So in order to create demand for your patches you need to have a good artist designing them.
When we say a good artist we're talking about someone with an eye for conceptualization and the means to transfer a concept to the embroidered patch medium. With embroidered patches color, shape, and detail are the three main objectives. You need a patch that reaches out and catches the attention of collectors when they're browsing your available selection. A patch which simply fades into the background is one that's not going to garner many sales or trading attention.
Limited Numbers
Limited numbers is another key to generating demand for your custom patches. When we say "limited numbers" we're obviously not talking a couple dozen or fewer. Numbers that small mean not enough people will get the patches in their hands to create more demand. But a few hundred of them might do the trick. Order them two or three dozen at a time and start selling them at cost. With the right design of some creative marketing you should be able to create the demand within a short amount of time. At that point the value goes up.
Limited numbers also dictates that a special event you're commemorating be one that is limited as well. Using our previous example of the 2012 presidential elections, that event comes around only once every four years. Creating embroidered patches that endorse or slam specific candidates is a great idea that will generate sales in the short term and collectible value in the long term.
