Choosing Thread Colors for Your Patches
There’s a whole world of color right at your fingertips when you set out to design a custom embroidered patch. Here at Signature Patches, our thread color chart has 252 different options to mix and match, and an additional 72 mesh colors that can serve as a base for your design, but more on that in a minute.
Over the years, we’ve used different combinations of these colors to make camouflage pattern military patches, sports team patches with neon colors, and all kinds of other patches with metallic thread designs, complex patterns and unique embroidered artwork. There is limitless potential for vibrant artwork, and it helps to know all your options for color before you design your own patch.
We decided to go over some of the basics of choosing thread colors for your embroidered patches so you can be prepared with everything you need to make an unforgettable design.
The Basics of Patch Colors
First things first, every custom patch we help design comes with up to seven free thread colors and one free mesh color. The thread colors you choose will be embroidered into a mesh base to form the design. If the embroidery doesn’t cover up all of the mesh, it’s important to have a mesh color that compliments the artwork.
Choosing a complimentary mesh color for an embroidered patch with less than 100% thread coverage is a great way to give your patch a seamless look and feel. For patches with 100% thread coverage, none of the mesh will be visible, so there is no need to choose a mesh color.
If you want to include more than the seven free thread colors on your embroidered design, that’s okay! We can up to 14 different colors to a design, however, there will be charged added to the price of your patches for each additional color after the first seven.
Keep in mind that the size of your patches will play a role in how many colors you can fit into the design, as well. A small patch only has so much space to work with, and adding too many colors could end up making the design really hard to make out.
Now, with the basics covered, we can talk about the different types of colored thread available for you to choose from.
Different Types of Embroidery Thread Colors
As we mentioned before, there are 252 thread colors to choose from when designing an embroidered patch. The list houses an incredible range of colors spanning the entire rainbow. No matter what kind of artwork you have in mind, we’re confident that we have the colors you need to bring your vision to life.
If you're looking to shake things up a bit, we also have metallic and neon threads, as well as glow in the dark thread that will keep your design shining bright after the lights go out.
Neon thread is perfect for anyone that wants to make their patch design shine a little brighter than all the rest. The pink and yellow neon thread colors are especially good at making an impact.
The metallic gold and silver threads we offer achieve a vibrant effect similar to neon colors. Under the light, the gold and silver metallic colors will shimmer as if there are actual metal shavings embedded in the design.
Glow in the dark thread will always glow green when the lights are out, but there are a few different options available for how the thread will look during the day. The white and light green options will provide the best glow effect, but we also have options that look pink or yellow during the daytime.
A Word About Pantone Colors
Here at Signature Patches, we base all of our colors on the Pantone Matching System. However, while the spectrum of Pantone colors covers more than 1800 different hews, we only have the 252 thread colors and 72 mesh colors from our color chart pictured earlier. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t use the Pantone colors you need for your patches.
A lot of corporations and organizations send us their brand guidelines before we set to work on their custom patches. Almost all brands use a specific set of Pantone colors, and if we don’t have the specific thread colors that an organization needs, we can move forward with one of two options.
The first and most common option is that we match an organization’s brand colors as closely as possible using the standard thread colors we offer. The second option is to dye thread with a specific Pantone color before embroidering the design.
Dying thread is not an exact science, but our production team will get as close as possible to your desired Pantone color by carefully dying white thread by hand. If you choose to dye thread, keep in mind that is will add to the cost of your order and add more time to the production of your patches.
We recommend using the standard colors we offer for our embroidered patches to ensure that your order is processed without delay. However, another option is to choose either a PVC or a heat transfer patch instead. PVC and heat transfer patches are not made by embroidering or weaving thread, so our production team can match any Pantone color you need for the design.
The More You Know
Now that you know everything there is to know about thread colors, you’re ready to tackle any kind of custom patch project. Over the years, we’ve seen all kinds of amazing and colorful patches, and we’re always on the lookout for the next great design. If you need a little inspiration, check out some of our favorite patches in our gallery. Otherwise, give us a call to get started on your own patch design!
