Fantastic Custom Hoodies and How to Find Them

Autumn is not such a bad season. Do you wanna know why? That’s right, it’s hoody time in the fall. Just imagine — you need to go outside, and it is cold and it’s raining there. But you put on a hoodie and Bob’s your uncle! You are safe, you are saved.

I love this piece of clothing. It’s not only super comfortable, but it also matches the different items and can make your look stylish. You can also customize your hoodie and make a print. And you’re gonna be the coolest among the cool!

Let’s figure out what are the best hoodies, how to choose the right size, how to wear, and how not to wear a hoodie, and how to print on the world’s best hoodies.

Hoodie material

Hoodies are most often made from French Terry or fleece. The first option is natural, with cotton thread as a base. The second one, fleece is a high-quality and warm synthetic fabric.

French Terry

This fabric is cool because it’s natural: the raw material is cotton thread. The front side of this fabric is smooth, and the inside is textured, fluffy. So the material from the inside is very warm and pleasant to the body.

Pros of French Terry:

• Quite dense material that keeps you warm. In a hoodie, this is especially important, because these clothes are made for this.
• If the French Terry is of good quality, no pellets will appear on the front side of the fabric. This means that you can wear your hoodie as long as you like it and as long as the print lasts.
• The French Terry inside is not only pleasant to the body, but it also absorbs moisture well. So you can put a hoodie directly on the naked body.
• The fabric keeps the shape. The hoodie does not stretch for years and keeps its original size, so it’s only up to you how long you will wear this thing.
• Ink and thermal transfer films adhere well to the front side, so you can make any print on such a hoodie quickly and it will stay for a long time.
• Does not cause allergies: most people’s skin neutrally reacts to this material.

Fleece

Fleece is a non-woven, fluffy fabric with a thick pile and is also used for hoodies. This fabric resembles natural sheep’s wool: it is warm, dense, fluffy. The only and main difference from wool is that fleece is hypoallergenic. Fleece, as well as the French Terry, is rarely allergic, so choose these materials for very sensitive skin.

Fleece properties:

• The material is made from polyester — synthetic fiber. The fibers are not woven together, but tiny loops are pulled out of them on a special machine, forming a fleece.
• If the fleece had a special anti-pilling treatment, there will be no pellets and the clothes will last longer.
• It is a very lightweight fabric and fleece items never take up much space in a closet or suitcase.
• Fleece keeps you warm. But at the same time, it does not absorb moisture well, so it is better not to wear such clothes on a naked body.

There is one more fabric for hoodies – wellsoft.

Wellsoft

Wellsoft is a knitted fabric with a pile on one or two sides.

Wellsoft looks a lot like terry fabrics, but there are some differences. It is made from synthetic threads (polyester, polyamide), while terry cloth is mainly made from natural (cotton, linen) and synthetic (bamboo fiber) ones. Also, the pile of terry is much thicker and denser.

Wellsoft is a kind of microfiber – an innovative fabric made in Japan. It’s superfine – hundreds of times thinner than a human hair and tens of times thinner than fibers of wool, cotton, or silk. Wellsoft fibers are made of 8-25 microfibers connected together.

Pros of Wellsoft:

• it is a dense fabric that practically does not wear out;
• despite its density, the fabric is quite light, so the hoodie will be light as well;
• this material perfectly keeps you warm;
• the fabric is soft to the touch because it has a velour texture.

Now that we’ve gone through hoodie material, let’s figure out what brands are better.

Hoodie brands

The hoodie has become such a popular item that it can now be found in any mass-market store. That’s why it is un-fucking-real to go through all the brands of hoodies.

The only thing we can do is name the main brands of hoodies and compare some of them. Let’s just leave only what will be easy to customize. And no additional details such as rhinestones, fringes, feathers, unicorn horns, and other bullshit.

American Apparel, Bella+Canvas, and District are the premium segment brands. It is all about high quality and the best design. The difference between them is more in the price – American Apparel items are usually more expensive, while Bella+Canvas and District are more affordable.

We go down below. In the middle class, we have Champion, Next Level, and Hanes. Champion is Champion, what can I say? They were the pioneers of hoodies back in the 1930s. It’s a classic, baby. Next Level is almost the same as American Apparel, only cheaper. And Hanes is familiar to many of you. It is popular because it is reliable.

And finally the lower level. Here we have Fruit of the Loom, Jerzees, and Gildan. But don’t get it wrong – although the clothes of these brands are not so expensive, the quality will still be at their best.

