Custom Chenille Patches Los Angeles

Run your hand over it. That’s the “Moss Stitch.” It feels like a rug because that’s basically what it is, loops of wool-acrylic yarn standing straight up.

Start Your Chenille Patch Order
  • Most people call these “Letterman patches.” But in Los Angeles right now, we aren’t just making them for the varsity quarterback.
  • We’re running 12-inch back patches for streetwear brands in the Arts District and retro script logos for production companies in Burbank.
  • If you want sharp, high-definition detail, go buy a Woven Patch. If you want something thick, fuzzy, and warm that screams “Heritage,” you want Chenille.
Varsity / Streetwear Style Bulk production run of custom character chenille patches on an industrial embroidery machine in Los Angeles.

Recent Projects

From neon-layered mascots to gritty streetwear branding, our latest Chenille runs are loud. Check out the depth on the ‘Tennis Geek’ character and the sharp detail on the ‘Gorilla Godz’ Greek-key border. This is how you take vintage texture and apply it to modern design.

  • Custom script chenille patch with multiple shades of pink yarn and embroidery outline.
  • Pile of vibrant green and teal custom chenille patches for a sports organization.
  • Bulk production run of custom character chenille patches showing high-volume manufacturing capability in Los Angeles.
  • Circular custom chenille mascot patch with intricate embroidery border and Greek key design.

The Classic “Letterman” Look for Jackets and Hoodies

It’s not just for high schools anymore. From DTLA streetwear drops to vintage-style branding, we create the authentic, fuzzy “moss-stitch” patches that define the look.

We manufacture these the old-school way. We punch the yarn through a stiff felt backing to create that high-pile texture you remember from the 90s. It’s heavy. It’s durable. It holds up.

Chenille vs. Standard Embroidery: Visual Difference

Close-up of a blue and white embroidered Maintenance Crew patch on a tan jacket showing thread fraying and surface fuzz.
Tight, flat stitching for high definition.

Standard Embroidery

The Texture:
Lies flat against the fabric. It’s tight and dense.
The Vibe:
Modern and technical. Best for small details viewed under a microscope.
Extreme close-up of a pink chenille patch showing its soft, fuzzy towel-like texture on navy blue fabric.
High-pile fuzzy loops for retro texture.

Chenille Patches

The Texture:
Stands up. Creates a ‘pile’ about a quarter-inch high. Softens edges.
The Vibe:
Retro, bold, and loud. Meant to be seen from the bleachers.

Customization: More Than Just Alphabet Letters

We don’t just have a box of pre-made “A” and “B” patches. We custom-manufacture your specific logo.

Custom chenille bulldog mascot patch with pink embroidery outlines manufactured in Los Angeles.

Custom Mascots & Script Logos

We turn brand names into flowing Chenille script. We can do simple mascots—bulldogs, tigers, fierce faces. We outline them in a thread to lock the shape in.

Macro view of a double-felt backing stack on a custom varsity chenille patch showing construction layers.

Felt Backing Options: Single vs. Double

Chenille needs a foundation. We stitch it onto stiff “Scrim Felt.”

  • Single Felt: One layer of colored felt. Clean and simple.
  • Double Felt: The industry standard. We staple two layers of contrasting felt together (e.g., Gold Chenille on a White top felt, on a Navy bottom felt). It creates a 3D border effect.
Silver metallic glitter felt border on a pink chenille letterman patch.

Gold & Silver Glitter Felt

Standard felt is matte. But this is Hollywood. If you want your border to pop under stage lights, we swap the top layer for Glitter Felt. It’s popular for fashion brands and dance teams.

Popular Applications in Los Angeles

Streetwear Hoodies (Oversized Chest Patches)

We’re seeing massive 10-inch text across the chest of heavyweight hoodies. Chenille adds value to the garment that ink can’t match.

High School & College Varsity Jackets

We handle the specs for schools across LAUSD and the San Gabriel Valley. We match the specific school colors (Pantone to Yarn conversion) so the seniors don’t complain.

Retro 90s Merch Drops

Vintage is cash right now. We help brands recreate that “1993 Sportswear” look with big, blocky, fuzzy logos.

Attachment Options (Heavy Duty)

Chenille patches are heavy. Physics is a factor here.

