PVC patches: 2D or 3D — how to choose?
Same material, two very different results. Relief, fineness of detail, budget: the two most requested PVC techniques head to head.
PVC has become the reference material for the modern unit patch: indestructible, precise, washable, immune to UV. But "PVC" covers two distinct techniques — and choosing between 2D and 3D changes everything about the result.
2D PVC: graphic sharpness
In 2D, each colour is a flat fill, separated by an outline. The result is clean, bold, highly readable even at small sizes. It is the ideal technique for crests with clear lines, logos, fine text. A well-drawn 2D patch has the crispness of screen printing — with material depth on top.
3D PVC: sculpted relief
In 3D, the design is moulded in successive levels: a bulging canopy, a sculpted animal head, wings standing off the background. The effect is striking in hand and catches the light. It is the choice for figurative artwork — mascots, aircraft, silhouettes — where volume tells a story.
The real selection criteria
Level of detail first: paradoxically, 2D allows finer detail (0.5 mm lines), whereas 3D requires more generous masses for the relief to read. Style of artwork next: a traditional heraldic crest rarely benefits from 3D; a squadron mascot almost always does. Budget last: both techniques sit at the same catalogue price — the design should decide, not the price.
The 2D + print mix: best of both
For complex artwork — gradients, photos, camouflage — there is a third way: PVC with digital printing. The moulded base brings the material, the print brings nuances impossible to mould. It is the technique behind "portrait" patches and faithful reproductions.
Our workshop advice
Send your artwork without pre-judging the technique: the proof is where the decision is made. The workshop will propose the version that serves your design best — and if both hold up, one proof of each lets you compare before production starts.