PatchForge · Quick Start
The material and the process together decide what your patch looks like. Here's how to choose, and how PatchForge previews each one accurately.
patchforge.makerfoundryco.com · a Maker Foundry tool
UV Printed lays your full-color artwork on top of the material — great for colorful logos and photos. Laser Engraved burns the design into the material; the color you see is whatever the material reveals when burned. You set this in ① Process, and it changes which materials and export files are available.
PatchForge ships the full catalog of leather and leatherette colorways, each with its real engrave color — the tone that shows when the laser burns that specific material (black, gold, silver, copper, and more). When you pick a leather and switch to laser, the preview recolors your art to that engrave color so what you see matches what the machine produces.
Layered acrylic is a solid top color bonded over one color (dual-layer) or two colors (tri-layer) beneath it. Engraving cuts through the top to reveal a lower color — so a single sheet can produce two or three colors with no ink at all.
The top layer is bare surface — negative space, never engraved by default. Every piece of your artwork defaults to the first engrave layer (the second color), so a normal black cutout comes in ready to engrave.
On a tri-layer you can send individual pieces deeper to the third color for a second, deeper engrave: select a piece (Ungroup a grouped SVG first) and use the Top / Mid / Deep swatches in the selection toolbar or the Layers panel — Top returns a piece to the bare surface, Mid is the first engrave layer, Deep is the bottom layer. Your choice sticks.
Vinyl is a print/cut material for full-color UV work. If you want the woven look of an embroidered patch, turn on Simulate embroidery stitch texture in the toolbar to preview the stitched finish.
Open Materials from the account menu to browse every material with its price-per-square-inch tier. Need the physical blanks? Shop leather, hats, and supplies at https://makerfoundryco.com.