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Peach Labels
Edge Comparison

Merrow Edge vs Hot Cut Edge USA

The edge finish is the first thing the eye and the fingers notice on a label or patch. A merrow edge wraps the perimeter in a raised, rounded thread border; a hot cut edge seals the fabric flat and flush with the design. Each is the right choice for a different look, shape, and placement.

3Draised merrow border
Flatflush hot cut edge
50+piece MOQ

How each edge is finished

How a merrow edge is made

  • Overlocked on a Merrow machine. After the patch face is woven or embroidered, a continuous overlock stitch is sewn around the entire perimeter — the same technique that finishes the edge of a blanket. The thread border wraps the raw edge completely.
  • A raised, rounded border. The merrow stitch sits proud of the surface, giving the patch a tactile, three-dimensional frame. The border colour can match or contrast the design, and is itself a design element on woven and embroidered patches.
  • Best on rounded shapes. Because the overlock runs as one unbroken line, merrow suits circles, ovals, shields, and rounded rectangles. It is the classic badge, varsity, and workwear patch finish.

How a hot cut edge is made

  • Cut and sealed in one pass. A heated or ultrasonic blade cuts the woven fabric and melts the polyester threads at the cut line simultaneously. The edge is fused shut, so it cannot fray or unravel — no border is added.
  • Thin, flat, and flush. The result is a slim edge level with the design surface. This is the standard finish for flat sew-in labels and the cut edges of folded constructions — clean and unobtrusive.
  • Any outline, any corner. Because the blade follows the cut path, hot cut handles square corners, fine die-lines, and very small labels that a merrow border could never wrap. See the fold type guide for how cut edges pair with each fold.

Durability, appearance, and feel

Durability and abrasion

Both edges are made to last the life of the garment. A hot cut edge is permanently fused and will never unravel. A merrow edge adds a reinforced thread border that physically shields the perimeter from abrasion — which is why merrow is favoured on patches for jackets, bags, and workwear that take heavy daily wear.

Appearance: bordered vs minimal

A merrow edge reads as a finished badge — the raised frame signals craft and gives the patch a deliberate, premium presence. A hot cut edge reads as modern and minimal, letting the woven design run right to the perimeter with nothing competing around it. The choice is a brand-aesthetic decision as much as a technical one.

Feel against skin

A hot cut edge is thin and flat, so it sits flush and is the right choice for neck, collar, and in-seam labels where a raised border would be felt against the skin. A merrow border is deliberately raised, which is ideal on outerwear and bags but less suited to direct skin-contact placements.

Shape and corner limits

Hot cut places no limit on shape — square corners, complex outlines, and tiny labels are all straightforward. Merrow needs a continuous rounded path, so sharp 90-degree corners and intricate die-lines are not possible. If your design demands crisp square corners, hot cut is the only option.

Which products use which edge

Patches and badges — merrow

  • Streetwear, varsity, outdoor, and workwear patches use the merrow border as a defining design feature — bold, raised, and unmistakably badge-like.
  • Iron-on and sew-on woven patches benefit from the reinforced border on garments that take heavy handling and washing.
  • Rounded shapes — circles, ovals, shields — are where merrow looks its best, with the contrast-coloured border framing the artwork.

Labels and fine detail — hot cut

  • Brand neck labels, size tabs, and care labels use hot cut so the edge sits flat and flush against the garment with no raised border.
  • Any design with square corners, fine outlines, or a very small footprint needs hot cut — merrow cannot wrap those shapes.
  • Folded and flat sew-in constructions rely on sealed hot cut edges as standard, keeping the label thin and comfortable in the seam.
When to choose merrow over hot cut
  • You want a bold, raised, badge-style border as part of the design
  • The shape is rounded — circle, oval, shield, or rounded rectangle
  • The patch will take heavy abrasion on outerwear, bags, or workwear
  • The piece is a decorative patch, not a skin-contact neck or care label
FAQ

Merrow vs hot cut, answered

A merrow edge is a thick overlocked thread border stitched around the perimeter of a patch or label — it sits raised above the surface and gives a rounded, finished, three-dimensional border. A hot cut edge is created by cutting the woven fabric with a heated blade that melts and seals the polyester threads at the same time, leaving a thin, flat, clean edge with no border. Merrow is decorative and tactile; hot cut is minimal and flush with the design.
Both edges resist fraying for the life of the garment. A hot cut edge is permanently fused — the sealed thread cannot unravel. A merrow edge adds an extra reinforced thread border that physically protects the perimeter, which is why it is preferred on patches that take heavy abrasion, such as jacket, bag, and workwear patches. For thin sew-in or fold labels, hot cut is more than durable enough.
No. The merrow overlock machine sews a continuous border, so merrow edges work best on rounded shapes — circles, ovals, rounded rectangles, and shields. Sharp 90-degree corners and intricate outlines cannot be merrowed cleanly. Hot cut handles any outline, including square corners, complex die-lines, and very small labels, because the heated blade simply follows the cut path.
Choose a merrow edge when you want a bold, premium, badge-style patch with a visible raised border — common on streetwear, varsity, outdoor, and workwear. Choose a hot cut edge when you want a slim, modern label that sits flush against the garment, when you need square corners or fine detail, or when the label is sewn into a seam or neck where a raised border would be felt against the skin.
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