In the United States, there are more than 800,000 sworn law enforcement officers now serving. This is the highest figure ever. Some of these officers may choose to have lapel pins on their uniforms. One example some might choose to wear is a flag pin. There’s proper etiquette that should be followed with wearing one. Here are some tips on how to wear a flag lapel pin.

1. Placement

In general, it’s good to follow the United States Flag Code for pin-wearing etiquette. The code notes that the flag is representative of a living country and is considered a living thing. It’s because of that, it’s proper to wear the flag lapel pin on the left side near the heart. Any other position is generally not considered proper. In a case where an officer is wearing a tie without a blazer, the placement of the pin should be on the center of the tie. There should be no other tie tacks on the tie. The pin should be firmly attached to your clothing and not be able to spin upside down, as this is also considered inappropriate.

2. Size

Flag lapel pins shouldn’t be large, as it might make it appear flashy. When you look for a flag pin, find one that is small instead. While there’s not a specific size limit that’s right, it’s ideal to choose one that’s at least less than a half inch. Wearing a flag pin this size won’t risk looking flashy and will be more appropriate for the office. If you’re unsure wearing a flag lapel pin is appropriate as a member of law enforcement, the flag code indicates that policemen, firemen, military personnel, and all other patriotic organizations can wear them as a part of their formal uniform.

3. Cleaning

Just as it’s sign of respect to keep an American flag clean, it’s important to keep your flag lapel pin clean as well. First you should remove the keeper or back from your pin. Be sure to do it carefully so you don’t stick yourself. Before using the polish you have, test it out first. Swipe the back of your flag pin with a cotton swab before using it on the rest of the pin. After testing the polish, place it on all of the pin and rub it gently with a cloth. Doing this should take off any tarnish that’s on it. Be aware that some metals, such as copper, will tarnish faster than other metals, such as gold.

Wearing lapel pins or patches can be a way of signifying what organization one belongs to. In the case of flag lapel pins, it’s one way some may choose to signify their patriotism. Be sure to follow the proper etiquette of wearing a flag lapel pin if you choose to wear one.

A badge patch may seem like extra decoration, an item of interest that’s not really very important. Nothing could be further from the truth. Actually, badge patches serve an important purpose. These patches provide a lot of information. Sometimes, a badge patch can be used to display rank, location, police or fire department precinct numbers, and lots more. Some badge patches even display important awards and achievements. No uniform is really complete without this insignia. Now, are you beginning to understand why the badge patch is such an important part of any uniform?

What Goes on a Badge Patch?

On any uniform, a badge patch conveys vital information. This patch can be used to display rank within police departments and other law enforcement agencies. It can also be used to show a specific city or county location, along with a precinct within this region. A badge patch can also show other vital information, including an official police o security officer shield, a state boat of arms, or other graphics that are steeped in meaning.

A badge patch can be designed in any shape or size, and it can be made with Velcro backing for easy application or designed to be sewn directly onto fabric. Whether it is sewn on, pinned on, or stuck on with Velcro, the batch patch is a necessary part of the uniform and no uniform is complete without this insignia.

How Is a Badge Patch Made?

A lot of work goes into making a badge patch. All the elements must be put together to display the information in an attractive way. The color scheme, shape, and design must all be carefully chosen so that each element on the patch is clear and distinct. Once the design is determined, a custom badge patch is typically embroidered. That takes a lot of hours of work. Luckily, there are computer programs that can be used to program sewing machines However, it still takes a great amount of skill in order to program this software the right way and a lot of know-how to use the machinery that will embroider the design.

Who Can Make and Design a Great Badge Patch?

When lots of different information has to be conveyed in a way that’s attractive and eye-catching, things an get pretty complicated. It’s actually much more difficult to design a badge patch than you might think — until you attempt to design on of these patches yourself. Whether you need a badge patch design for law enforcement patches, fire department patches, EMS patches, or any other type of uniform, you need a professional who knows how to design a great-looking badge patch that has all the necessary information on display.

There are 17,985 police agencies in the U.S. alone. That includes city police departments, county sheriff’s departments, state and police highway patrol agencies, and federal law enforcement departments of all types. That’s just the police! Fire departments, EMS workers, security guards, and many other types of professionals might wear a badge patch on their regulation uniforms.

It’s not necessary for all these different departments and agencies to come up with their own badge patch design that’s going to display all the right information in a way that’s also aesthetically pleasing. Find a company that makes patches t have a custom badge patch designed. There are professional companies that will have a patch creator, a badge patch designer, who knows how to arrange elements in a pleasing way while still keeping information on display as needed. These people specialize in designing custom police badges and patches of all kinds.

Patches are an important element of any uniform and a good badge patch is an absolute essential for many of those individuals who protect the rest of us: the first responders, the security guards, and the other people who risk their own health in order to keep everyone else safe. These heroes deserve amazing looking custom patches. They deserve someone who knows how to make a great badge patch in a great-looking design.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are an estimated 1,115,000 professional and volunteer firefighters operating in the U.S. as of 2018. Custom fire dept patches are a great way to bring your team together and to show your volunteer firefighters are affiliated with your department.

But before you invest in custom fire department patches, it’s a good idea to do some research to help you find the right patch creator for you. That said, here are four things to look for in a fire department patch designer.

