Description
What is the Smokey Bear Only You patch?
A woven sew-on patch showing Smokey Bear in full, shovel in hand, with the classic “Only YOU can prevent wildfires” message. Roughly 2 11/16″ x 2 1/16″. Made by Impact Photographics, a California-based supplier that holds an official USDA Forest Service Smokey Bear license.
Woven construction is different from embroidered. Instead of raised stitching, the threads lie flat and the image is applied through dye-sublimation, which gives finer color detail and a smoother face. For a character like Smokey, whose expression matters, woven is often the better choice.
BHPFA sells it at park stores in the Black Hills and online. Proceeds go back into public lands programs at BHPFA partner sites including the Black Hills National Forest, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.
About Smokey Bear and the “Only You” campaign
Smokey Bear was introduced on August 9, 1944, as the mascot of a wildfire prevention campaign from the USDA Forest Service and the Ad Council. The slogan on this patch, “Only YOU can prevent wildfires,” is the modern version of the line. It was updated in 2001 from the original “Only YOU can prevent forest fires” to cover wildfires in grasslands and other non-forest areas.
Smokey’s image is a Congressional trademark under federal law (PL 82-359). The Forest Service licenses it to manufacturers like Impact Photographics, and the royalties fund wildfire prevention education. Buying a licensed Smokey Bear product puts a small amount of the price toward that work.
One note on the name: it is Smokey Bear, not Smokey the Bear. The character never had a middle name. The “the” comes from a 1952 Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins song that added it to fit the melody.
Specifications
- Type: Woven sew-on patch with dye-sublimated image
- Size: 2 11/16″ x 2 1/16″
- Weight: 0.1 oz
- Manufacturer: Impact Photographics (Petaluma, CA)
- License: USDA Forest Service official Smokey Bear licensee
- UPC: 0802285306545
- Application: Sew-on (stitch to any fabric)
- Care: Spot clean with cold water and mild soap
Who is this for?
If “Only YOU can prevent wildfires” is a line you grew up hearing, this patch is a way to carry it. It stitches onto jackets, daypacks, vests, hats, and camp chairs.
Patch collectors can pair it with the Smokey Bear Head Patch for a matching set, one portrait and one full-body. Both are $4.99.
It also makes a small gift for kids, scouts, firefighters, or anyone who works outdoors.
Frequently asked questions
Is this woven or embroidered?
Woven, with a dye-sublimated image. The threads lie flat, which keeps the design smoother and carries more color detail than a standard embroidered patch. If you want the raised-stitch look instead, see the Smokey Bear Head Patch.
Is this iron-on or sew-on?
Sew-on. Stitch around the border with a whip or blanket stitch. It takes about 10 minutes per patch.
Is this officially licensed?
Yes. Impact Photographics is listed as an official Smokey Bear licensee by the USDA Forest Service. Royalties from licensed Smokey Bear products fund wildfire prevention education.
Why does the slogan say “wildfires” and not “forest fires”?
The Ad Council and the Forest Service updated the line from “forest fires” to “wildfires” in 2001 to cover grasslands, chaparral, and other non-forest areas. The original 1947 version said “forest fires.”
Is it Smokey Bear or Smokey the Bear?
Smokey Bear. No middle name. The “the” comes from a 1952 song and stuck in pop culture, but every official Forest Service and Ad Council source uses “Smokey Bear.”
Does buying this support national parks and forests?
BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, as well as the Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands. Proceeds from every purchase support education programs, conservation projects, and visitor services at these sites. Smokey Bear licensing royalties separately fund USDA Forest Service wildfire prevention education.
Can I put this on a backpack or hat?
Yes. It attaches to any fabric you can pass a needle through: jackets, vests, backpacks, hats, canvas bags, camp chairs. Use a heavier needle for canvas or denim.
Smokey Bear collection
BHPFA carries several Smokey Bear items in the Black Hills National Forest store:
