American GIs who were occupying Germany after World War II would send badges back home to the people they loved. These badges were called sweetheart patches, and they would show the loved ones where the GI was stationed. Leather patches have existed in clothing for decades, and their use has often flown under the radar.
Custom embroidered patches can be great for businesses who want to market themselves. A custom woven label gives a great opportunity for clothes designers to display their brand to the world. The labels can come in many different forms. Designers usually use whatever form, whether it be leather patches, rubber patches, or woven patches, to fit the style of the clothes they are on.
Military patches are particularly well known for the amount of meaning that is in them. Everything on the patch means something. The image portrayed on it and the color represent something about the country or the military unit. The patches are used to set apart the soldiers.
The art of patch making has come a long way over the years. Today, machines run by computers can mass produce patches at a high speed. Leather patches used to be rare, and making one would take up a lot of time, but now they are available for any business that wants to put them on a product.
Most patches today are made so that they can be ironed onto the material or sewn into it. Some companies even use tagless labels. The industry of labeling and leather patches is more capable of flexibility, high quality, and fast production than ever before.