Custom Iron On Patches was founded in Birmingham in 2017 by Jake Davey. The company began as a small embroidery operation focused on bespoke patches for local clubs and businesses. It now manufactures embroidered, woven, PVC, printed and chenille patches for customers across the United Kingdom from a Birmingham workshop staffed by more than 60 people.
This page documents how the company grew from a single embroidery machine into a full-service UK patch manufacturer.
2017 – Founded in Birmingham
Jake Davey founded Custom Iron On Patches in 2017. The business started in a small workshop in Birmingham with a single commercial embroidery machine. The first orders came from local sports clubs, motorcycle groups and small businesses who needed bespoke patches without the high minimum order quantities demanded by overseas suppliers.
The original concept was simple: produce small-batch custom patches in the UK, keep minimum orders genuinely low, and return proofs faster than imported alternatives.
2018–2019 – First Expansion
19-01-2018
By 2018, demand from B2B customers, particularly schools, uniformed services and corporate workwear buyers, required additional embroidery capacity. The workshop expanded to multiple multi-head embroidery machines and a dedicated digitising studio. The first full-time digitiser joined the team.
In 2019, the company added woven patch production. Woven patches achieve finer detail than embroidery on small designs, opening the company to corporate logo work and fashion brand orders.
2020–2021 – Diversification Into PVC, Print and Chenille
19-02-2020
The 2020–2021 period brought significant capability expansion. The workshop added:
- PVC moulding equipment – supporting the rise in demand for outdoor, military-style and morale patches
- Dye-sublimation printing – for photo-realistic and full-colour designs that embroidery cannot reproduce
- Chenille production – for varsity-style patches used by schools, universities and sports clubs
By the end of 2021, Custom Iron On Patches offered every major patch type from a single UK workshop, a service mix that few UK competitors match.
2022–2023 – Building the Birmingham Workshop
01-01-2022
The current workshop at 10 Newhall Street, Birmingham, was established to consolidate every production function under one roof. The facility houses five dedicated production zones (embroidery, weaving, PVC moulding, printing, chenille), an in-house design and digitising studio, a quality control bay and a UK dispatch operation.
The team grew through this period to support five-day production schedules, B2B account management and 24-hour proof turnaround.
2024–Present – A 60-Strong UK Manufacturer
Custom Iron On Patches now employs more than 60 people at its Birmingham workshop. The company manufactures every order in the UK, returns proofs within 24 hours and operates with no minimum unit order, three commitments that have remained constant since 2017.
Customers include:
- UK businesses ordering branded workwear and corporate merchandise
- Schools, colleges and universities ordering uniform and house patches
- Councils and uniformed services ordering operational patches and badges
- Sports clubs, motorcycle clubs and hobby groups ordering club patches
- Fashion brands and small designers ordering bespoke patches for product lines
What Has Stayed the Same Since 2017
Three principles have not changed since the company was founded:
- No minimum unit order – orders accepted from £70 with no requirement to buy in bulk
- UK manufacturing – every patch made at the Birmingham workshop, no overseas outsourcing
- Free design support – artwork preparation and digitising included on every order
These principles define the difference between Custom Iron On Patches and large generalist marketplaces or overseas suppliers.
Why Birmingham
Birmingham has been a centre of UK textile, jewellery and small manufacturing for more than 200 years. The city’s manufacturing heritage, central UK location and strong logistics network make it a natural base for a national patch manufacturer. The Newhall Street workshop is in the centre of Birmingham, walking distance from Birmingham Snow Hill and Birmingham New Street stations.
Where We Are Now
Custom Iron On Patches continues to focus on what the company started doing in 2017: making custom patches in the UK, faster than overseas suppliers, with no minimum order. Investment now focuses on three areas:
- Production capacity – additional embroidery and PVC equipment to reduce turnaround times further
- Design technology – improved digitising tools and AI-assisted artwork preparation for faster proof turnaround
- Customer experience – streamlined ordering for B2B accounts, framework agreement support and faster quote response
Get In Touch
To learn more about Custom Iron On Patches or to start an order, visit the contact page, read the ordering process or arrange a visit to the Birmingham workshop.