Patch collecting


Patch collecting or badge collecting is the hobby of collecting patches or badges.

Souvenir patches

Souvenir patches are usually shield-shaped and generally contain a coat of arms, a map or a miniature view. The patches can be made of any material, but are usually woven or embroidered fabric, though they can also be made from paper or, increasingly, plastic.
Other types of collectible patches include police or service patches, space mission patches, Scout patches, fashion patches, political and sports stickers, walking stick labels, car window pennants, and pin badges. Collecting metal badges or pins, either military or civil is known as faleristics.

History

Badges have been collected since ancient times. Greek and Roman pilgrims to pagan shrines made collections of miniature images of gods and goddesses or their emblems, and Christian pilgrims later did the same. Usually medieval Christian pilgrim badges were metal pin badges - most famously the shell symbol showing the wearer had been to the shrine of St. James at Santiago de Compostela in Spain. These were stuck in hats or into clothing and hardworking pilgrims could assemble quite a collection, as mentioned by Chaucer in his 'Canterbury Tales'.
The growth in the 19th century of travel for ordinary people saw a huge increase in the souvenir industry, as these new secular pilgrims - like their medieval counterparts - wanted to bring back reminders of their holidays/vacations and sightseeing, ranging from china plates to postcards.
The production of stick-on souvenir badges seems to have started in mainland Europe during the early 20th-century, probably in Germany shortly after the First World War when hiking became popular, and people began sewing badges of resort towns onto their backpacks and jackets. In the U.S., the development of the National parks system and the growing popularity of vacationing saw a similar development of patch collecting.
After the Second World War, American GIs occupying Germany sent badges back to their loved ones, showing where they were stationed. These badges became known as sweetheart patches. They were also imported to Britain by Sampson Souvenirs Ltd., which also began producing badges of British tourist spots, and went on to become the largest British manufacturer of souvenir badges. The biggest American manufacturer is Voyager Emblems of Sanborn, New York.

Cause-Related Patches of the 1960s and 1970s

During the turbulent 1960s and 1970s, embroidered sew-on patches became powerful vehicles for personal expression and political activism. These colorful fabric emblems allowed individuals to literally wear their beliefs on their sleeves, jackets, and backpacks, transforming everyday clothing into billboards for social change.
The counterculture movement embraced these patches as affordable, accessible forms of protest art that could be easily shared and displayed. From anti-war sentiments to calls for environmental protection, these small textile statements captured the era's passionate debates and revolutionary spirit in a format that was both permanent and portable.
The causes represented on these vintage patches reflected the major social movements of the time. Peace activists wore patches featuring the iconic peace symbol and slogans opposing the Vietnam War, while the emerging environmental movement promoted conservation messages.
The civil rights struggle found expression in patches supporting Chicano Power and racial equality, while the sexual revolution produced provocative patches celebrating freedom and challenging traditional values. Religious and spiritual themes also appeared, from traditional Christian imagery to newer countercultural spiritual expressions. These patches served not just as decoration but as conversation starters, identity markers, and visible commitments to causes that defined a generation.

Origins of Major Slogans

Several of the phrases featured on these patches had specific historical origins that added depth to their meanings:
Peace Symbol: The iconic peace symbol was designed in 1958 by British artist Gerald Holtom for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. The design combined the semaphore signals for the letters "N" and "D" within a circle representing Earth. It first appeared publicly during an Easter 1958 march from London to Aldermaston and was later adopted by the American anti-war movement in the 1960s, where it became broadly associated with peace rather than specifically nuclear disarmament.
Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came: This popular anti-war slogan originated from Carl Sandburg's 1936 epic poem "The People, Yes," which contained the line "Sometime they'll give a war and nobody will come." The phrase was popularized during the Vietnam War era by Charlotte E. Keyes in her 1966 article for McCall's magazine.
War Is Not Healthy for Children and Other Living Things: This slogan was created by Los Angeles artist Lorraine Schneider in 1967 for the anti-war group Another Mother for Peace. Schneider's sunflower design featuring this text was used on Mother's Day cards sent to President Lyndon B. Johnson and members of Congress, with 200,000 cards distributed by May 1967.
Chicano Power: The Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s was the largest civil rights and empowerment movement by Mexican-descent people in the United States. The term "Chicano" was reclaimed during this period to express political autonomy, ethnic solidarity, and pride in Indigenous descent. "Chicano Power" and "Brown Power" emerged as rallying cries demanding justice and challenging previous generations' assimilationist approaches.

Examples of Cause-Related Patches

Anti-War Movement
Peace Movement
  • Peace symbol patches in various designs
  • "Peace with Honor" patches
  • Peace sign hand gesture patches with fingers in different colors
  • USA peace flag designs
Chicano Rights
  • "Chicano Power" patches supporting Mexican-American civil rights
  • Multiple design variations including chain and victory symbols
Environmental Causes
  • "Ecology Flag" patches
  • "Save Water" patches promoting conservation
Women's Rights
  • "NOW" patches
Drug Legalization
Religious Expression
  • "One Way" religious patches
  • "JC Super Star" patches
  • Jesus embroidered patches
Political Commentary
  • "Silent Majority" patches
  • "Police Pigs" patches representing anti-establishment views
Unity and Solidarity
  • "Come Together" patches promoting cooperation
Love Movement
  • "Love" embroidered patches celebrating the era's emphasis on love and connection

Law enforcement patch collecting

Another patch collecting specialty is police agencies such as sheriff, police, highway patrol, marshal, constable, park rangers, law enforcement explorer scouts, or other law enforcement related personnel. Emblems worn on uniforms have been exchanged between officials as a sign of cooperation for decades, and displays of patches are found in police stations.

Fire department patch collecting

Similar to police patches, fire department patches are also traded amongst fire agencies and some are sold to the general public. Station patches are available amongst large fire departments in North America. Some station patches are worn by firefighters, but mostly not on official uniforms. The patch design is sometimes found on fire vehicles.