how to attach footy4kids patches to clothing

"I am a second year coach. If we win our games the players get stars and if we lose they get a football ball patch. After the first week's draw, the kids wanted stars and I explained the rules of winning and not giving up, playing hard, etc. We are undefeated since."

where to put patches

<<< download a guide to attaching patches to clothing

Children should not iron on the patches; use the iron only with an adult present.

FIRST, a few patches may have a sticker on the back (on the glue side). If there is a sticker, remove it from each patch before ironing.

To iron on the patches, first warm up the iron for 5 minutes (unless it is a rapid heat iron) on a medium (silk/wool) setting (or higher if possible without scorching the fabric). The iron must be hot enough to melt the glue.

Then position the patch where you want it to permanently be with the glue side against the fabric.

Press the iron firmly to the patch and hold for 10 seconds as a test. It usually takes 20-25 seconds to fully melt the glue, but irons vary, so be careful and don't burn or melt the fabric. If the glue isn't fully melted or if you handle the patch while the patch is still warm, the patch may start to come off the fabric. If this happens, iron it on again. To prevent burning of the polyester, or patches and to get better adhesion: First, position the patch in the desired location. Then turn the material inside out and iron through the material against the underside of the patch. This allows you to see areas where the glue was not fully contacting with the material, get better heating and overall a better application. The patches should stay on much better. Also washing in delicate, or hand wash and laying flat, or clothes line to dry helps.

You MUST let the patch set for a few minutes until it is cool before you handle it.

Our patches have excellent adhesion that is superior to any other one inch iron-on patches we have tried. Once the patch is ironed on, it may not be possible to remove it without damaging the fabric.

Patches can be ironed on most fabrics. They are often ironed on jersey sleeves, backs or fronts. The only problem you might experience is if you have a textured fabric that the glue can't adhere to. In those cases or if you don’t want them to be permanent, you can put a few stitches in each one, or use fabric glue to hold it on. Patches probably won't stay on stretchy material such as socks or head bands unless you sew them on with a thread.

IMPORTANT: Don't wash or dry the fabric that has patches glued onto it using extreme heat -- hot water or an extremely hot dryer can soften the glue and cause the patches to come off the fabric. Wash on a warm or cool setting, and dry on a medium or lower setting -- the higher the heat, the more likely it is that the patch will come off. After repeated washing and drying, the patches may come off. The best way to ensure this doesn't happen is to use a needle and thread to put a stitch in the patch that secures it to the fabric -- that way the patch won't fall off and you can iron it back on.

To put patches on ball caps and similar items: You will need to use a glue such as UHU. Super Glue does NOT work well. NOTE that patches may not stick to all items, and the glue you use will determine how well they stick and stay.

Alternatives to ironing patches on kit: teams in leagues that don’t allow patches on kit still use football patches to motivate their players. Here are some ideas for where to put patches:

1. On a practice T-Shirt (a shirt that can be worn to practice and casually)
2. On a key-ring
3. On a bandanna
4. On football bags
5. On a ball cap, as described above
6. On a team banner near each player's name
7. On a team "Sandwich Board" at practices so all players can see their progress
8. On school bags

download a free guide to using football patches