How long does a custom patch take?
Proof within 48 hours, production, shipping: the real timeline of an order, and the times of year to plan ahead.
"When will it be ready?" — the second question of every order, right after the price. Here is the real timeline, with no promises we cannot keep.
Step 1: the proof — 48 hours
On receiving your artwork, the workshop produces a proof: the exact drawing of your future patch, with dimensions, colours and options. Allow 48 hours. Each revision round adds a day or two — hence the value of arriving with a settled design, or of letting us propose one.
Step 2: production — 2 to 4 weeks
Once you approve the proof, production starts. Depending on technique and quantity, allow two to four weeks. Moulded PVC requires a mould made specifically for your design; woven and embroidered runs move faster on small series.
Step 3: shipping and delivery
Tracked parcel shipping (tracking number sent automatically at dispatch), or collection at the workshop for nearby units. Allow three to five days within mainland France, more for overseas postings or deployed units.
The honest total
From artwork to patches in hand: four to six weeks in the nominal case. That is the timeline of a made-to-order object, with a mould or embroidery programme created for you — not an off-the-shelf product.
The times to plan ahead
Two moments in the year reward ordering early. The September return: unit patch, lanyard and textile orders pile up across June and July. And summer changes of command: if an engraved coin or a pennant must be presented at a ceremony date, build in six weeks of margin, not four.
Tight deadline? Say so up front
A hard date changes the choices: some techniques move faster than others, and the workshop can prioritise a project flagged as urgent. The worst scenario is a deadline discovered at the last minute — the best one is known from the quote.