Consumers know and trust Fruit of the Loom – mostly because of their underwear, but that doesn’t stop them from buying their hoodies. Jerzees are among the market leaders, and Gildan probably has everything a human being could need. Maybe that’s why they have such good sales.

Let’s compare the most popular brands Hanes and Gildan. People most often choose one of these when they want to customize their hoodies.

Hanes vs Gildan hoodie

Hanes hoodie and the Gildan hoodie are both great options. They are durable and soft.

But keep in mind that Gildan hoodies are shorter than most hoodies of other brands, including Hanes. This is true for both overall length and sleeve length.

Hoodie size

The hoodie is the casual style. Such clothes should fit loosely on the figure, and not tight.

And don’t forget that oversized hoodies are in fashion now. These hoodies not only make you look super stylish but also help to hide what you want to hide.

To choose the right hoodie, you need to pay attention to several things. The hoodie should be bulky enough and feel comfortable. The size depends not only on the level of comfort but also on what you are going to wear on the hoodie.

And of course, the hoodie must be the right length. The usual length for a hoodie is mid-thigh or lower. There are shorter models, but they will only look good with the right pants.

When trying on clothes, you should raise your hands. If you don’t see the bare lower back, it is the correct size of the hoodie.

If you order a hoodie online, check the product specs. For some brands, it doesn’t match with standard sizing.

Also, pay attention to the hoodies with a “fashion fit” – they are more fitted. These clothes are a bit more expensive, but you’re gonna look much better.

I have a few life hacks that I want to share with you. If you’re overweight, it seems natural to go for a baggy hoodie, right? Don’t make this mistake – it will make you look even bigger. Better pay attention to the fitted models.

One more thing – if you are not as tall as you would like to be, go for a cropped hoodie without ties. This will make you look taller. Don’t thank me.

Now let’s imagine that you have coped with this quest: you have found a smashing hoodie, chose the size, you are happy with everything. Now you have only to make a print. You’ve even decided what you want to print. You’re already at the finish line, aren’t you?

Not really.

I have news for you – good and bad at the same time. There are five print methods. And you have to choose one of them.

Print methods

Screen printing is not expensive while the print quality is high. With this method, the image is divided into colors and each color is applied as a separate layout. The print gonna have a rich color and is structurally different from the fabric.

Depending on the design, for screen printing, not only standard inks can be used, but also applications with various effects: glitter, suede effect, and others.

Pros:

• brightness and saturation of colors;
• high wear resistance;
• low price.

Cons:

• limited number of colors in palettes;
• if the order is less than 30 pieces, it’s not worth it.

Direct-to-garment printing (DTG) is one of the most modern methods of clothes printing. DTG printers jet or spray inks onto the textile. With DTG you can print what you want on your hoodie from a logo in one color to a copy of paintings.

Pros:

• you can even order 1 piece;
• high print speed;
• you can make a complex multi-color print;
• high-quality printing from a layout of any format, including JPG;
• print durability.

Cons:

• printing only on cotton products, or products with a minimum amount of synthetics;
• fast fading of the print when using inactive dyes;
• the price is optimal for small orders, but with a large order, the price does not fall.

Heat transfer is a simple, cheap, and fast method of printing. The technology of the method is as follows: the logo or design is printed onto transfer paper, and then transferred to the fabric using high temperature and pressure.

This method is okay if you do not plan to wear your hoodie for a long time. For example, if you are printing a company logo for a short ad campaign. Or a photo of your girlfriend when she is going to dump you.

Pros:

• you can make a big print;
• high print speed;
• low price.

Cons:

• no saturation in colors;
• the print is very tangible;
• fragility.

Dye-sublimation is when an ink turns into gas and bonds to the fibers of the fabric creating a stable print.

Pros:

• you can do an “all-over print”;
• good method to do full-color print;
• durable and permanent print;
• pleasant to the touch.

Cons:

• it only works on polyester;
• the fabric should not be dark.

Embroidery is made by special automatic embroidery machines according to a program. The cost of embroidery is calculated from the programmed stitches.

It is possible to embroider directly on the clothes, as well as on a special chevron, which is then glued or sewn onto the surface.

Pros:

• possible on fabrics that are not printable;
• you can make an individual order from 1 piece;
• durability (not damaged by washing and ironing).

Cons:

• thread colors may slightly differ from the colors in the layout;
• rather high cost.

Print areas

This graphic shows both standard and some alternative print locations for the hoodie.

