How to compare theatre made patches...

Hi,
OK, for some people, trying to figure out what a theatre made patch from Iraq and Afghanistan right now is a bit of a challenge. Well, I'm here to help. Hopefully, this thread can help you be on the lookout on the patches that are today's values. OK, first the theatre made patches have been made in 3 basic colors; Woodland Subdued, Desert Subdued, and ACU with and without velcro. Also, in some rare occasions color patches were made. The woodland is the hardest color to find, as it was only made for a short period of time before the patch makers discontinued the color (ran out of thread). The Deserts have been the most common for me to find, and they come as unit patches, rank, tapes, and qualifications such as the CIB, CAB, and EIB.
Normally, when you have a patch made, you give the patch makers an example to copy. This copying ussually takes place by hand, therefore producing the theatre made patch. I have seen the patches made in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar, and they all have thier unique identifying traits.
Let's start with the Afghani made patch. I have not seen very many Afghanistan made patches, and the few I have seen has been in ACU. I don't know if they do not make patches there a lot or what. This picture shows an ISAF patch in ACU on black velcro and an 82nd ABN patch that I do not know where it was made, and I have not seen another like it.


As I said, I think that these are Afghani made.
Moving on, we come to the Kuwaiti and Iraqi made patches. This is where it gets a little tricky. One style of the embriodery pattern is used in both countries, as you see below.

The prices on patches in Kuwait and Iraq go from about $3 all the way to somewhere around $20. They are sold in both on base and on the streets of cities such as Baghdad. The following are pictures of a patch shop in Camp Buehring Kuwait.
(Notice the packs hanging off the ceiling)

As you can see, there are a bunch of pre-made patches, but you can custom order patches, boonies, and packs. That is the most common embriodery pattern on unit patches.
OK, now we go into Qatar. Qatari patches are very expensive, $10 for a very simple patch with letters. Qatari patches also have a very distinctive backing, it's very stiff and sticky. The following is a Qatari made generic patch.

As you can tell, these patches are alike at first glance, but if you really look you can notice differences. Well, that's all for now, I'll be posting more photos and in depth information soon. Thanks.
Andrew

OK, for our next installment, I'd like to focus on nametapes, qualification badges, and rank insignia. First up, I'd like to focus on Desert tapes. The first picture is what I believe to be Iraqi made (Signified by the soft base and choppy letters).

Also, I have here a picture of two Iraqi made peices, a SPC rank and US Army tape. Both have a whtish, almost dryer sheet backing fabric typical of Iraqi made patches.

These next tapes are badly faded, but they show the same black thread on the back, yet again more Iraqi made in my honest opinion.


ACU nametapes, however are a little harder to spot. There are a lot of different variations in standard lettering, seen in this picture of US made ACU tapes.

This next picture shows an Iraqi tape made at COB Speicher late last year for me.

A lot of theatre made nametapes have black velcro, whereas the US made regulation ones have greenish velcro. OK, this next set of tapes is a bit of a throwback to Desert Storm, and we see the "Grandaddy" of modern theatre made patches.

The color on the base material is lighter, and soft.
Next, we go to Rank insignia. Rank insignia that is theatre made is yet again harder to spot, and one must have a keen eye to recognize US made and theatre made. As you saw above, rank insignia can be a bit crude, but it also has lots of artistry in it, such as this Iraqi made 1st LT Gore-tex rank.

I must admit, I missed this peice at first but I saw the unusual 'coffin lid' type embriodery around the edges that is not standard of US made rank. Also, the line around the edge is not straight, a sign of hand sewn. When I looked in the inside, I saw tell-tale white paper peeking out at me, and the base material that the rank is sewn on seems like a thicker version of the nametape material. In this picture, we see Theatre made SGT stripes on the shirt.

The stripes are, yet again crude, and the material is that soft cotton. Notice also, the tape is theatre made (another style reported to have been made in Iraq), along with the flag.
Next, is a British Engineers rank made in Iraq (I think) but the manufacter of this patch is very good, compared to the early stuff the will come apart a moments notice.

OK, so now that you know about nametapes and rank, I want to show you a qualification badge, it's a CIB (Combat Infantrymans Badge) that is Iraqi made. The white paper is clearly seen here also. The shrudeness of the rifle gives it character in knowing that human time and effort was put into its manufacter, not a computer.


Not to beat a dead horse again, but this patch is (yes, you guessed it) SOFT!
That's about it for now, I will have more information coming your way very soon! Thanks for reading.
Andrew

For our next 'lesson' I'd like to go in depth into the embriodery patterns of the unit patches themselves. Now most Theatre made patches have a cut edge, whereas modern ones have a merrowed edge, where the machine has gone back over the edge of the patch to deter fraying. Theatre made patches on the other hand have a 'cut' look, as if someone has taken scissors to the original sheet (well, they actually did).
Let's start with the most commonly seen, the Iraqi / Kuwaiti style. They aren't made totally by hand, and they are very neat compared to the handmade ones. Here, is an 82nd Airborne I bought from a soldier in Baghdad, Iraq.

Next up, is a side by side comparison of an Iraqi made 1st Cav Div and a Taiwanese made 1st Cav. The one of the left is theatre made, with a dryer sheet type backing. The Taiwanese one on the right has a thick merrowed edge, and a unusual embriodery pattern.

Taiwanese made patches are ussually sold off base, but there are documented cases of these being sewn onto uniforms and helmet covers. On the Iraqi one there is also a diagonal pattern.
Next up, we go into the handmade patches. Most of these are Iraqi made. These styles are far and wide, as I'm sure a few were made in the streets. The following is a picture of a 1st Corps Supoort Command patch with matching Airborne tab.


This one has a netting type back. Next, two example of the 11th Signal Brigade and both appear hand guided on the sewing machine.


This is only a little bit of what I know, and keep checking in for updates. Thanks.
Andrew

Here are a couple I have. 1st Armored in DCU. Theatre made is on the left, US issue on the right. Note larger size of TM patch and looser weave.

The backs show typical reverse for US made and white back on TM one on the left.

A pair of 42nd MP Bn TM patches. On the issue ones, the key and fasces are reversed. Note variations in color

Reverse of both are very similar and have the white backing.

Another one I found.

1stDivVet wrote:Here are a couple I have. 1st Armored in DCU. Theatre made is on the left, US issue on the right. Note larger size of TM patch and looser weave.

The backs show typical reverse for US made and white back on TM one on the left.

The patch on the left is Taiwanese made, which is available for purchase at many Surplus Stores. The other ones look nice.
Andrew

Theatre made Major rank. You can see the drawn outline along the edge on it in person. Back shows typical 'dryer sheet' backing.

3rd Logistical Command. Cut edge, white back, looser weave

Cut edge Airborne tab with black back.

USAF Goretex rank on DCU material. Has 'dryer sheet' backing inside

Desert Storm era black thread tapes. Nametape is wider base material than normal.

The backs

Modern OIF one

The back

in couuntry made SOCENT patch. It is a cut edge and has a black back. Color is very dark

Iraqi made 101st AB.. Note cotton 'cheese cloth' backing