Custom Hoodie Design Ideas To Inspire You

With its versatility and widespread appeal, a custom hoodie is a great way to express your creative side without sacrificing fashion and functionality. And in this article, we’ll explore how exactly you can do that. From the classic to the cool, we’ll cover different hoodie design ideas that will make you or your dear shoppers stand out in a crowd.

What once was a 1970’s trend has become a fashion staple that’s been embraced by everyone from your local hipster to tech entrepreneurs and celebrities: the hoodie. Whether you’re a Gen Z-er, Millennial, Boomer, or somewhere in between, the hoodie is a classic go-to for days when you just want to be comfortable, stylish, and relaxed. Let’s dive in!

Types of Hoodie Styles

Let’s first get into the different types of hoodie styles. Depending on your preferences, you might be looking for something basic or something more unique. Here are the most popular types on the market:

Full-Zip Hoodie

With their sporty look and convenient zip-up closure, full-zip hoodies like the Gildan 18600 are perfect for days when you don’t want to overthink your outfit. They could make a great addition to any casual outfit—whether you’re wearing a laid-back yet sultry cropped tee or your favorite workout bra and leggings.

Pullover Hoodie

Pullover hoodies, like the Champion S700, bring a timeless appeal to any wardrobe, thanks to their classic kangaroo pocket and trendy drawstring hood. They’re a great option for days when you want something comfy yet pulled together. Plus, they give off a classic collegiate vibe—especially when you pair them with a pair of jeans and sneakers.

Check out our product review below to learn more about this hoodie and how it pairs with DTG printing!

Crop-Cut Hoodie

Popular especially among women nowadays crop-cut hoodies like the Lane Seven – LS12000. These hoodies fuse both comfort and style, as they are shorter in the front to still show off your waistline. For extra oomph, you can design these pieces with some bold graphics to add a little more edge.

Oversized Hoodie

Oversized hoodies never get old. After all, girlfriends and even besties love stealing them (and looking great in the process!). Jokes aside, oversized hoodies like the Cotton Heritage – M2580 provide a relaxed fit and bring a touch of effortless cool to just about any kind of look. They’re perfect for any gender and style making them a great option for anyone who just wants something easy and comfy.

Different Hoodie Design Ideas

Found the type of hoodie that would suit your customers’ aesthetic best? Great! Now let’s get into the fun part: design. Here are some hoodie design ideas that could help you give your customers something different and out-of-the-ordinary.

Hoodie For Women

When it comes to designing hoodies for women, there are endless possibilities. You could opt for something as sleek and classic as a cropped hoodie featuring just a simple logo, or go bold and create something that makes a statement. For example, you can design a crop-cut hoodie with an eye-catching graphic on the front.

If your brand is about supporting and empowering women, you can also consider designing a hoodie emblazoned with a powerful message or slogan. There are plenty of women-centered quotes out there that could make perfect statement pieces.

Hoodie For Men

Men’s hoodies can also be quite versatile when it comes to design. You can go as subtle or as bold as you want with the graphics and colors. For starters, you can create something that’s more traditional such as a full-zip hoodie with a classic logo of your brand.

If you’re targeting athletes and fitness enthusiasts, you can design pullovers with short yet motivating phrases such as “trust the process” or “no pain, no gain”. For younger customers, you can opt for something more eye-catching such as a hoodie with bold typography art.

Funny Hoodie Design Ideas

Feeling like your target shoppers are more into something light and fun? No problem. There are plenty of funny hoodie design ideas that could make your customers laugh out loud. You can consider designing a hoodie with an ironic statement, humorous pop culture references, or even creating something that plays off a pun.

For instance, if you’re targeting a younger audience, you can consider creating an oversized hoodie with a funny graphic of your mascot or character. You can also play with different popular brand names or logos and put a funny spin on them.

Hoodie Design Ideas for Couples

You may also want to consider creating some hoodie design ideas for couples. Designing matching hoodies for couples is one of the most popular trends today, and you can make it even more special by adding personalized details.

For example, you can create a set of matching hoodies with the couple’s names or initials printed on them. You can also add a romantic quote or phrase that they can share and wear together. If you like drawing, you can also create designs that feature puzzle pieces-like graphics to represent the couple’s unity.

Holidays and Seasonal Inspiration

Whether they’re for officemates or relatives, hoodies also make perfect gifts for special occasions and holidays. Thus, here are some design ideas inspired by the season and special events that could help you create something unique and memorable.

Christmas New Year’s Eve

The Christmas and New Year season is all about giving and being with loved ones. To capture this theme, you can design hoodies featuring festive graphics such as snowflakes or cute reindeer. You can also add quotes or messages that could warm the hearts of your customers.