Sew-On (Recommended)

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This is the only way I trust. The patch has weight. A zigzag stitch around the perimeter anchors it permanently. If you’re putting this on a leather sleeve or a wool jacket, sew it. Recommended for Permanence
White and blue chenille letter C patch with a clean felt border for permanent sewing.

Heat Seal (Iron-On)

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We can add a thermal glue backing. It works fine on cotton hoodies if you use a commercial heat press. Do not try to iron this on with a household iron. The heat won’t penetrate the thick yarn to melt the glue properly. Requires Commercial Heat Press
Back view of a chenille letter C patch showing the shiny heat-seal glue layer for iron-on use.

Adhesive (Sticker)

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Temporary only. Use this for a one-day event or a photo shoot. It won’t survive a wash cycle. Temporary Use Only
Red chenille letter A patch with a 3M peel-and-stick adhesive backing revealed.
Factory Insight

The “T-Shirt Rule”

“Don’t ask me to put a huge Chenille patch on a thin t-shirt. It won’t work. The patch is heavier than the shirt. It will cause the fabric to sag and droop.”
The Fix: Put these on 10oz fleece, denim, or wool. The fabric needs to support the hardware.

What L.A. Business Owners Say

We don’t pay for reviews. We earn them on the embroidery floor. Scroll to see what local partners think of our work.

CHENILLE PATCH
★★★★★
“I was worried about the Greek-key pattern on the border. Usually, with Chenille, tight geometric lines get messy or tangled. You guys kept it sharp. The contrast between the black base and the white script pops exactly how we needed it to. It gives the hoodies a heavy, premium weight.”
J

Andre P.

Owner, Gorilla Godz Fitness
MASCOT CHENILLE
★★★★★
“We wanted a mascot patch that didn’t look flat. The depth you got on the glasses and the tongue is crazy, it actually looks 3D. It captures that vintage varsity letterman feel but with our modern color palette. Our club members bought out the first run in a week.”
M

Mike S.

Founder, Westside Tennis Club
FASHION CHENILLE
★★★★★
“I needed a 90s retro vibe for our winter drop. Most local shops said they couldn’t do the layered pinks without the loops bleeding into each other. You guys nailed the separation. The ‘fuzz’ height is perfect, it feels expensive to the touch, which justifies our price point.”
L

Chloe D.

Creative Director, DTLA Apparel
STREETWEAR CHENILLE
★★★★★
“I was told by other manufacturers that detailed faces don’t work in Chenille because the loops blur the lines. You guys proved them wrong. The definition on the mask is sharp, but it still has that classic varsity texture we wanted for our bomber jackets. The red really pops against the grey.”
S

Dante R.

Owner, Underground Streetwear Co.
CHENILLE
★★★★★
“Getting that authentic varsity letterman look is harder than it seems. Most online shops send you something that looks flat. These guys got the ‘fuzz’ and the height right. It looks vintage but feels brand new. Perfect for our costume department.”
E

Elena D.

Costume Designer, Indie Production
WOVEN LABELS
★★★★★
“Our logo has a tiny grid pattern that always turned into a blob when we tried to embroider it. The team suggested switching to Woven Labels instead. Total game changer. Crisp lines, readable text, and laying flat on the hem without scratching.”
D

David K.

Founder, Tech Apparel Startup

How Chenille Pricing Works

We don’t use flat rates. Price is driven by material consumption and machine time.

What Drives the Cost

  • ✓

    Size & Pile Height

    Larger patches consume more yarn. High-pile Chenille takes longer to stitch than flat thread.

  • ✓

    Layer Count (Felt)

    Double Felt costs more than Single Felt. It requires two separate cutting passes and manual assembly.

  • ✓

    Mixed Media Complexity

    Adding embroidery detail on top of Chenille requires a machine changeover, which adds time.

Bulk Savings Logic

Setting up a Chenille machine is manual work. We have to thread thick yarn spools and calibrate tension.

High Setup Cost 12 Qty
The Sweet Spot 50 Qty
Production Run 100+ Qty

At 50 qty, the setup fee disappears into the unit price.

3-Step Order Process

  1. 1

    Send Art or Font Style

    Send your vector file. If you just need text, tell us the font and the word.

