Patch Maker Revives Signature Designs With Sales Surge On Temu
Illinois-based Patch Party Club said Temu’s discovery-driven marketplace and low commission structure helped it reach more than 300 orders in three weeks, with about 90 percent from first-time customers.
When Toyiah Marquis, 49, decided to upload her signature patches to Temu in May, she treated it as a quiet experiment. Her bold, embroidered designs — celebrating identity and self-expression — had already been bestsellers on major marketplaces and at her storefront in Westchester, Illinois. Over time, they’d each had their moment, with sales gradually slowing as the novelty factor wore off.
Patch Party Club generated more than 300 orders in its first three weeks on Temu, with 90 percent coming from first-time customers — and no advertising spend, according to Marquis. The sales came through Temu's discovery-driven marketplace, which surfaces products to shoppers browsing by interest rather than searching for known brands.
“Temu is giving these designs fresh eyes and breathing new life into them,” she said. “It felt like these patches were getting a second debut — like they were being introduced to the world all over again.”
How Temu's Platform Helps Small Sellers Grow
For independent creators, the economics of selling on Temu differ from most major marketplaces. Marquis describes Temu's commission rates as among the lowest in the industry, which helps lower the cost of each transaction and allows sellers to price competitively without compressing margins.
The onboarding process is designed for ease and flexibility. Sellers can list products and begin reaching buyers without or managing complex logistics infrastructure. Temu's discovery algorithm surfaces products to shoppers browsing by interest rather than searching for specific brands, which can be a distinct advantage for smaller sellers whose names carry less recognition than their products deserve.
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Temu is now welcoming U.S. brands to its platform. Interested sellers can join through seller.temu.com.
Founded in 2018, Patch Party Club began as a deeply personal mission. Marquis, who started her business after being laid off from the real estate sector, wanted patches that reflected her Black heritage and celebrated individuality. “I didn’t see any patches that looked like us,” she said. “So I started making them.”
Each design is rooted in real stories and authentic moments. Her bestseller, “Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover,” was created to empower her daughter; another design featuring a bald girl resonated deeply with a customer undergoing cancer treatment. “It just made her feel seen,” Marquis said. These connections have always driven her brand forward.
Patch Party Club grew rapidly, with reported revenue hitting $200,000 by 2019 and surging to $720,000 during the pandemic’s DIY boom. But as costs climbed and online competition intensified, some of her top-selling designs began to plateau.
Temu opened its marketplace to U.S.-based brands in 2024. Marquis was intrigued by the newcomer but cautious. She wanted to ensure the platform aligned with her brand’s values and supported quality-driven creators. After seeing Temu’s proactive approach to seller protections and its strong commitment to IP protection, she decided to give it a try.
Temu As A Business Development Channel
Marquis says Temu functions as more than a sales outlet. She uses customer response data from the platform to inform new product development. Encouraged by the strong initial results on Temu, Marquis launched Patch Party Club Essentials exclusively on the platform — a line of affordable, themed bundles designed to welcome even more new customers. “People on Temu really love bundles,” she said. “I realized they weren’t just hunting for the lowest price; they wanted pieces with meaning and personality.”
The Essentials line features six-packs priced at around $10, compared to $10 for a single premium patch in her main collection. By creating accessible bundles, Marquis made her art approachable without compromising on quality or authenticity.
“Next is adding new designs and seeing what resonates,” she said. “I want to hear what Temu customers are saying and create for them.”
Patch Party Club is still rooted in its Westchester storefront, where Marquis and her family host jacket and hat customization events that bring community together and encourage creative expression. With Temu, her vision is expanding quickly. “I’m excited to see us grow. In five years, Patch Party Club looks like a franchise,” she said. “Thanks to Temu, that’s more obtainable.”
Marquis’s family and friends at Patch Party Club’s Westchester storefront (Source: Toyiah Marquis)
Looking ahead, she sees Temu as a long-term partner to amplify her mission and reach customers around the world. “I want American-made creativity to shine globally,” she said. “Temu is giving me the opportunity to do that. It feels like we’re just getting started.”
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