# Leather Patch vs Embroidery on Hats | Which to Choose

Leather patch or embroidery on a custom hat? Battle Born Clothing does both in-house. Compare cost per hat, look, durability and artwork limits to pick.

Canonical: https://leatherpatchhatco.com/guides/leather-patch-vs-embroidery/

We do both under one roof, so this is not a sales pitch for either. On a Richardson 112 at 48 pieces a leather patch is $20.50 and embroidery is $20.00 plus $18.99 digitizing. The price is close; the difference is the look and what your artwork can do.

## Side by side

|  | Leather patch | Cap embroidery |
|---|---|---|
| All-in per hat (48) | $20.50 | $20.00 |
| All-in per hat (144) | $18.50 | $18.50 |
| Setup | None | $18.99 digitizing once |
| Fine detail and small text | Engraves cleanly | Limited; text under ~0.25 in fills in |
| Color | Leather tone plus engraved contrast | Full thread color, up to 15 colors per design |
| Gradients and photos | Engraves as tone | Not practical |
| Feel | Raised leather | Raised thread |
| Durability | Glued holds daily wear; sewn for hard use | Permanent |
| Turnaround | 28 days from proof | 28 days from proof |

## Choose a leather patch when

- Your logo has fine lines, small text or a tagline.
- You want the tan-leather-on-dark-hat look that sells at retail.
- You have a single-color mark and do not need thread colors.
- You want no setup fee and easy small reorders.

## Choose embroidery when

- Your logo needs its real colors (a red and blue mark, a full-color mascot).
- The hat will be washed in a machine regularly.
- You want 3D puff or a classic team-cap look.
- You are also embroidering polos or jackets with the same file.

## Or do both

Patch on the front, embroidered text on the back or side. Patch rate plus embroidery rate plus one $18.99 digitizing fee. On a 112 at 48 that is $27.00 each. See the [combo page](/decoration/patch-plus-embroidery/).

## How each is made here

Patches are engraved and cut on our OMTech 80-watt CO2 laser and bonded on a two-platen hat press. Embroidery runs on a Happy HCD2-1501 and a YunFu 15-needle with Rapos thread. Both have been in the shop since well before 2026; patches since 2020. Both get a digital proof. Both get a free redo if we make the error.

[Get a quote for either](/quote/)

## Questions
**Which lasts longer?** Embroidery is thread through fabric and is permanent. A sewn leather patch is close; a glued patch holds up to normal wear. For hard daily use pick sewn or embroidery.

**Can a leather patch be more than one color?** The leather is one color and the engraving is a second tone. For multiple thread colors, use embroidery.

**Which is cheaper?** At 48 pieces they are within 50 cents. Embroidery adds $18.99 digitizing once; patches have no setup fee.


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Leather Patch Hat Co. is a brand of Battle Born Clothing, 3 Pebble Beach Dr, Yerington, NV 89447. Quote: https://leatherpatchhatco.com/quote/