Ever wondered how we make our printed badges? We have been refining our badge making process since 1989. Today, we’re sharing our experience with you.
Making badges for businesses and teams means we usually have to make multiple badges at once. Our process is designed to be fast and efficient, while still producing high-quality badges that people can feel proud wearing.
You can watch the below video to see our process in action, or check out the steps below for more details.
Our Printed Badge Making Process
Step 1: Design
Before we can truly get started, we need to know what the badge is supposed to look like. You can submit a design to us (like a company logo) or work with us to come up with a design. You’ll also need to select a colour to be used for the stitching.
Step 2: Printing
We’ll print your design using our sublimation transfer printer. Our printing methods allow us to ensure each badge is a good representation of your design, with vibrant colours and clear lines.
Step 3: Pressing
Next, we press your design onto the fabric! We use a large, premium press which allows us to press an entire sheet of badges at once while still maintaining the quality of all images. Because we used a sublimation printer, the ink will turn into gas when heated then combine completely with the fabric. This is much more permanent and durable than some other transfer methods.
Step 4: Cutting
The badge making process has changed a lot over the years and this is one of the clearest signs of that. Rather than individually cutting each badge out by hand, we now use a high-tech laser cutter to make sure that each badge is cut out perfectly.
Step 5: Overlocking
Overlocking is a stitch that is traditionally used to prevent fabric from fraying at the edge of a badge and gives the badge a finished look. We typically call this a merrowed edge. Even if you’ve never heard the term, you’ve almost certainly seen the dense stitching that is used on the edge of badges. We individually overlock each badge in whatever colour you have chosen.
Optional Steps
The best thing about our badges is that they are custom made, so the badge making process can be adjusted to suit your requirements. Adding or removing steps will change the finished product.
For example, you may decide that you don’t want overlocking on your badge. Since we use a laser cutter for our badges, the edges of the fabric are already heat sealed and shouldn’t fray. Overlocking provides a more traditional style of badge, but a badge without overlocking may provide a cleaner look if that’s what you are going for.
Additionally, you may decide that you want to add a backing. We can provide a heat-activated adhesive backing, a fabric backing, or a Velcro backing. Choose your backing based on what you plan on doing with your badge. If you’d like to iron it onto a jacket, for example, you will need a heat-activated adhesive backing.
It’s also worth noting that, as well as printed badges, we can produce embroidered, woven and blank badges. These all use a similar process with just a few key changes, but we do have a different guide explaining how embroidered badges are made if you are interested.
To learn more about how you can order custom badges from Golden Finishes, click the button below.
Learn More About Custom Badges
