Scout Patches Are Symbols Of Merit, Collector’s Items

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts both set worldwide ideals of personal fitness, citizenship training and character development for young people. Scouting organizations offer scout patches to recognize achievements in many areas. From the oldest Scouts to the youngest, Scout patches are proudly worn as symbols of accomplishment.



Scouts wear their embroidered Scout patches or merit badges as a sign that the person who earned them has reached a distinctive goal. Scout patches showcase the hard work and dedication that are the hallmarks of Scouting.



Boy Scout patches date to the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. Scouts can earn merit badges in more than 100 categories, including areas such as theater, American business, fly fishing and many others. Adult leaders can earn Scout patches as well for completing specific training requirements.



Girl Scouts earn patches, badges and insignia as well, based on their organization’s programs. Girl Scout patches can be earned for completing specific activities in the organization.



Scouts earn Scout patches by completing activities in their personal areas of interest at their own rate. Once a Scout completes the requirements for the patches – which vary depending on the categories -- merit badges are awarded.



For many Scouts, earning merit badges and Scout patches is one of the most cherished aspects of belonging to the organizations. Some go on to keep the Scout patches from their own youth and become collectors of other patches as adults.



Collecting Scout patches is a popular hobby among people of all ages. For some, the hobby of collecting patches is a nostalgic way to recall the excitement of earning Scout patches when they were young, a chance to recapture happy memories of childhood. For others, it’s strictly business.



The advent of the Internet has made Scouting memorabilia of all kinds widely available online to many more people than ever before. Sales of collectible Scout patches are a multi-million dollar a year business, according to one website. But many collectors find it much more fun to trade patches among each other than to buy them. Collectors of Boy Scout patches gather at events known as "trade-o-rees" each to trade patches and other memorabilia among each other.



The "holy grail" of Scout patch collecting for many is Boy Scout "Order of the Arrow" patches, issued by Scouting’s honor society. Because of their rarity, these Scout patches are highly valued.



Modern patch companies produce many custom designed patches in addition to Scout patches. Police officers, military units and firefighters are among the major customers for custom patches. Scout patches are similar to those that public service officers and military personnel wear daily on their jobs, and are produced the same way.



Good patch suppliers produce high-quality Scout patches with state of the art computer-controlled precision embroidery machines. These ensure each patch is made with the same well-made design, and allows every detail of the patches to be seen clearly.



Just like Scouting itself, the tradition of Scout patches for both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts continues today as it has for decades. Generations of Scouts have grown up wearing their custom Scout patches with pride.