10 Tips for Designing Custom Zip Up Hoodies

With the recent passing of ’60s and ’70s style icon Jane Birkin, personalized clothing is back in the spotlight for 2023. The Hermes heiress was known for her signature bags, which she customized with scarves, jewelry, and stickers.

You may not be heir to a fashion empire. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get in on personalized accessory and clothing designs. A great place to begin is with custom zip up hoodies.

People love hoodies because they’re warm, comfortable, and the pinnacle of style. So, they are a great option for your online business or just for fun. With that in mind, here are 10 tips for creating your very own personalized hoodies.

1. Choose a Style

So, you’ve decided you want to design a custom zip up hoodie. Now you need to determine whether you want it to zip up all the way (a full zip hoodie) or just at the neck (a quarter zip hoodie).

Do you want one pocket on the front of your hoodie or two pockets on the sides? Do you want a drawstring at the neck or not? Answering these questions is also critical to coming up with the design style of your custom hoodie.

2. Select a Colorway

Color is everything when it comes to apparel. Decide whether your customers would be more likely to rock neutrals or express themselves with brights. Check out color theory to communicate a message with the colors you choose.

Here’s a pro tip. If you’re not sure what colors look good together, check out your favorite sports teams. Sports teams hire professionals to come up with their colorways, so you know they’re good.

3. Pick a Design…

Whether it’s a cartoon character or your brand logo, your hoodie isn’t complete without a design. Slap it front and center on the front or back of your hoodie. Or place your design somewhere discreet for a ‘quiet luxury’ look.

Once you decide on a design, you need to know where to place it. We’ll talk more about placement no-nos later in this article. But some of the most popular locations are at the garment’s center, upper back, sleeve, or chest.

4. Or Create Your Own

Are you good at drawing or graphic design? Or maybe you are an expert photographer with plenty of snaps to share. If so, you can create a one-of-a-kind creation with your own art.

Another potential idea is to draw directly on your hoodies! This strategy may take longer, and you won’t be able to customize as many items. For these reasons, reserve this idea for custom gifts or small events.

5. Decide on a Production Method

There are many methods used to add designs to clothing. They include direct-to-garment printing, screen printing, embroidery, and applique. We recommend direct-to-garment because it is more affordable, durable, and beginner-friendly.

Shops like https://boomcomeback.com/ offer direct-to-garment, print-on-demand services. You can upload your artwork or photographs and add them to your custom hoodie with no more than a few clicks!

6. Identify the Right Fabric Material…

The fabric you choose for your hoodie is just as important as what you put on it. After all, the fabric is what touches your skin when you wear it. Picking the wrong fabric or weave can keep customers from wearing your creations.

The best fabrics for hoodies include cotton and fleece. Fleece is best for keeping body heat in, ideal for winter gear. Meanwhile, cotton is the perfect all-weather material for a super versatile style.

7. But Don’t Forget About Weight

Weight is another crucial factor when choosing the right fabric. You can identify a fabric’s weight and thickness in terms of ounces per square yard. If you order from non-US suppliers, look for grams per square meter (GSM).

Most manufacturers consider a heavy-weight material to be 10-12 ounces per square yard. Meanwhile, medium-heavy and medium-weight fabrics are 8-10 ounces per square yard and 6-8 ounces per square yard, respectively.

8. Figure Out the Fit

Everyone knows their hoodie size. But did you know that cut can also determine how well or poorly an apparel item fits? In general, we can distinguish between the following hoodie cuts:

• Oversized
• Athletic
• Slim

Oversized hoodies will offer the most room and streetwear-like style. Athletic hoodies also feature extra room but are more streamlined than oversized styles. Slim cuts will offer the least amount of room.

9. Specify a Brand

Many brands that sell hoodies also design customizable apparel. The top custom hoodie brands are Sport-Tek and New Era. More well-known brands like Russell Athletic and Champion also sell unbranded hoodies.

Other brands to look for include Bella + Canvas Los Angeles, Alternative, Jerzees, Hanes, and Gildan. These brands may not offer trendy designs, but they have been around for decades and offer high-quality hoodies.

10. Avoid These Mistakes

Lastly, we want to mention some things not to do when designing your custom zip up hoodies. Most of the most important mistakes to avoid have to do with image placement and design.

Avoid full-surface or oversized designs. Steer clear of square borders, horizontal lines, and low graphics placements, too. Follow these tips, and start customizing the perfect hoodie for you or your customers.

Start Designing Your Custom Zip Up Hoodies

Custom zip up hoodies are a crowd pleaser. Whether you’re designing them for customers of your small business, your friends, or yourself, these tips can help you personalize your hoodies with style.

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