Halloween

Halloween offers endless possibilities when it comes to hoodie designs. You can opt for something spooky and creepy like a skull or skeleton graphic, or go with something silly and eye-catching such as designing an orange hoodie with a pumpkin face. You can also play with other Halloween-inspired elements such as ghosts, bats, and spiders.

Thanksgiving

Simplicity is key when it comes to designing hoodies for Thanksgiving. You can create something with a basic fall-themed design such as an autumnal leaf pattern. You can also offer hoodies printed with inspiring quotes and personalized messages. This is a great seasonal opportunity to create cute kids’ hoodies with quotes like “Holiday baking team”.

Hoodie Ideas For Jobs and Professions

Different jobs and professions come with different ups and downs. But those are what make the job itself more interesting and motivating. So, why not give your customers something to remind them of their passion?

For instance, you can design hoodies for engineers or aspiring ones with funny quotes or phrases they can relate to. You can also play with graphics that represent their jobs. For example, if you’re designing hoodies for teachers, you can opt for a subtle school-themed design such as an apple on the chest.

Hoodies and Occasions

Apart from the holidays, simple weekend getaways can also be great inspos for hoodie designs. Here are some ideas that could help you create something unique and special for your customers.

The Beach

Who said you can’t wear a hoodie to the beach? If you’re designing for those who love spending time by the shore, opt for crop-cut hoodies featuring beach-inspired vibes such as sunsets and waves. You can also add fun, nautical details like anchors for a more personalized look.

Camping

For adventurous souls, a camping-themed hoodie can be a great way to show off their spirit. You can create designs featuring natural elements such as trees, mountains, and birds. Or, you can come up with something more inspirational like a quote that celebrates the outdoors.

Cycling

Cycling is a sport that requires passion and enthusiasm. So, why not reward your cycling customers with something that speaks volumes about their lifestyle? Here, you can opt for bright and colorful designs that feature bike-related elements. You can also add motivational quotes to the back of the hoodie for an extra touch of inspiration.

Fishing

Got customers who love fishing? You can offer them a hoodie that speaks directly to their hobby. Try creating a design with an aquatic pattern such as fish or seaweed. Or, you can design hoodies with their favorite fish species printed on them for an extra special surprise.

School – College and Uni-inspired Designs

School-themed hoodies will always be in style. And whether you’re designing for an actual college or just for your own brand, you can definitely recreate the college hoodie vibe by using big, bold fonts and logos. You can also add fun elements such as Greek letters or a mascot to the design for an even more personalized look.

Causes and Social Awareness

If your store supports certain advocacy, hoodies can also be a great canvas for expressing your brand’s and your consumers’ passion. Here, you can come up with designs that empower and inspire people to fight for what they believe in. For instance, if promoting inclusivity and diversity is your goal, you can create hoodies featuring inspiring quotes about acceptance or colorful graphics representing harmony and equality.

Things to Consider Before Working on Your Hoodie Design ideas…

Ready to start designing your pieces with the hoodie design ideas mentioned above? Not too fast! Before you dive into it, here are some helpful points to keep in mind:

Hoodie Style

Of course, before finalizing your designs, make sure you’re certain about the type of hoodie you want to use. The size and style should be customized according to your target audience, which is why you need to carefully review the specs of the hoodie you plan to print.

Design Planning

While print-on-demand companies like Awkward Styles offer free mockup generators, planning your designs is still a must. This way, you can ensure that each piece in your collection has a consistent look and feel. You also have to keep your customer’s preferences in mind while making sure that your brand’s personality is still visible in the overall vibe.

Design Placement

This is where the mockup generators would come in handy. Once you’ve finalized your set of designs, you have to make sure that they would appear perfectly on the hoodies. When deciding on the placement, consider the purpose of each piece, the size of the logo or art, and how they would look together as a whole.

Image or Design Size

Speaking of size, you also have to consider the dimensions of your graphic. Depending on the size of the hoodie, make sure that you’re using a design that would fit the area without making it look cluttered.

Color

The color of your chosen hoodies should complement the colors of your design. After all, the goal is to make your pieces stand out in the most stunning and eye-catching way. Carefully review the color palette you plan to use and how it would look with the background fabric.

Fabric

The fabric of your chosen hoodie will determine the printing style you should use. Of course, printing on a polyester hoodie is different from cotton ones. That’s why it’s important to carefully review the fabric’s specs to make sure that it fits the printing style you have in mind.

Message

Finally, your hoodie design should have a message. Whether it’s to inspire and uplift or just a simple reminder that life is better when you stay true to yourself, make sure that your designs carry a meaningful message. This way, people would be more attracted to buy your pieces.

That’s a Wrap!

We hope this article has inspired you to start designing your hoodie collection. Now that you know more about the things to consider, it’s time for you to begin your creative journey and explore the possibilities. With the right POD partner and a great set of hoodie design ideas, we’re certain none of your hoodie collections will go unnoticed! Good luck!

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