Designing in the Builder

The Builder is where you design your product. Every product goes through the same steps, shown at the top of the page: Choose → Configure → Mockup → Describe → Review.

Choose a product. In Catalog, pick:

• Patch Hats: Richardson 112 trucker hats;
• Patch Beanies: Sportsman SP12 cuffed beanies, with the patch on the cuff;
• Custom Patches: adhesive-backed, ready to apply to hats, bags and more.

Each comes in Leatherette or Genuine Veg-Tan leather, with Laser Engraved or Full-Color UV Printed decoration. Select Launch this product.

Add artwork or text.

• Upload artwork: PNG, JPG, SVG, WebP or TIFF, up to 25 MB. Files you upload are saved to your Library, so you can reuse them. AVIF and HEIC photos can't be used yet: save or export them as a PNG or JPG first.
• Add text: type directly on the patch. Choose from the built-in fonts, change size, color and curve, and use text alone or with artwork.

Edit on the patch. Select your artwork or a text element on the patch to edit it in the side panel:

• size;
• position, both up and down and side to side;
• rotation;
• layer order.

The preview shows the real product as you work.

Pick what your customers can choose. Choose which options your customers see on your product page:

• Colors: hat or beanie colors, and patch colors.
• Patch shapes: for example rectangle, rounded rectangle, circle, hexagon, or Contour Cut, which follows the outline of your design. For Contour Cut, use Space around your design to set the gap between your design and the cut edge. Contour Line or Faux Stitch then follow that edge.
• Edge finishes: for example Contour Line, Faux Stitch, Overlocked Edge or Genuine Stitching. Some cost extra, and the Builder shows the cost.
• Attachment: Pro-Grade Adhesive is standard and included. Sewn to Hat or Sewn to Beanie costs extra. Sewn patches work only with the edge finishes that can be sewn, such as None or Overlocked Edge. If you choose Sewn while other finishes are on, the Builder turns them off and shows Undo.

Customers see only options that work together.

Check print quality. If your artwork's resolution is too low for its printed size, the Builder warns you. Low-resolution artwork can look blurry or rough. Use a larger file or make the design smaller.

Mockup. See your design on each option you're offering, and confirm it looks right. Choose up to ten Featured Styles, the looks shown as photos in your store, in the Builder or on Review. Make Hero sets the main product image.

Laser Engraved artwork is traced for engraving. Your artwork is turned into clean outlines, the way a laser engraves it. Use the Engraving outlines sliders to fine-tune the result. Photos and shaded or very detailed artwork may not trace cleanly. Those look best on a Full-Color UV Printed patch.

Your original file is never changed. Remove background (UV) and Invert (laser) are off unless you turn them on.

Saving. Your changes save as you go, and leaving the Builder keeps your look. If a page has changes that aren't saved yet, Etchly asks before you leave.