How do I use the Custom Order Portal?

This guide explains what you can see and do inside the Custom Order Portal at portal.badasspatches.com. The Custom Order Portal is only available for orders placed through the new custom order flow. It is not used for premade patches purchased from our online store, and it does not display orders placed through the legacy standard order form.

How You Know If You Used the New Order Flow

If you used the new custom order flow, you'll recognize it because you were able to submit up to three products at once on a single order form. After submitting, you received a confirmation email with the following:

A greeting of "Hey Badass,"
A message confirming the order is in: "Your order's officially in"
A visual progress tracker showing the six product steps (Design Stage, Mock-Up Stage, Sample Stage, Mass Production, Quality Control, Product Ready)
A note that each future update email will include the progress tracker so you always know where you are in the process
A "Check Out the Customer Portal" button linking to the portal
A list of what the Customer Portal can be used for: check order status, view or edit quotes, update shipping address, review previous orders
The email is signed by "The Badass Patches Crew" and you can reply directly to it with questions

If you didn't receive this email or placed your order through the older standard form, your updates will come via email as usual and the portal will not show your order.

The Custom Order Portal lets you track the progress of your custom orders, review and approve designs, artwork, and samples, view your file at any time (whether it's your original upload or something we've created and shared with you), submit revision requests, pay invoices, and update your shipping address and quantity.

Logging In & Accessing the Portal

The Custom Order Portal is at portal.badasspatches.com and is for registered users only. You'll need to log in to access your orders.

How to Log In

You must use the same email address you used on your order so the system can match you to your portal access. There are three ways to sign in:

Email and password: Enter the email and password associated with your account, then click "Sign in."
Sign in with Google: Click "Sign in with Google" to use Google authentication.
Passwordless email link: Enter your email address, agree to allow Badass Patches to store and process personal data, and click "Email link." A sign-in link will be sent to that email address.

Account Registration

If you don't have an account yet, click "Register here" on the sign-in page to create one.

Forgot Password

If you've forgotten your password, click "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in page to reset it.

Trouble Logging In

If you're having trouble accessing the portal, you can contact the Badass Tech Team for help. There is a "Contact the Badass Tech Team" link at the bottom of the sign-in page. You can also email orders@badasspatches.com for assistance.

Common Login Issues

"I can't see my order": You may be logged in with a different email than the one you used to place your order. Log out and try again with the email used on the order.
"I placed my order through the old form": The Custom Order Portal only shows orders placed through the new custom order flow. If your order was placed through the standard form, updates will come via email as usual. If you used the new flow, you'll remember being able to submit up to three products at once and receiving a confirmation email.

Order Dashboard

When you log into the Custom Order Portal, you'll see a list of your custom orders. Each order displays:

Order name
Date submitted
Total amount
Product type(s) (e.g., PVC, Embroidery, Woven, Coin, Sticker)
Shipping address (with the option to update it)
Invoice button: Shows "Pay invoice" if the invoice has not been paid yet, or "View invoice" / "View order" once payment has been received

You can toggle between viewing your current orders and your past/completed orders.

Order Progress Stepper

Each order shows a visual progress tracker with six steps:

Order Submitted: The order has been received and is being processed.
Products Finalized: All products in the order have been approved and are ready for production.
Invoice Paid: Payment has been received.
Mass Production: The order is being manufactured.
Shipping to Customer: The order has shipped. A tracking number is provided at this stage.
Order Delivered: The order has been delivered.

If an order has been canceled, the stepper is replaced with an "Order Canceled" notice.

Product-Level Tracking

Each order contains one or more individual products (called tickets). Each product has its own progress tracker and approval flow, separate from the order-level stepper. This means different products within the same order can be at different stages.

You'll also notice that every product name in the portal and in your email updates starts with either [BETA] or [PORTAL]. These are internal tags that help us identify which version of the system your order came through. They don't affect your order in any way — see the FAQ at the bottom of this guide for more detail.

