Learn About Thread & Twill

So what’s the difference between twill and thread on embroidered patches? Here is a great analogy: If a patch was a painting, the twill would be the canvas and thread would be the paint.

Here's a more in-depth answer:   

Twill: Twill is a fabric, weaved with parallel diagonal ridges. All embroidered patches are created using a piece of twill, which then has thread added to it to fill in the design. Depending on your design, your twill may be completely covered by your thread (in which case your patch will be 100% embroidery), or it may only be partially covered by thread, making the twill visible. Therefore, selecting the right colour of twill to match your design is essential. You can check out our twill colour chart here.  

Thread: Without thread the patch would just be a piece of material, a blank canvas. Thread is used to add all the detail to your design. Once applied thread will stand out from the twill backing, giving an almost 3D finish. Depending on your design, thread may cover the entire patch, or just parts. The best designs take advantage of the twill backing and use it to create depth and interest.

We use a type of thread called Rayon. The textbook definition of rayon is "a manufactured fibre composed of regenerated cellulose." The major source of cellulose required in the creation of rayon is wood pulp, which is produced from timber. After the bark has been removed, the wood is chipped into very small pieces, boiled under pressure, chemically treated, washed, and then dried. The final product is a hybrid material called viscose rayon. Rayon is a mixture of nature and manufacturing.

Be sure to select thread colours that perfectly match your design.  You can take a look at our embroidered thread colour chart here.

Keep in mind:  

- As you will see on both colour charts mentioned above, the thread chart has a larger variety of colours than the twill chart. If we do not have a colour to match your design in our twill chart, we’ll likely have it in our thread chart. In this case, we would solely use thread without twill to create your patch.

- Our customers have complete control over which twill/thread colours are used. Our team will recommend colours that will best reflect your design, and we’re always happy to answer your questions and help you make informed decisions.

- Twill is not used at all for woven patches, only for embroidered patches. If you’d like to know the difference between embroidered and woven patches, please check out our blog post Woven vs Embroidered Patches.

 - We work with the following embroidery thread percentages for our embroidered patches: 50%, 60%, 75%, 85%, 100%

Still have questions about Twill and Thread? Contact us for more information - 0117 956 6657 / [email protected].

You can also order your custom patch online here. :)