Fujifilm has released a new line of branded merch that isn’t cameras, lenses or actual photography gear. The new line is branded patches (buy here). Yes, patches, embroidered tags that you can sew onto your clothes, camera bags or wherever.

The patches each represent a different brand of digital film emulations. Eternia, Astia, Sepia, Classic Chrome, Classic Neg, Velvia, Provia, Mono Standard, Acros, Pro Neg Standard and Pro Neg High are all included in the lineup.

The patches are of your typical style. Pretty much the same embroidered construction as any patch made over the last few decades. They’re iron-on, about 2″ x 2″ in size, making them square. Fujifilm says they sport “vibrant, textural embroidery” with “long-lasting application”.

As mentioned, they are iron-on. But if past experience is anything to go by, ironing them on should simply be seen as a way to temporarily hold the patch in one place while you sew it around the edges. So, sew it on anyway or you might find you get back home one day and it’s no longer where you put it.

Some of the patches, such as Velvia, Provia and Acros, harken directly to the days of film photography, calling out specific film stocks. This makes these ones desirable to film photographers, even if they don’t shoot Fuji cameras. Of course, the actual film stocks didn’t have ISO (or ASA) ratings as high as 3200.

Other patches, such as Classic Neg and Classic Chrome, are digital-only effects and don’t really have a specific film counterpart. So Fuji is catering to both its digital and film shooting audiences with this one.

It’s an interesting line of branded products to come from a company today. I might have expected something like this maybe 30 years ago, but today?

That being said, there are very few ways photographers can personalise their clothing and gear bags to express themselves. Maybe patches will make a comeback, too, just like film has? I seem to remember there used to be lots of Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Minolta, etc. patches available out there when I was a kid.

Personally, I’m all for patches as a form of self-expression. But then, I spent a lot of time at rock and metal clubs in the 90s.

If you want to get your hands on some of these patches, they’re about available to buy now from the Fujifilm X store for $9.95 each.

[via PetaPixel]