Product Progress Stepper

Each product shows a six-step progress tracker:

Design Stage: Our team is actively creating your design. This is an internal step and does not require any action from you. You'll be notified when it's ready for review.
Mock-Up Stage: This stage covers two approvals: first your Design Approval, then your Production Art Mockup Approval. You'll be prompted to review and approve each one when it's ready.
Sample Stage: Once your artwork is approved, a physical sample is manufactured. When it's ready, you'll be prompted to review and approve it before mass production begins.
Mass Production: The product is being manufactured in full.
Quality Control: The finished products are being inspected before shipping.
Product Ready: The product is complete and ready to ship.

A note on how to read the stepper: The progress bar tells you where your order is in the process — not what's required from you. The Review button is the single signal that something is actually waiting for your input. When no Review button is showing, nothing is needed from you, our team is at work, and you'll see a short status note with a best-case timeline so you know roughly when the next step arrives.

Status Pill

You'll also see a small Status: pill in soft blue near the top of each product card, and again at the top of the product detail page. The pill shows the current pipeline stage in plain English — for example, "Designs Awaiting Approval" or "Sample in Progress" — so you can read where your product is at a glance, without having to interpret the stepper icons. The pill uses the same underlying stage as the stepper but phrases it more conversationally.

Status Messages and Timelines

Whenever your product is in a waiting state, the portal shows a short status note telling you what's happening and roughly when the next step is expected. Most messages use "as little as X" framing — a best-case timeline that's tailored to your specific product type. PVC, embroidered, sublimated, challenge coins, and stickers each pull from their own production timeline, so a coins customer and a patches customer in the same stage will see different numbers.

Common messages you'll see:

During Design Stage (we're creating your design): "Ready for approval in as little as 1 business day."
After your Design Approval (we're preparing your production artwork): "Thanks for your Design Approval. Your artwork will be ready for review in as little as 1 business day."
After your Mock-Up Approval (we're producing your sample): "Thanks for your Mock-Up Approval. Your sample will be ready for review in as little as [timeline]." Typical best-case windows: 2 business days for embroidered or sublimated patches, 7 business days for PVC, 1–2 weeks for challenge coins.
After your Sample Approval (we're in mass production): "Thanks for your Sample Approval. Your order will be ready to ship in as little as [timeline]." Typical best-case: about 2 weeks for patches and stickers, about 3 weeks for challenge coins.
During Quality Control (final inspection before shipping): "Ready to ship in as little as 1 business day."
When your item is done but the rest of your order isn't ready yet: "Waiting on the rest of your order so we can ship everything together."
When your item is done and ready to go: "Ready to ship."
When a review stage is starting but the file isn't ready quite yet: "Nothing to review yet — ready in as little as [timeline]."

A note on these estimates. They represent best-case scenarios. Actual timelines also depend on how quickly approvals and revisions move on both sides, and on production volume at the time. The "as little as" wording is intentional — it's the floor, not a guarantee. If your product type isn't recognized for any reason, the portal will fall back to "We'll get this to you as soon as we can." rather than show a number that might not apply to your specific item.

Update Emails

In addition to the portal, you'll receive email updates as your order progresses. Each update email includes the product progress tracker at the top so you always know exactly where you are in the order phase. You can reply directly to these emails with questions.

The Approval Process

The approval process is the most interactive part of the Custom Order Portal. You'll be prompted to review and approve at two points during the Mock-Up Stage (the Design and the Production Art Mockup) and once during the Sample Stage.

How to Approve

When a product is ready for your approval, a "Review" button appears on the product card. Clicking it opens the review screen.

The review screen shows:

A preview image of the design, artwork, or sample
The product name and type
A checklist you'll complete before approving
A short Heads up notice above the Approve and Not Quite There buttons, pointing you to chat or orders@badasspatches.com if your question is about something other than the design itself

You must check every item on the checklist before the "Approve" button becomes active. Each approval stage has its own checklist.