There are also some restrictions for printing on the hoodie. If you have a zip-up hoodie, forget about printing across the front. If you print on a zipper, then two options are possible – either the print will have gaps, or ink will accumulate on the zipper. Of course, a miracle can happen and the print will look just fine, but are you sure you want to tempt fate?

There are some restrictions for the front pocket hoodie as well. The height of the print will be limited because of the pocket. And here’s another rule worth remembering – if you decide to print on your pocket, then the print area will be much smaller than you think.

These are the only restrictions – so go ahead, experiment!

What to wear with a hoodie?

The good thing about the hoodie is that you can combine it with completely different things and create images of different moods. Plus, a hoodie is perfect for those who don’t like to wear hats in fall and winter. Like me, for example.

With a hoodie, it is ideal to make combos in Sport Chic style, combining a sports element of clothing – a hoodie, and some very classic elements of the wardrobe.

So what exactly can you partner your hoodie with? Let’s start with the most obvious variant: a hoodie is a sporty piece of clothing, so you can wear it with sweatpants. This option is very comfortable if, for example, you go to the countryside or plan to walk for a long time. 

If you are not fond of a sporty look – do not hurry to close this article. Nowadays some sweatpants look almost like trousers. But they are much more comfortable.

Different shoe styles are suitable for such a look – it can be boots or just sneakers. And, of course, a different top. It can be a short or long jacket or even a classic coat if you want to mix styles. I especially like the hoodie with a fur coat. But this option is more for women. Well, or very extravagant men.

One of the simplest sets is of course hoodie with jeans. There are many shoe variations that we can make. It can be sneakers, Chelsea, and boots like Dr. Martens. But if you want to experiment and make the look more interesting, you can add a pointed toe.

There is also a layering option. I love the way hoodie and turtleneck sweater looks together. When you can see the turtleneck under the hoodie, it looks more textured and multifaceted.

But the most interesting sets that we see in the street style are hoodies plus classics. You can wear classic trousers with a hoodie, even with an arrow. And also different shoe styles. It can be a pointed toe, flat shoes, sneakers, or boots.

Hoodie with such trousers can be of different lengths. Shorter hoodies will allow you to emphasize the waist. Bulky blazer is also great with a hoodie. But don’t forget that the blazer should be much larger than the hoodie otherwise it gonna look constrained as if your blazer is too small for you – and that’s not cool.

A bulky hoodie goes perfect with skinny pants. A mid-thigh-length hoodie and shoes or boots with a small heel will look especially good with such pants. It will make you look more elegant and make you look taller and slimmer. You can complement the look with a bulky jacket or bomber jacket.

If you are reading this article and you are a woman, then I have an additional option for you – a hoodie with a skirt. You can say it is a combination of two incongruous stories. But it only seems like that. It can be a long or midi skirt. The hoodie goes well with satin skirts – they are very popular now. 

Or, as an option, a skirt with ruffles – in a word, anything. This combo of hoodie and skirt lacks only high boots. Although the ankle boots, that show slim legs, are also fine.

You can also choose different hoodies for the skirt. It can be a bulky and long hoodie. A shorter hoodie will look neater, though.

The skirt can be of different lengths. Use a hoodie and mini skirt to create a cool grunge look. Of course, big boots complement the look.

Also, pay attention to the color. If you choose a bright hoodie – red, yellow, orange, or even electric blue – all the other elements should be more neutral for this look to be more balanced. Although everything is individual here. A bright hoodie can create a vibrant, eclectic look.

How not to wear a hoodie

First, be careful with sporty hoodies, because any sports brand’s hoodie will look like a sporty piece of clothing in casual looks, rather than a casual one.

Don’t wear a hoodie to formal occasions – that’s not the option. The rest of your life isn’t enough for you to wear your favorite hoodie? Sometimes it’s worth wearing a shirt. And even a tie.

Some people invented and others wear sleeveless hoodies. Honestly, I have proof.

These are very, very weird clothes for very, very weird people. Don’t be like them, don’t wear sleeveless hoodies. Please no!

If you have a zip-up hoodie, do not wear it on your naked body. You may think this is sexy – but it is not. And the zipper is cold, what are you thinking about?

And if you decide to customize your hoodie, remember one simple rule – less is best. Do not do all-over print on your hoodie. It’s not cool, it’s ugly.

In general, do not be afraid to experiment — keep stylish trends in your look, make new combos, find inspiration in street style. Just do it without sleeveless hoodies. And all-over prints. Well, you’ve got the idea.