The challenge
An evening event on Boston's downtown waterfront on September 10, 2026 booked a live patch bar from 6 to 9 p.m. The client had its own custom patches. It needed blanks to put them on and a crew to do it in front of guests.
The activation
Merch Troop supplied 200 pieces: 50 five-panel twill caps, 50 8-inch beanies and 100 tote bags. Guests picked an item, chose one custom patch from the client's selection, and decided where on the piece it should go. The two-person crew heat-pressed each patch on the spot. The blanks were bought and delivered on August 31, ten days out, and setup started at 5 p.m., an hour before guests came through.
The result
Three blank types and free placement meant the same patch could land on a cap, a beanie or a tote, wherever the guest put it. That's a lot of variety from one set of client patches.