Viewing Your File Anytime

Even when no approval is needed, you can pull up the relevant file from the portal at any time. One of two different buttons will appear on the product card, depending on whose file is currently on display.

"View Your Submission"

This button shows up when the file in play is your own original upload. That's common in the very early stages of an order — before our team has produced anything new yet — and for skip-design flows like embroidery, where we use the design you provided directly as the manufacturer reference. Underneath the button you'll see:

Your original upload

Clicking it opens a page titled "Your submission" with the message: "This is the image you uploaded with your order. We're working on it…" You won't be asked to do anything — the page is just there so you can confirm what file we're working from.

"View Latest Version"

This button shows up once our team has created and shared a new file with you (a design, mock-up, or sample image). Underneath the button you'll see a two-line caption like:

Latest version — no action needed. Mock-Up ready in as little as 1 business day.

The first line stays the same. The second line names whatever milestone is coming next and gives a best-case estimate of when it'll show up, so you're never left wondering what we're working on. Depending on where you are in the process, you'll see something like:

If we're putting your production artwork together: "Mock-Up ready in as little as 1 business day."
If we're producing your physical sample: "Sample ready in as little as [timeline]." Typical best-case windows: 2 business days for embroidered or sublimated patches, 7 business days for PVC, 1 week for challenge coins.
If you've approved your sample, paid your invoice, and we're in mass production: "Order ready to ship in as little as [timeline]." Typical best-case: about 2 weeks for most patches, 3 weeks for challenge coins.

The "View Latest Version" button shows up in two situations:

Between stages: For example, you've approved your design and our team is now working on the production artwork. The latest file (your approved design) is still there to view, even though we're not waiting on any input from you.
After a stage has been approved: The page header will read "Design Approved," "Artwork Approved," or "Sample Approved" with a green check, confirming your approval was received.

What both buttons have in common

Either button takes you to the same kind of view-only page — just without the approval checklist or accept/reject buttons. You'll see the file, the order details, and the shipping info, but we're not asking you to do anything. We'll email you when there's something new to review.

If our team is still working on the first version of your design and there's no file to show yet, the product card will display: "Nothing to review yet, we'll notify you when it's ready."

Approval Checklists

Design Approval Checklist

You'll confirm that you've reviewed and approved:

Spelling
Colors
Shape
Overall Design
Acknowledgment that Badass Patches owns all rights to any design created by the Design Team

Artwork (Production Art Mockup) Approval Checklist

You'll confirm that you've reviewed and approved:

Spelling
Colors
Shape
Size
Overall Artwork
Acknowledgment that Badass Patches owns all rights to any artwork created by the Design Team

Sample Approval Checklist

You'll confirm that you've reviewed and approved:

Spelling
Colors
Shape
Size
Overall Sample
Quantity
Shipping Address
Acknowledgment that Badass Patches owns all rights to any artwork created by the Design Team
Acknowledgment that once Mass Production begins, a delivery date CANNOT be guaranteed due to unforeseen circumstances

The Sample Approval checklist is the most comprehensive because it's the final gate before mass production begins. This is your last opportunity to confirm quantity and shipping address before the full order is produced.

Requesting Revisions

If you're not satisfied with a design, artwork, or sample, click "Not Quite There" instead of approving. This opens the revision request form.

At the top of the revision form, you'll see a Heads up notice. Anything you submit through this form goes directly to the team working on your file, not to your Customer Service Specialist. If you need something outside the design itself, like changing your product type, canceling your order, or asking a general question, use the chat in the bottom-right of the portal or email orders@badasspatches.com instead.

How to Submit a Revision

Select a revision type from the dropdown: Shape, Text, Colors, Add Object, Remove Object, or Other.
Describe what needs to change in the text field. A description is required on every revision item (up to 250 characters each).
Optionally upload a reference image (up to 2MB).
To request changes to multiple things, click "+ Add more" to add another revision item. Once you have more than one, an "× Remove this revision" link appears on each item so you can drop any you don't need.
Check the box acknowledging: "I understand that each round of revision will extend my delivery timeline."
Click "Submit Revision" to send the request.

