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Introduction: It is More Than Just a Decoration

Have you ever seen a patch on a jacket? Maybe it was a band logo. Or a scout merit badge. These mini artworks are omnipresent. Yet they serve no purpose except appearance. They are an ancient genre of narration. They demonstrate what we are and what we love. Their path is protracted and unexpected. It starts with ancient tombs to punk rock clubs. It passes through royal courts to the modern streets. So here is the history of the embroidered patch. We shall see how a simple stitch turned out to be an international icon.

The Ancient Threads: Where It All Began

The narrative begins an extremely long time ago. We are referring thousands of years. The concept of textile decoration is old. The first patches were not such as we have to-day. But the spirit was the same. It was regarding identity and mending.

Archaeological Discoveries

Consider the oldest clothing that we know. One of the best examples is in Russia. The burial site of a Cro-Magnon shaman was discovered by archeologists. Mammoth ivory beads covered his clothes. This was around 30,000 BC. It was a forerunner of applique. Egyptian pharaohs were fond of decoration as well. They were dressed in embroidered clothing as indicated by their tombs. These designs were a display of power and status. Such luxury was a prerogative of the very rich.
The history of embroidery dates back many years; the earliest known artworks date back several centuries and were created in the 11th century.|human|History of embroidery According to Wikipedia, embroidery has existed for many years; the first known paintings are several centuries old and were painted in the 11th century.

Functional Beginnings

Next, we may consider function. Why did this really start? Prior to ornamentation, there was necessity. Clothing wore out. Armor had gaps. The early-patches must have been simply reinforcements. They were workable solutions to areas of weakness. Suppose it were a piece of leather covered with a knee pad. Or a second layer beneath a shoulder-strap. Utility came first. The decoration came later. This combination of utility and loveliness is important. Everything that came after it is based on it.

3. The Middle Ages: Heraldry and Hand-Made Status

Everything changed the patch in the Middle Ages. It became a symbol. It was all about who you were. More to the point, whom you were fighting on behalf of.

Arts and Crafts Coats of Arms and Identification

Imagine a battlefield. The full armor was worn by knights. They all looked the same. then how should you distinguish between them? The solution was crests of embroidery. These were the original patches of uniforms. Knights had the symbol of their family displayed on a tunic above the armor. This was called a surcoat. They even put it upon their shield. This system was referred to as heraldry. It was similar to a medieval team jersey. It displayed your friendship and kinship.

The Artisan's Touch

These were luxury patches in the medieval ages. Machines did not create them. The craftsmen were very talented and did the threadwork manually. They worked with such costly materials as silk and actual gold thread. An elaborate coats of arms might take months to complete. This turned them into an icon of excessive wealth and power. Ordinary people were never able to afford such things. This art was the prerogative of kings, queens and noble knights.

The Industrial Revolution: The Stitching of the Stitch

A huge shift happened in the 1800s. The industrialization of the world started. And embroidery was not an exception. Patches became cheaper and quicker with the help of technology. This transformed their ownership.

The Discovery of the Embroidery Machine

The embroidery machine was the most important invention. The earliest were constructed in France during the middle of the nineteenth century. Their mechanism was hand-operated. They were soon steamed and then electrically powered. The Schiffli embroidery machine was a great breakthrough. It would resemble intricate hand-stitching. But it did it at a fantastic rate. This was a mechanization that changed everything. It implied that the complex designs were no longer exclusive to the wealthy.

From Military to Mainstream

First who wore these new mass-produced patches? The military. Thousand of soldiers had to be organized in large armies. The ideal answer was embroidered patches. Their use had gone off during World War I and World War II. There were individual unit insignia patches. Skill badges and rank identifiers were used by soldiers. This assisted in the team spirit and pride. It also facilitated identification of groups in the battlefield. The patch ceased being a symbol of nobility to being a symbol of duty and service.
It is said that the patch originated in the early 1900s, when an army lieutenant discovered that his white hat's crest, a significant emblem among military members, was missing. According to Smithsonian Magazine - The History of the Military Patch, the patch was created in the early twenties of the last century when an army lieutenant found that his crest on the white hat, which is a major symbol among military personnel, was lost.

The 20 th Century: Rebelliousness, Business, and Self-expression

During the 1900s, patches were in vogue. But this time it was not kings or soldiers that were to be served. It was for everyone. Patches turned out to be a strong means of self-expression. The youth culture and commerce became their home.

The Youth and Counterculture Awakening

Youths started experiencing patches as a way of rebelling. They desired to be different. They were picked up by the hippie movement in the 1960s. Peace signs and flower power were exhibited as patches. They were sewed on denim vests and bell-bottoms. It was a silent anti-war demonstration.
Next came the punk rock of the 70s. This was a more violent, more vituperative insurrection. Punk uniform included patches in large numbers. Band logos were created by fans in DIY styles. They applied safety pins to fix them on leather jackets. This home made style was rough and unpolished. It was the ideal middle finger to mainstream fashion that was polished.

Corporate Merchandise and Branding.

The potential was immediately observed by businesses. A patch was an excellent brand building tactic. Firms transformed their logos into hats and bag patches. They turned into trendy advertising products. Imagine the well-known Coca-Cola patch on a working shirt.
They were also embraced by youth groups. Patches formed the entire system of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. A merit badge was a massive accomplishment. It was a material reward to learning something new. This demonstrated the ability of patches to be motivating and inspiring.

The Modern Patch: Technology and Trends

The patch has never been more popular today. Why? Custom designs have become very easy to acquire through technology. The patch has been going into a new golden age of creativity.

The Customization and the Digital Age

The most significant transformation is digital design. Now, anyone can be a designer. Ideas come to life through the help of computer software (CAD). You are able to make a patch in your laptop. Afterwards, forward the file to a web based company. The rest is done using computerized embroidery machines. They sew your very pattern, with naughty accuracy. You may order one single patch or a thousand. This availability has opened a creative world.

The Woven Alternative and PVC

We now also have patches of a new sort. Embroidered is no longer the only choice. Those smooth, detailed patches? Have you seen them? And those probably are woven patches. They are woven on a finer detail. They are more flatter and thinner than those of embroidery.
Then there are PVC patches. They are manufactured using rubber material. They are highly waterproof and durable. They are frequently found on military equipment and state of the art backpacks. They have a cool and modern appearance, which embroidery cannot possess.

A Staple of Modern Style

Look around you today. Fashion trend is a lot in patches. The luxury designers embellish them on costly jeans. Individuals personalize their sneaker shoes and laptop bags. They make personalization of anything the easiest. Patches are the preferred form of souvenir whether it is a corporate team building event or a bachelorette party. They both relate us to the past and are completely contemporary.

Conclusion: A String of Strands between Centuries

Gaze at your jacket or backpack. That small patch narrates a great story. Its history is long and rich. It began with ancient craftsmen and great knights. It transferred to battlefields and factory machines. It breathed life into rebels and scouts.
Patches have never failed to do two things. They show who we are. And they unite people. Brotherhood is formed by a military patch. A band patch finds your tribe. You have a unique patch to commemorate your unique hobby.
They connect us to the past. Still, they are also quite modern. New technology allows any person to make his own symbol. The process of the evolution of ancient tombs to the digital design is complete. A strong thing that little bit of thread. It carries history, art and identity. It is a sewn narrative that is to be put on.