Embroidered Patches Questions

Hello to all the embroiderers out there. I just have a quick question about embroidered patches. You know how some patches have some sort of border around the patch? What do you call that? It's like another type of fabric that is stitched alongside the edge of the patch. Another thing I want to ask is about the very shiny thread that I sometimes see on police badges/crests. What kind of thread are those, or are those even embroidery thread? Thank you.

Location: 
United States

Welcome to the forums :)

A "merrow" border is what you're referring to. For your second question, there are "very shiny" embroidery threads as you put it, but they're called "metallic" threads. The most common threads used for embroidery are made from rayon and polyester. Not all embroidery companies embroider with metallic threads; it's kind of a specialty and therefore costs more.

The shinny threads do cost more and are made with a plastic metallic thread like a mylar woven into the thread it self. The Merrowed edge is the come edge on most patches but they can also be cut to shape as well and have no merrow on it.