The Submit Revision button stays disabled until every revision item has a description and you've checked the timeline acknowledgment. If the button isn't active, a hint above it will tell you what's still needed.

Updating Order Details

Updating Shipping Address

You can update your shipping address at any time from the order dashboard by clicking the "(update)" link next to your current address. You can change the street address, city, state, and postal code.

During Sample Approval, your shipping address can also be updated from the product detail screen. This is your last opportunity to change your address before mass production.

Updating Quantity

You can update the quantity of a product while it's still in the design, artwork, or sample stages (before mass production begins). An "(update)" link appears next to the quantity on the product card.

During Sample Approval, quantity can also be updated from the product detail screen. This is your last opportunity to change the quantity before mass production.

Once mass production has started, quantity can no longer be changed through the portal.

Paying an Invoice

Each order in the Custom Order Portal shows an invoice button. If the invoice has not been paid, the button says "Pay invoice" and links to the payment page. Once payment has been received, it changes to "View invoice" or "View order".

Payment must be received before your order moves into mass production.

For PVC patches and challenge coins, payment must be received before sample production begins because these products require a custom mold to manufacture.

Contacting Your Customer Service Specialist

You can email orders@badasspatches.com at any point during your order. Emails are automatically routed to your assigned Customer Service Specialist, so you'll always reach the right person. While the portal should handle most things, this is here whenever you need to talk to us directly.

Helpful Resources in the Portal

The product detail screen includes links to helpful resources:

Pantone Color Chart for Custom Patches, Zaps & Coins: A reference for specifying exact colors.
Thread Colors for Badass Patches: A reference for selecting thread colors for embroidered products.

Guarantees Displayed in the Portal

The Custom Order Portal highlights the following guarantees:

Free Artwork and Unlimited Revisions
Fast Delivery Time
100% No Quibble Satisfaction Guarantee
Lifetime Patch Warranty

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has access to the Custom Order Portal?

The Custom Order Portal is available at portal.badasspatches.com for customers who placed an order through the new custom order flow. If you used the new flow, you were able to submit up to three products at once and received a confirmation email. It's not used for premade patches purchased from the online store, and it does not display orders from the legacy standard form.

How do I access the portal?

Go to portal.badasspatches.com and sign in using the same email address you used on your order.

Why does my product name start with [BETA] or [PORTAL]?

Those tags appear at the start of each product (ticket) name in the portal and in your email updates. They help our team identify which version of the system your order came through.

[PORTAL] — Your order was placed through the current version of the custom order flow. This is the tag you'll see on all new orders going forward.
[BETA] — Your order was placed while the new portal system was in its beta period. These tags will naturally phase out as those orders complete and the last beta-era orders ship — expected to be cleared within about 90 days.

Either way, nothing changes about how your order is handled. The tags are purely for internal tracking and don't affect your timeline, pricing, or how you interact with the portal.

How do I approve my design, artwork, or sample?

When your product is ready for review, a "Review" button will appear on your product card in the portal. Click it to open the review screen, complete the checklist, and click the approve button. You'll also receive a notification when something is ready for your review.

Can I look at my design, artwork, or sample even when no approval is needed?

Yes. Whenever there's a file you can look at, the portal will show one of two buttons on your product card: "View Your Submission" if the file is your own original upload, or "View Latest Version" if our team has created and shared something new with you. Both take you to the same kind of view-only page where you can see the file and order details without being asked to approve or reject anything.

What's the difference between "Review," "View Latest Version," and "View Your Submission"?

Review (blue button): We need your input. Click it to approve or request changes.
View Latest Version (gray button): The most recent file we've created and shared with you is available to look at, but no action is needed from you. We'll email you when there's something new to review.
View Your Submission (gray button): The file showing is your own original upload — common in the very early stages of an order and for skip-design flows like embroidery where we use your design directly. No action is needed.

