How to Make Morale Patches: The Ultimate Guide

Morale patches have become incredibly popular in the EDC (Everyday Carry) community as a way to have fun with the hobby and spruce up backpacks, jackets, and pouches, so much so that the most popular patch designs can be more expensive than some pieces of EDC kit.

In this blog, we'll talk about morale patches, what they are, how you can use them, and how we can help you build a thriving business on the back of them.

What is a Morale Patch?

Morale patches have, in one form or another, been around for centuries as a means of identification in times of conflict. Usually sewn inside jackets, trench coats, or flight suits of soldiers, the British military was one of the pioneers of what was then known as the "battle patch."

The term "morale patch" was popularised by members of the US Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. Soldiers made their own patches to wear on their uniforms to poke fun at their enemy during the conflict to keep morale high. 

Thus, the morale patch was born.

Morale & EDC Patches in the Modern Era

While some armed forces around the world still allow moral patches on uniforms and combat gear (though the patch's content is heavily regulated), this type of patch has become popular in civilian life for more lighthearted reasons.

Over the last decade or so, small pockets of EDC enthusiasts have exploded into massive communities of like-minded people who love to carry tools, pocket knives (legally, of course), flashlights, challenge coins, first aid kits, and other useful items they can use to solve everyday problems for themselves and those around them.

These students of preparedness are more than pragmatic problem solvers; you'll find many EDC philosophers have an incredible sense of humour and love nothing more than adding a cheerful touch to their gear with colourful and playful patches.

EDC groups and influencers create their own patches for members and supporters to sport on their gear to build camaraderie in the community.

Different Kinds of Morale Patches for EDC

Like all EDC kits and pocket carries, there are many options for high-quality morale patches. Here are a few of our favourite patch products.

Embroidered Patches: Because of their military heritage, embroidered morale patches have a timeless aesthetic that lends itself well to the genre. The premium threads and raised finish offer a classic appearance perfect for organisation logos, group badges and unit patches.

Woven Patches: If you're after a design with fine details, a woven patch is the way to go. Woven cloth badges embody bold, fun, and typographic designs that are perfect for hilarious patches for backpacks, jackets, and molle pouches. 

Photo-Printed Patches: Photo-printed patches provide an excellent alternative when EDC designs are too detailed or complex for the other patch types. Choose an overlocked or laser-cut finish depending on the shape of your patch.

Soft PVC Patches: New to our product range, soft PVC patches are the new patch on the block and are super-popular in the EDC community. Much like EDCers, these hard-wearing tactical patches are useful and can add a playful touch to the hobby or be used for detailed military designs.

How to Attach EDC, Morale, & Tactical Patches

Having different solutions and redundancies is one of the primary goals of EDC. With that in mind, we offer multiple patch attachment methods for EDCers of all capabilities.

Sew-on Patches: The morale patch has been a sew-on product for most of its existence. You take a needle and thread and sew your patch to your chosen garment. It's a classic option that stands the test of time.

Iron-On Patches: If you've left your sewing kit in your spare 5.11 Tactical Backpack, you'll need another way to attach your patch. Iron-on patches are a straightforward way to permanently stick your patch onto your gear. However, you are limited to fabric types that can withstand the high temperatures of an iron. And yes, they do really stay on.

Velcro Patches: EDC gear is covered in loop velcro areas, so velcro patches are the most popular type in the community thanks to their ease of application and how straightforward it is to swap your patches around depending on your mood or what you've got planned in the field.

Stick-On Patches: Did you know you can put your EDC patches on laptops, mobile phones, and any other smooth and flat surfaces with our 3M stick-on patches? Well, now you do!

How Can I Make My Own EDC & Morale Patches?

Members of the EDC community are a resourceful bunch who can achieve whatever they put their minds to. However, this is one problem that you don't need to solve.

We'll solve it for you.

If you want to create morale patches for your EDC group or build a business based on patches, we'll shoulder all the hard work by turning your ideas into high-quality morale patches with our FREE Design Service.

Once you've chosen your design, the type of patch you want to make, and the attachment method you want to use for your morale patches, send us an email, and we'll help you get started.

Whether you've got a community logo, unit crest, or playful EDC-related design, our team will make sure your PDF, Jpeg, hand-drawn sketch, or written description is brought to life to keep morale high.