Laser Engraved vs. UV Printed Leatherette Patches: Which Is Right for Your Custom Hat?
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When designing a custom leatherette patch hat, one of the most important decisions is how your logo or artwork will be applied to the patch.
At 403 Custom Cuts, we offer two popular options: laser engraved leatherette patches and full-colour UV printed leatherette patches. Both can create a professional custom hat, but they produce very different looks and are better suited to different types of logos.
If you are trying to decide between the two, this guide will help you choose the right patch style for your business, team, brand or personal project.
You can also browse our complete selection of custom leather patch hats in Canada to choose the hat style you want to customize.
What Is a Laser Engraved Leatherette Patch?
Laser engraving uses a precision laser to permanently engrave your logo or design directly into the surface of the leatherette.
Instead of adding coloured ink to the patch, the laser removes or changes the top layer of the material to expose a contrasting colour underneath. This creates the distinctive two-tone appearance commonly associated with custom leather patch hats.
The result is a clean, rugged and professional patch that works especially well with company logos, text and bold graphics.
If you are ordering patches separately, you can view our custom laser engraved leatherette hat patches.
Who Are Laser Engraved Leatherette Patches Best For?
Laser engraved patches are an excellent choice for customers who want a traditional leather-patch appearance. They are particularly popular with:
- Construction companies
- Trades and contractors
- Trucking and transportation companies
- Farms and agricultural businesses
- Oilfield and industrial companies
- Landscaping and service businesses
- Work crews and employee uniforms
- Brands with simple or bold logos
- Customers looking for a rugged workwear-style hat
Advantages of Laser Engraved Leatherette Patches
Classic Leather Patch Appearance
Laser engraving creates the traditional appearance most people picture when they think of a custom leather patch hat.
Leatherette colours such as rawhide, brown, black, charcoal and other contrasting combinations can create a clean professional appearance while maintaining the rugged style that works particularly well for trades, construction and industrial businesses.
Permanent Engraved Design
The logo is engraved directly into the leatherette rather than simply being printed on top of the material. This produces a permanent design with excellent contrast between the engraved artwork and the patch surface.
Excellent for Logos and Text
Company logos containing bold lines, lettering, icons and clearly defined shapes generally translate extremely well to laser engraving.
A clean logo can produce a sharp patch that remains easy to recognize even when reduced to the smaller size required for the front of a hat.
Ideal for Business and Crew Hats
Laser engraved leatherette patches are especially well suited to businesses that want professional branded hats without creating an overly corporate appearance.
They work particularly well on trucker hats, snapbacks, work hats and performance hats used by employees in the field.
What Is a UV Printed Leatherette Patch?
UV printing uses specialized printing equipment and UV-cured inks to print artwork directly onto the surface of the leatherette.
Unlike laser engraving, UV printing allows us to reproduce full-colour logos, detailed graphics, multiple colours and more complex artwork.
If maintaining the original colours of your company's logo is important, UV printing may be the better choice.
You can view and order our custom full-colour UV printed leatherette patches for hats, business branding, teams and promotional products.
Who Are UV Printed Leatherette Patches Best For?
UV printed leatherette patches are particularly useful for:
- Full-colour company logos
- Multi-colour branding
- Detailed graphics and illustrations
- Logos containing gradients or shading
- Sports teams and clubs
- Promotional merchandise
- Colourful brand identities
- Logos that would lose important details when converted to an engraved design
Advantages of UV Printed Leatherette Patches
Full-Colour Logo Reproduction
The biggest advantage of UV printing is the ability to use colour.
If your company logo contains red, blue, yellow, green or several different brand colours, UV printing allows those colours to remain part of the finished patch.
Better for Complex Artwork
Some logos contain small details, multiple graphic elements, shading or colour changes that are difficult to reproduce through engraving alone.
UV printing gives us significantly more flexibility when working with detailed artwork.
Maintain Your Company's Brand Colours
For some businesses, colour is an important part of brand recognition.
If customers immediately recognize your company because of a particular colour combination, a full-colour UV printed patch can help your custom hats remain consistent with your existing branding.