If none of these buttons are showing, our team is still working on the first version of your design and there isn't anything to view yet. You'll see "Nothing to review yet, we'll notify you when it's ready" in that case.

What is the Design Stage?

The Design Stage is when our team is actively creating your design. It's an internal step that doesn't require any action from you. You'll be notified once the design is ready for your review.

What happens during the Mock-Up Stage?

The Mock-Up Stage on the progress tracker covers two approvals: first the Design Approval, then the Production Art Mockup Approval. You'll be prompted to review and approve each one separately when they're ready.

What if I don't see a Review button?

If your product is not yet ready for your input, you'll see one of three things:

A "View Your Submission" button if the file currently in play is your own original upload. No action needed — this just lets you confirm what we're working from.
A "View Latest Version" button if we've created and shared a new file with you (like your approved design) and we're working on the next stage. No action needed — this is just here in case you want to look at the file again.
A "Nothing to review yet, we'll notify you when it's ready" message if our team is still creating the first version of your design.

Either way, we'll notify you the moment there's something new to review.

Can I request changes instead of approving?

Yes. On the review screen, click "Not Quite There" to open the revision request form. Pick a category, describe what needs to change (required on every revision item, up to 250 characters), and optionally upload a reference image. To request more than one change, use "+ Add more" for additional rows, and the "× Remove this revision" link on any row you want to drop. Each round of revisions will extend your delivery timeline.

If you need something outside the design itself, like changing your product type, canceling, or anything else for your Customer Service Specialist, use the chat in the bottom-right of the portal or email orders@badasspatches.com instead. The revision form only goes to the team working on your file.

Can I change my shipping address after placing an order?

Yes. You can update your shipping address from the order dashboard at any time by clicking "(update)" next to your current address. During Sample Approval, you can also update it from the product detail screen. This is your last opportunity to change your address before mass production.

Can I change the quantity after placing an order?

Yes, but only before mass production begins. You can update the quantity from the product card or during Sample Approval. Once mass production has started, quantity can no longer be changed through the portal.

Where do I pay my invoice?

Click the "Pay invoice" button on your order in the Custom Order Portal. This will take you to the payment page.

What does "Order Canceled" mean?

If your order shows "Order Canceled" instead of the progress stepper, it means the order has been canceled and is no longer active. If you believe this is an error, please contact us at orders@badasspatches.com.

What is the tracking number and where do I find it?

Once your order has shipped, a tracking number will appear on your order in the portal. This is displayed during the "Shipping to Customer" stage so you can track your delivery.

What does "as little as" mean in the timelines I'm seeing?

Most status messages in the portal show a best-case timeline — like "ready for review in as little as 1 business day" or "ready to ship in as little as 2 weeks." Those numbers are the floor for a smoothly moving project. Real timelines also depend on how fast approvals and revisions move on both sides, and on production volume at any given moment. The number you see is tailored to your specific product type, since patches, coins, and stickers all have different production paths.

Why does my product say "Waiting on the rest of your order"?

If your order has more than one product, sometimes one finishes ahead of the others. When that happens, the finished item will show "Waiting on the rest of your order so we can ship everything together." We hold completed items so the whole order ships in one package — it's faster for you, cheaper on shipping, and reduces the chance of anything getting lost in transit. As soon as the rest of your order finishes Quality Control, everything ships together.

Why does the Sample Approval checklist have more items than the others?

The Sample Approval is the final gate before mass production begins. It includes confirmation of quantity and shipping address in addition to product quality because once production starts, these details can no longer be changed. It also includes an acknowledgment that delivery dates cannot be guaranteed once mass production is underway.

I placed my order through the old form. Can I use the portal?

No. The Custom Order Portal only displays orders placed through the new custom order flow. If you placed your order through the standard form, your updates will continue to come via email as usual. If you have questions, email orders@badasspatches.com.

How do I contact my Customer Service Specialist?

Email orders@badasspatches.com at any time. Your email will be automatically routed to your assigned Customer Service Specialist. The portal handles most things, but this is always available if you need to talk to us directly.