When you ask for a quote on an embroidered patch, one of the first questions is about coverage: 50%, 75% or 100%. It is a term the patch industry uses constantly and almost never explains, and it has a direct effect on how your patch looks, how it feels and what it costs.
This guide explains what embroidery coverage means, what each level looks like in practice and how to choose the right one for your design.
What embroidery coverage means
An embroidered patch is made by stitching thread onto a base fabric, usually twill. Coverage is simply how much of that base fabric is covered by thread.
- At 50% coverage, roughly half the patch is stitched and the other half is bare twill.
- At 75% coverage, most of the patch is stitched and some twill still shows.
- At 100% coverage, the entire surface is stitched and no twill is visible.
The percentages are bands, not exact measurements. Nobody counts the stitched area to the nearest percent. The three levels are a practical way to group designs by how much thread they need.
The important idea is that the twill is not wasted space. It is a colour in your design. When the background of your patch is one flat colour, that colour can come from the fabric instead of from thread.
50% embroidery coverage
A 50% patch is mostly background. The twill does the work of the base colour, and thread is used only for the parts that matter: the text, a simple logo, an outline and the border.
This is the right level for designs such as:
- Name patches and name tapes.
- Text-only patches.
- A simple one or two colour logo on a plain background.
- Basic uniform and workwear badges.
A 50% patch is the thinnest and most flexible of the three, because there is less thread stiffening the fabric. It is also the most economical. The trade-off is that it looks simpler. The flat fabric background is visible and has a different sheen from thread, which some people like and some do not.
75% embroidery coverage
A 75% patch has most of its surface stitched, with the twill showing only in some areas, usually parts of the background. This is the most commonly ordered level because most logos fall naturally into it: a detailed central design, some text and a background that shows through in places.
It suits:
- Company logos with several elements.
- Club and team patches.
- Event and commemorative patches.
- Designs with a detailed centre and a simple surround.
A 75% patch looks rich and detailed without the cost of stitching every part of the surface. For many designs it is the best balance between appearance and price.
100% embroidery coverage
At 100%, thread covers the whole patch. The background is stitched as well as the design, so no base fabric can be seen anywhere.
This gives the most premium result. The surface has a consistent texture and sheen from edge to edge, colours look deeper, and the patch feels thick and substantial. It is the level to choose for:
- Detailed emblems and crests.
- Designs where the background has more than one colour.
- Patches with scenery, shading built from several thread colours, or complex artwork.
- Anything intended to look as high quality as possible, such as collector, military and motorcycle club patches.
The trade-offs are cost and stiffness. More stitches mean more thread and more machine time, and a fully stitched patch is noticeably thicker and less flexible than a 50% one.
Coverage levels compared
| Feature | 50% | 75% | 100% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twill visible | About half | Some | None |
| Look | Simple, clean | Detailed, balanced | Rich, premium |
| Thickness | Thinnest | Medium | Thickest |
| Flexibility | Most flexible | Medium | Stiffest |
| Relative cost | Lowest | Middle | Highest |
| Typical use | Name and text patches | Most logos | Detailed emblems |
How coverage affects cost
Embroidered patches are priced largely on stitch count, and coverage is what drives stitch count for a given size. Moving from 50% to 100% on the same patch can mean a large increase in the number of stitches, and the price follows. Size multiplies the effect: the difference between coverage levels is small on a tiny patch and significant on a large one.
That makes coverage one of the easiest places to control the budget. If your design has a plain background, ask whether it can be left as twill. You keep the same design and the same colours and pay for fewer stitches. Our guide to custom patch cost factors covers the other things that affect price.
How to choose the right coverage
You do not usually need to pick a number. The design decides it. Ask these questions about your artwork:
- Is the background one flat colour? If yes, the twill can provide it, and 50% or 75% will work.
- Is the background more than one colour, or patterned? Then it has to be stitched, which means 100%.
- How much of the patch does the design fill? Text and a small logo is 50%. A logo that fills most of the area is 75%.
- How should it feel? For a soft shirt, lower coverage is more comfortable. For a jacket or vest, a thick 100% patch suits the garment.
- What is the budget? If it is tight, design for 50% or 75% from the start.
If you send your artwork, we will tell you which level it falls into. The digitizer works this out from the design, so it is not something you have to calculate.
Choosing the twill colour
Because the twill shows on 50% and 75% patches, its colour is a design decision. Pick the twill to match the background colour in your logo. Black, white, navy, red and other common colours are standard choices. Make sure there is clear contrast between the twill and the thread colours that sit on it, particularly for text. Our thread color converter can help you compare thread colours when planning this.
Coverage, size and detail
Coverage does not change how much detail a patch can hold. That is set by size and by the width of the thread. A 100% patch does not make small text any clearer than a 50% patch does. If your design has fine detail that embroidery cannot hold, the answer is a larger patch, a simpler design or a different patch type. Our custom patch size guide explains what fits at each size, and our comparison of embroidered vs woven patches explains when woven is the better route. Woven patches do not use coverage at all, because the whole surface is woven.
Common mistakes
- Paying for 100% when the background is plain. A flat single-colour background is exactly what twill is for.
- Choosing 50% for a detailed logo. If the design fills the patch, it is not a 50% design, and forcing it leaves it looking unfinished.
- Ignoring stiffness. A large 100% patch on a thin polo shirt will pull at the fabric.
- Forgetting the twill colour. On lower coverage patches it is as visible as any thread colour.
Getting a quote
Send your artwork, the size and the quantity, and tell us what the patch is going on. We will confirm the coverage level and price it accordingly. If you want to see the difference in cost, ask for the same design to be quoted at two levels. You can prepare your artwork using our guide on how to prepare your logo for custom patches, look at examples on our custom embroidered patches page, and then request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
What does 75% embroidered mean?
It means about three quarters of the patch surface is covered with thread and the rest is the twill base showing through.
Is 100% embroidery better quality?
It is richer and thicker, but not better for every design. A text patch gains nothing from a stitched background.
Which coverage is cheapest?
50%, because it uses the fewest stitches.
Do I have to choose the coverage myself?
No. It is determined from your artwork, and we will confirm it with the quote.
Does coverage apply to woven or PVC patches?
No. It only applies to embroidered patches.
