Most custom patch orders take about 4 to 5 weeks from order to delivery. You get a free digital mockup within 6 hours, a physical sample in 2 to 3 days, then about 2 weeks of production and about 2 weeks of shipping, depending on your destination. The biggest variable is how quickly you approve your mockup and sample.
This guide breaks down every stage of a Legion Patches order, shows where orders lose time, and gives you a simple way to work backward from your deadline.
The full patch order timeline, stage by stage
Every order goes through the same five stages. Some are fixed. Others depend on how fast you reply.
| Stage | What happens | How long it takes | What you need to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Order and deposit | You choose patch type, size, quantity and backing, then pay 25%, 50% or 100% upfront by card or PayPal. | A few minutes | Upload your artwork if you have it. |
| 2. Digital mockup | Our artists turn your logo or sketch into a patch-ready design, with colors, border and size marked. | Within 6 hours | Check it and request changes. Revisions are unlimited. |
| 3. Physical sample | We make one real patch from your approved mockup so you can check the thread, colors and detail before the full run. | 2 to 3 days | Approve the sample, or tell us what to adjust. |
| 4. Production | Your full quantity is made, trimmed, backed and checked. | About 2 weeks | Make sure your balance is paid. Production starts at 100% paid. |
| 5. Shipping | Your patches are packed and shipped to you. | About 2 weeks, depending on destination | Make sure your shipping address is correct. |
Stages 2 and 3 move only as fast as your approvals. The 2-week production clock does not start until you approve the sample and your order is paid in full.
Stage 1: Ordering and paying the deposit
You can order through our quote page. Pick Embroidered, Woven, Sublimated, UV + PVC or PVC. Pick a 2 in (5 cm), 3 in (7.6 cm) or 4 in (10.2 cm) size, a quantity starting at 25 pieces, and a backing. The price updates as you go.
At checkout you choose how much to pay upfront:
- 25% deposit: the lowest amount that starts your order. This is also the minimum we need before you can approve your mockup.
- 50% deposit: half now, half before production.
- 100% upfront: nothing left to pay later, so nothing can hold up production on the payment side.
The payment choice does not change how fast we work. It changes when you need to send the balance. If you pay a deposit, the rest is due before production starts, so plan to pay it as soon as you approve your sample.
Stage 2: The free digital mockup (within 6 hours)
After you order, our artists prepare a digital mockup of your patch within 6 hours. It shows the layout, thread or print colors, border style and finished size. This is where you catch problems while they are free to fix: text that is too small, a color that is slightly off, or a border that crowds the design.
Revisions are unlimited, and each one comes back quickly. In practice, how long this stage takes depends on you. A buyer who replies within the hour can have a final mockup the same day. A club that needs five committee members to sign off can lose a week here without noticing.
How to get through the mockup stage fast
- Send the best artwork you have: a vector file (AI, EPS, SVG or PDF) is ideal, but a clear PNG or even a photo of a sketch works.
- Say up front if you have exact brand colors (Pantone codes help).
- Decide who has the final say before the mockup arrives, not after.
- Bundle all your changes into one reply instead of sending them one at a time.
Stage 3: The physical sample
Every Legion Patches order includes a physical sample. Once you approve the digital mockup, we make one real patch within 2 to 3 days so you can judge what a screen cannot show: how the thread catches light, how small lettering holds up, how the edge looks and how the colors read in person.
This step adds time compared to sellers who go straight from screen to full production. It is also the step that prevents the most expensive mistake in this business: receiving 500 patches that are not quite right. If something needs adjusting, it gets fixed on one piece, not on your whole order.
When you approve the sample and your balance is paid, your order moves into production.
Stage 4: Production (about 2 weeks)
Production covers making your full quantity, cutting each patch to shape, finishing the edges, adding the backing and checking every piece against your approved sample. For most orders this takes about 2 weeks.
It can shift a little depending on:
- Patch type. Embroidered, woven, sublimated, UV + PVC and PVC patches are made on different equipment with different steps, so their production times are not identical. See embroidered vs. woven patches for how they are made.
- Quantity. A run of 1,000 patches takes longer to make, trim and check than a run of 50.
- Backing. Sew-on is included. Iron-on and Velcro hook and loop are applied as an extra step. Compare them in our backing options guide.
- Custom sizes. Anything larger than 4 in (10.2 cm) is quoted by hand, which adds a short step before ordering.
If your deadline is tight, message us with your patch type and quantity before you order. We will tell you straight whether the date works.
Stage 5: Shipping (about 2 weeks)
Once production is done, your patches ship to you. Allow about 2 weeks for delivery, depending on your destination. We ship to customers across the US, Canada and Europe. Orders going to Canada or Europe also pass through customs, which can add time, so leave extra room if you are outside the US.
Working backward from your deadline
If you have an event, a rally, a season opener or a product launch, start from that date and count back. Use this as your planner:
| Step | Time to allow | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buffer before your event | 3 to 5 days | Room for a delayed parcel, or time to sew patches on. |
| Shipping | About 2 weeks | Leave extra room for customs if you are outside the US. |
| Production | About 2 weeks | Starts after sample approval and full payment. |
| Physical sample | 2 to 3 days | Plus the time you take to approve it. |
| Digital mockup and revisions | Within 6 hours for the first mockup | Total time depends on how fast you approve. |
Add up the rows and you have your latest safe order date. If that date has already passed or is this week, order now and message us with your deadline before you pay, so we can tell you honestly whether it is realistic.
Do you offer rush orders?
No. Legion Patches does not currently offer a rush service. Every order gets the same mockup, sample and production steps, because skipping the sample is how patch orders go wrong. If you have a hard deadline, the best thing you can do is order early, approve quickly and pay your balance as soon as the sample is approved.
Common mistakes that slow down patch orders
- Ordering with no buffer. Planning delivery for the day before your event leaves no room for a carrier delay.
- Approval by committee. Sending the mockup around a group with no deadline for feedback is the most common reason orders stall.
- Forgetting the balance. If you paid a 25% or 50% deposit, production waits until the rest is paid. Pay it the day you approve your sample.
- Changing the design after the sample. A change at this point means a new sample. Make your big decisions at the mockup stage, where revisions are free and fast.
- Low-quality artwork with no notes. A blurry screenshot with no colors or text spelled out leads to extra revision rounds. Tell us what matters most.
- Wrong address. Double-check the shipping address at checkout, especially for unit, club or business deliveries.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to make custom patches?
About 4 to 5 weeks from order to delivery. The first digital mockup arrives within 6 hours, the physical sample takes 2 to 3 days, production takes about 2 weeks and shipping takes about 2 weeks. Fast approvals keep you at the short end.
Can I get custom patches in a week?
Not from us. We do not offer a rush service, and every order includes a physical sample before production. If you have a deadline, order as early as possible and message us with the date.
How long does a patch mockup take?
Your first digital mockup arrives within 6 hours of ordering, and revisions are unlimited. How long the mockup stage lasts depends on how quickly you review and approve it.
When does production start on my patch order?
Production starts once you approve your physical sample and your order is 100% paid. You need at least 25% paid to approve your mockup, and the full balance before production.
How long does shipping take for custom patches?
About 2 weeks after production, depending on your destination. Orders to Canada and Europe also go through customs, which can add time.
Get your free mockup today
The fastest way to know your timeline is to start. Build your order on the quote page and see your price instantly. You get a free digital mockup within 6 hours and a physical sample in 2 to 3 days, before anything goes into production. Have a deadline? Message us on WhatsApp at +1-437-703-7747 with your date, patch type and quantity, and we will tell you straight whether it works.