Patent ID: 8883293

Claim:
An adhesive-appliqué for attachment to a garment and bearing printed indicia simulating embroidered stitching from among a group including text, numbers and logos, thereby giving said garment an embroidered emblem appearance, the appliqué comprising: a fabric substrate consisting of a single layer of twill fabric; a graphic design printed on a first side of said fabric substrate by a digital printer, said graphic design comprising a multi-color print element, and a simulated embroidery element around a periphery of said multi-color print element depicting embroidery-stitched thread entering a series of simulated holes; a laser-etch pattern etched into the first side of said fabric substrate by a digital laser, said laser etch pattern being in registration with and accenting the embroidery-stitched thread and said series of simulated holes of said simulated embroidery element, said laser etch pattern including a surface etched in relief where the embroidery-stitched thread of said simulated embroidery element enters said simulated holes to add a recessed three-dimensional texture to said simulated embroidery element and thereby simulating the texture of stitched embroidery; an adhesive laminate adhered to said fabric substrate for pressure or thermoplastic adhesion; said adhesive-appliqué being formed by the steps of, acquiring an emblem graphic image comprising a multi-color print element and a simulated embroidery element around a periphery of said multi-color print element depicting embroidery-stitched thread entering a series of simulated holes, generating a print output file from said emblem graphic image in raster format, generating a separate cut/etch output file from said emblem graphic in raster format, converting said raster-format cut/etch output file into a vector-format cut/etch output file; digitally-printing said emblem graphic design on one side of the fabric substrate in accordance with said raster-format print output file; digitally etching the one side of said fabric substrate in accordance with said converted vector-format cut/etch output file where the embroidery-stitched thread of said simulated embroidery element enters said simulated holes; whereby said appliqué is adapted to be adhered to said garment by said adhesive laminate and, when so secured, gives the appearance of an embroidered emblem simulating stitched designs.