Need help generating patch ideas? Use our free Hat Patch Designer on ChatGPT — it designs for how patches are actually cut.
Try it free— For patch-hat makers
A studio built for patch-hat makers
Design the patch, mock it up on the exact cap, get the customer’s sign-off with a proof link, and export the files your press or laser needs — all in one place.
7-day free trial · no card to start · cancel anytime
Sound familiar?
The friction PatchForge takes off your plate.
- Juggling a design app, a mockup tool, and email approvals
- Customers asking “what will it actually look like on the hat?”
- Re-exporting files in three formats for different machines
Whether you run a hat bar or take custom orders, the job is the same: nail the design, show the customer, and produce it clean. PatchForge covers all three — design, real-hat mockup, client proof, and production export — without hopping between apps.
— How it works
From art to production in four steps
- 1
Upload or add art
Drop in a PNG, JPG, or SVG — or add text and shapes. Clean up the background right in the browser.
- 2
Pick material + shape
Choose UV print or laser engrave, a material, and a shape or custom die-cut contour.
- 3
Preview on a hat
See the patch on a real cap in your color, front and back, and fine-tune size and placement.
- 4
Export production files
Download print, cut-line, and engrave files — or a native LightBurn / xTool export.
— What you get
Everything for this workflow, in one tool
Real hat mockups
Drop your patch onto real hat photos across hundreds of colorways, front and back, then download or share.
Client proof links
Send a shareable link so a customer can approve or request changes — bundle several options in one link.
UV print or laser engrave
Design for full-color UV printing or single-tone laser engraving — the builder adapts the workflow to each.
Auto cut lines
Every shape gets a production-ready cut line; die-cut contours trace your artwork edges automatically.
Production files
600 DPI print PNGs, cut-line SVG, engrave layers, plus native LightBurn (.lbrn2) and xTool (.xs) exports.
Cloud design library
Your designs save to the cloud, so your library follows you to any browser or machine.