Looks like you want to order customized patches for yourself, but are cautious not to break the bank. Well, no worries, as we’ll guide you through some very important factors to consider before you request a price quote from your custom patch manufacturer.
The purpose of this article is to especially help customers that order low quantities (less than 20 patches) to understand our pricing before they send us their requirements. We want to help customers with low quantity requirements to make an informed buying decision and suggest them the cost effective ways when they buy custom patches from us.
It’s important to note that all the factors as explained below, will affect the total cost of your patches. We have arranged the factors in importance from high to low by evaluating its effect on the total cost of the patches. Let’s begin.
1. The Quantity
First and foremost, the total quantity of patches is a factor that will have the most effect on the total cost of your order. Of course, the higher the quantity the higher the total price but it gets a bit tricky here, “The higher the quantity the lower the per patch price”.
So lets say you order 10 embroidered patches, 4 inches in size for a total price of $160, here, the price is $16 per patch.
Now, your patches are a success and you would like to order 200 now. The total price is $350 which makes it $1.75 per patch. Although the total order value is high the price per patch is significantly lower because of the large order quantity.
You might ask, why is the price per patch high for small quantities?
The reason for this is simple, we make 1 patch or we make 1000 patches there are some fixed costs that ultimately get divided over the total quantity. If you make 1 patch this cost will be divided over 1 patch and if you make 1000 patches this costs will be divided over 1000 patches.
So we split these costs in two types:
A. VARIABLE COSTS
These costs are incurred depending on the total quantity of the order.
· Material Costs and Quality
This includes the quality dependent costs of the patch materials like threads, twill, borders, pattern cutting, and machine operating costs in case of textile based patches. These costs are variable because they are dependent on total order quantity and the quality of material the patch manufacturer is using.
B. ONE-TIME OR UP FRONT COSTS
These costs are incurred one-time and upfront regardless of the quantity of patches.
· Setup Costs
In case you want to customize textile based patches like embroidered patches, chenille patches or woven patches this includes digitizing the design to a DST file which can be uploaded on to the embroidery machine. The DST file is a set of stitching instructions. The cost of digitizing depends on the size and embroidery coverage of the patch.
If you want to customize pvc patches a metal mold has to be made regardless of the total quantity of patches. Mold engraving costs include designing a CAD file to be used on CNC engraving machines and inputting PVC filling commands in the PVC liquid dispensing machine. Again, mold costs are dependent on the size and thickness of the PVC patches.
The size of the patch can affect variable costs as well as one-time costs.
Apart from digitizing and mold engravings, the setup cost also includes the one-time setup of any machinery that is required to manufacture the patches.
· Artwork Cost
Human resource to edit any artwork to make it compatible with the type of patch.
Now lets say the customer wants to order 1 patch, 4 inches in size
2. The Size
Size is one of the most important factors to take into consideration. The larger your patches are the higher will be the per patch prices because more materials are used for coverage on large patches. This is the factor that will have the most impact on the costs that are dependent on quantity i.e threads, twill, etc.
3. The Attachment
You choice of backing or attachment method is the third most important factor to consider when ordering custom made patches. Sew-on or no backing is cheaper than iron on backing. Velcro hook backing can increase the price and so can Velcro loop side. Magnetic backings are heavy and can increase shipping costs as well.
4. The Design
Last but not least, the design factor. Although, artwork compatibility is a vital factor when it comes to creating custom patches but its impact on the total cost of your patches is the lowest, as discussed above. Design is a factor that can affect the type of patch, and the size of patch which will have an effect on the total order cost but not as high as the factors explained above.
When making your custom patches. The number of colors on your design is also an important factor to consider if you want to remain within budget. With embroidered patches our standard pricing includes 9 thread colors but every extra thread color is charged at $0.10 per color. With PVC the standard pricing is inclusive of 4 colors with every extra color being charged at $0.10. Here is an article on how to use the right approach when you design embroidered patches.
Create Patches For Groups
As explained above that these costs are incurred regardless of quantity, and customers who want to order 1 or 2 patches might be at a disadvantage. For customers with low quantity requirements we suggest that design their projects for groups and like minded people. You can encourage your friends to buy a few patches and share in your project so that you are able to increase the order quantity to at least 10-20 patches. This way the upfront and one-time costs can be divided on more patches.
It can be very cost effective if you can encourage and convince a few friends or relatives to share in your project instead of paying $80 for a single patch it would be better if you order 10 patches for $140 where all of you can share $14 per patch.
Create Your Custom Patches With UltraPatches
At UltraPatches customer service is our top priority. When ordering your patches with us you can be sure that you are getting the best value for your money. Our sales representatives will help you with the full process and provide with the most cost effective solutions, so you can order your patches for the best possible price. Have a look at our pricing chart for all types of custom patches to get more information. Just fill out the price quote form that is available throughout the website or email us at sales@ultrapatches.com.