Laser Engraved vs. UV Printed Leatherette Patches
| Feature | Laser Engraved Leatherette | UV Printed Leatherette |
|---|---|---|
| Classic leather patch look | Excellent | Good |
| Full-colour logos | Limited | Excellent |
| Simple logos and text | Excellent | Excellent |
| Detailed artwork | Good | Excellent |
| Gradients and shading | Limited | Excellent |
| Rugged workwear appearance | Excellent | Good |
| Original brand colour reproduction | Limited | Excellent |
| Traditional engraved appearance | Yes | No |
Which Type of Leatherette Patch Should You Choose?
The easiest way to decide is to consider your logo and the finished appearance you want your custom hats to have.
Choose Laser Engraving If You Want a Rugged, Traditional Look
A laser engraved leatherette patch is usually the better choice if your logo consists primarily of text, bold lines or clearly defined graphics and you want the traditional leather patch appearance.
For construction companies, trades, trucking companies, farms, oilfield companies and similar businesses, laser engraving is often an excellent fit.
Choose UV Printing If Colour Is Important
A UV printed leatherette patch may be the better choice if your logo relies heavily on colour, includes several colours, contains gradients or features detailed artwork.
For example, imagine that your company's logo contains red, yellow and blue graphics.
Laser engraving would interpret the artwork using the contrast available in the chosen leatherette material. UV printing, on the other hand, allows the red, yellow and blue elements to remain visible in the finished patch.
Neither method is automatically better. The goal is to choose the process that represents your logo and your brand most effectively.
What If My Logo Is Not Suitable for Laser Engraving?
Not every logo that looks great on a website, business card or work truck will automatically translate perfectly onto a small leatherette hat patch.
Very thin lines, extremely small lettering, gradients and complicated graphics sometimes need to be simplified for laser engraving.
This is where UV printing can provide another option. Rather than dramatically simplifying a colourful or detailed logo, full-colour printing may allow more of the original artwork to be preserved.
If you are unsure, send us your artwork. We can help determine whether laser engraving or UV printing is likely to produce the best finished result on your custom hat.
What Colour Leatherette Should You Choose?
The colour of the leatherette can make almost as much difference as the method used to apply your logo.
Traditional combinations such as a rawhide or brown leatherette patch on a black trucker hat create a classic workwear appearance. Black, charcoal and other leatherette colours can produce a more modern look.
With UV printing, the colour of the leatherette can also become part of the overall design. A more neutral patch background can allow colourful artwork to stand out.
Ideally, the hat colour, leatherette colour and logo should all be considered together.
Can I Order Custom Hats With Either Patch Style?
Yes. You can choose from our selection of custom hats and pair your preferred hat style with the patch option that works best for your logo.
Our custom hat selection includes popular trucker hats, snapbacks, flat brims, stretch-fit hats, perforated performance hats and other styles from leading headwear brands.
Do You Have a Minimum Order for Custom Hats or Patches?
No. 403 Custom Cuts offers custom hats and patches with no minimum order requirement.
Whether you need one custom hat, a few hats for a small crew or a larger order for an entire company, you can choose the quantity that makes sense for you.
Businesses ordering larger quantities can also take advantage of volume pricing.
Custom Leatherette Patch Hats Made in Calgary
403 Custom Cuts produces custom hats and patches in Calgary, Alberta and ships across Canada.
Whether you prefer the rugged appearance of a laser engraved leatherette patch or the colourful detail of a UV printed leatherette patch, the best option starts with your logo and the finished appearance you want to achieve.
Laser engraved: Classic. Rugged. High contrast. Timeless.
UV printed: Colourful. Detailed. Modern. Brand-focused.
Ready to Create Your Custom Hat?
Start by choosing your favourite hat style from our custom leather patch hats, then upload your logo and choose the patch option that works best for your design.
If you are still unsure whether laser engraving or UV printing is the better choice, send us your logo and we can help determine which method will give your artwork the best finished appearance.
No minimum orders • Free artwork proof before production • Made in Calgary • Ships across Canada