1. Backing options. When you’re choosing a fire department patch designer, you want to be sure that you’re choosing a designer with a variety of backing options available. Common backing options for embroidered patches include plastic, iron-on, adhesive, hooks, loops, pin backs, and magnetic backings. You can also choose to have no backing if that’s your department’s preference.
2. Thread colors. Different thread colors are essential when you’re creating custom firefighter department patches. Make sure to when you’re researching different patch designers that you’re considering the thread colors and varieties the designer has available. If you want your department’s custom patches to be less than 100% embroidery, it might be a good idea to also consider different twill colors. You want to ensure the designer has the thread and twill available to closely match each color that you have in your department’s design.
3. Happy customers. Possibly the most important factor to look for in a fire department patch designers is a good reputation. Be sure to check out a designer’s reviews for happy customers, quality materials, and well-designed products.
4. Good communication. During the patch-making process, you’ll want to be sure that your patch designer stays in good communication with your fire department. Good communication ensures quality results with your final embroidered products. To get a feel for the communication style of your designer, pay attention to how efficiently they respond to emails or phone calls.

Looking for a high-quality fire department patch designer? The Emblem Authority has you covered whether you need official fire department patches, law enforcement patches, or lapel pins for volunteers. To learn more about our custom pins and patches, contact The Emblem Authority today.

Fire Department patches and custom police badges are a great way to set your organization apart from the others. A company that makes patches can help you to design the fire department patches that help to encourage pride in your organization.

A professional Fire Department patch designer has the skill set to bring your vision to life. A patch can deliver the message you want to be heard, and so much more.

Why Is a Custom Patch so Important to Your Members?

It may not seem that something as simple as a patch can have a tremendous effect on your workforce, but it can. A patch is more than a piece of material sewn on, it is a status symbol for your group.

A custom-designed Fire Department patch can convey a number of things about your department, but more importantly, it can increase morale among firefighters. When firefighters put on their uniform they should feel a sense of pride and community. The patch that they wear on their uniform gives them a sense of unity with the other people that wear the same uniform.

A unique patch designed especially for your department, helps to give your members a feeling of exclusivity and cement the obligations that they feel toward one another. It makes them easily recognizable as members of your specific unit.

What Does Your Patch Tell The Community?

Fire Department patches can convey any message that you want to the community that you work in. It helps community members to know that they are dealing with a professional team of highly trained experts.

Fire dept patches can be designed with your unit motto. It can deliver the message of your commitment to the community. You can choose whatever you want to be incorporated into the patch. For example:

• The date the department was founded
• The department’s motto or slogan
• Other graphics

The right designer can take any and all of your ideas for your patch and transform those ideas into a high-quality patch. An experienced patch creator can help your department have the patches that they feel good about wearing.

Show Your Pride

With the right supplier, you can find all the patches, lapel pins, custom police Velcro patches, and more all through one trusted vendor. Give the members of your organization an opportunity to feel the pride of belonging to a special family of first responders with custom patches and more.

Patches are widely known to play an important role in giving departments, institutions, and companies an identity. Just like lapel pins indicate affiliation with a cause or organization, a patch’s textual and symbolic message also does the same. EMS patches and fire dept patches, for example, can help you know that the person works in the healthcare and firefighting field respectively. If designing a badge patch for your company is what you have in mind, you need to make it stand out. Here are tips to help you get the best result.

1. Simplicity is the Way to Go

Truth be told, most people incline towards simplicity and overlook anything that seems complicated. The same goes when it comes to patches and you are advised to stick to a simple design. Think about the most memorable ones such as law enforcement patches and you will realize how simple they are. With a simple design, most people will have an easy time identifying a patch affiliated to your company.

2. Bold Is the Best

With the visibility aspect in mind, it would be good to go for bold designs and bold text. Re-creating delicate, fine and small text is hard with traditional embroidery processes. This tells you that when making EMS patches, for example, text that is thick and big as possible is the best. Not only will this make the EMS patches eye-catching, but more legible as well.

3. Contrast Does Count

As compared to flatness, humans are wired to better respond to contrast. With the right contrast, rest assured that the badge will remain etched in the mind of whoever sees it. This explains why black and white patches have passed the test of time as they make message capturing and memorizing easy. This does not mean that you have to stick to black and white considering that your company needs a unique identity. Choosing a striking color theme with the right contrast will help you strike the correct balance.

4. Big Is Better

If you were to think about fire department patches, they are created in a manner that helps connect with people. If this is the kind of patch you need for your company, make sure that it is large enough to accommodate your message. Though the position of a patch determines its size, you can never go wrong with going for the maximum possible size. Bigger is better because you will have all the space needed to incorporate a design you have in mind.

5. Complementary Border Color

The border is an area that should not be overlooked when designing EMS patches or any other. Keep in mind that border color can add or reduce background depth that plays a major role in determining visibility. Border colors that complement the background are the best given that they draw attention by adding background depth.

How To Find the Right Company

As you can see, creativity is limitless when it comes to badges. To get a large number of badges of say, EMS patches, you will need the help of a company that makes patches. Before you place an order, how will you evaluate the best patch supplier in town?

Always go for a patch making company with a good reputation as this guarantees quality. In fact, quality is a key driver when it comes to getting value for money. Asking for samples will help you know if you are dealing with the right people. You don’t want a company that delivers weeks or even months after the promised date so check for customer reviews online to help you know about suppliers you’re considering.

Experience is another factor that you need to consider. A supplier who has been in this industry long enough will have mastered the trade over the years to know what makes clients happy.

Patches are a great way of making your business stand out. Even so, you need to know what it takes to get the best. With these tips, you are more than ready to make an order today.