Decoration · Cap Encyclopedia
PVC Patches for Caps
Injection-moulded PVC patches give a cap a tactile, weatherproof brand mark that embroidery can't match. Made from soft PVC compound in a CNC-cut aluminium mould, they support 2D flat art or 3D relief up to 4mm tall. Tooling is up-front; unit cost stays low across the run.
Construction
Soft PVC
Injection moulded
Relief
Up to 4mm
2D or 3D options
Colours
6–8 std
Per patch mould
MOQ
300 pcs
After tooling paid
How a PVC patch is made
- Artwork is separated into height layers (2D = one layer; 3D = up to four).
- A CNC mill cuts an aluminium mould from the vector file — this is the one-time tooling charge.
- Coloured PVC compound is injected by hand into each colour well, cured in an oven, then demoulded.
- Backing is added — plain, hook-loop, or heat-seal film depending on attachment.
- Patch is sewn or heat-pressed to the cap front panel before crown assembly.
2D vs 3D — which to pick
- 2D — every element sits on one plane. Cleanest for wordmarks and clean logo lockups.
- 3D — up to four height levels build depth. Best for crest-style marks and mascot logos.
- 3D adds ~15–20% to unit cost and doubles tooling time.
- Both share the same MOQ economics — pick 3D only if depth adds to the mark.
Colour capacity
- 6 colours: comfortable standard.
- 8 colours: max before injection precision drops.
- Gradients: not supported — PVC is flat-colour by process.
- Fluorescent and metallic colours: available but add small surcharge.
- Pantone matching: solid coated Pantones only. Neons match closest to Pantone 800-series.
Attachment methods
| Method | Where used | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sewn-on (satin stitch border) | Standard on cap crowns | Permanent; adds sewing step |
| Heat seal (backing film) | Fast production, flat panels | Not for stretch fabric |
| Hook-and-loop backed | Tactical / interchangeable caps | Requires loop panel on crown |
| Rubber loop label (sewn tab) | Side-panel branding | Adds a small woven anchor |
Tooling & MOQ
- Tooling: one-time aluminium mould charge, amortised across all future orders using the same artwork.
- MOQ per style: 300 caps after tooling is paid; larger designs run efficiently at 500+.
- Reorder economics improve — no repeat tooling, only unit cost.
- Sampling: 5–7 days for a physical patch strike-off; approve before mould commit.
Common pitfalls
- Over-detailed artwork — 0.5mm lines lose crispness at injection. Simplify.
- Wrong backing spec — heat-seal doesn't hold on wool blend; specify sew-on for structured crowns.
- Mixing colour references (RGB, CMYK, Pantone) — send one Pantone Solid Coated ref per colour.
- Skipping the pre-production sample and going straight to bulk. Always approve the physical patch.
PVC patch on your next cap programme?
Send artwork and we'll return a tooling quote plus a physical patch sample before mould cutting.