  2. 2

    Approve Digitized Mock-up

    We show you a digital proof of the felt layers and yarn colors.

  3. 3

    Production & Ship

    We run the machines. We trim the felt. We ship it from our factory to your door.

Get a Quote for Chenille Patches

Big patches require big machines. Send us your specs, and we’ll calculate the stitch count and felt costs.

Request Quote Now

The Technical Guide to Manufacturing Chenille Patches

You know the look, but you probably don’t know the mechanics. Chenille isn’t standard embroidery. It requires a completely different machine head and a different mindset. Here is what happens on the factory floor.

What is Chenille? (The “Moss Stitch”)

Standard embroidery creates a lockstitch that lies flat. Chenille creates a Moss Stitch.

The machine takes a thick wool/acrylic yarn and punches it down through the fabric, then pulls the needle back up while leaving a loop of yarn on top. It does this thousands of times, packing the loops tight against each other.

The result is a “pile” that stands up vertically (like a shag rug). That’s why it feels soft. That’s why it has depth.

The Anatomy of a Varsity Patch

A Chenille patch is a sandwich of materials. If you take it apart, here is what you find.

Component 01

The Scrim Felt (Backing)

You can’t stitch Chenille onto thin air or flimsy cotton. It needs a rigid foundation. We stitch directly onto a stiff material called Scrim Felt. This felt becomes the border color of your patch.

Component 02

Chain Stitching (The Outline)

This is the most critical part. The Moss Stitch (the fuzzy part) is loose. If you pull on a thread, it could unravel. To stop that, we run a Chain Stitch—a tight embroidery stitch—around the perimeter of the fuzzy area. It locks the yarn in place and cleans up the jagged edges.

Component 03

Double Felt vs. Single Felt

Single Felt: We stitch onto one piece of felt. You see one border color.
Double Felt: We stitch onto one piece, cut it out, and then glue and staple it onto a second piece of felt (the background color). This is how you get that classic Varsity look (e.g., Yellow Chenille, on Black Felt, on White Backing Felt). It adds stiffness and makes the patch pop.

Design Constraints: The “Blob” Warning

Read this before you send your art.
Chenille yarn is thick. It is not like a thread. It cannot do fine detail.

The 2-Inch Rule:

If you want a letter “A,” it needs to be at least 2 inches tall. Anything smaller, and the hole in the “A” closes up.

No Interior Detail:

You cannot put a tiny face, a star, or text inside a section of Chenille. The yarn loops will swallow it. It will look like a fuzzy blob.

The Fix: If your logo has tiny text (like “Est. 1998”) inside it, we will embroider that text onto a piece of felt and sew that felt onto the Chenille base. We mix media to get the detail you need.

Chenille Care & Maintenance

Chenille is tough, but it’s not invincible.

[!] Cold Wash Only:

Hot water can shrink the wool blend yarn.

[*] Inside Out:

The loops can snag. If you wash a Chenille hoodie with a pair of jeans, the zipper on the jeans will tear the yarn out. Turn the hoodie inside out.

[+] Pilling:

Over 10 years, the yarn might fuzz up (pill). That’s normal. Use a fabric shaver to clean it up.

Chenille vs. Toweling (Loop Stitch)

Don’t confuse these two.

Chenille:

Dense, tight loops. You can’t see the fabric underneath. High pile.

Toweling:

Looser loops. Looks like a bathroom towel. It’s cheaper and lighter, often used for direct-to-garment stitching, but it lacks the “Varsity” density.

Frequently Asked Questions (Chenille)

Application & Fit

Can I put Chenille on a hat?

Only on high-profile Trucker hats. Chenille is stiff. It doesn’t bend well. It looks great on the flat front panel of a structured foam trucker. It looks terrible on a dad hat or a beanie because it won’t curve to your head.

Cost & Materials

Why is Chenille more expensive?

Material and Time. The yarn costs three times more than polyester thread. Also, the machines run slower to prevent the yarn from snapping. You are paying for the vintage material cost.

Color Matching

Can you match Pantone colors?

Not exactly. With embroidery thread, we have 500+ shades. With Chenille yarn, we have about 60 standard athletic colors (Varsity Gold, Scarlet Red, Royal Blue, Kelly Green, etc.). We will get as close as possible, but we can’t custom-dye yarn for small orders.