Getting Hoodies Printed Right Without the Hassle

1. Getting Hoodies Printed Right Without the Hassle So last week I’m at my nephew’s basketball game, and half the team’s wearing these beat-up hoodies with designs that look like they were ironed on with a potato. Meanwhile, the other half had these crisp, professional- looking sweatshirts that still looked brand new after a whole season. Guess which ones were custom screen printing sweatshirts? Look, I’ve been helping people get their stuff printed for almost a decade now. Started when my wife needed shirts for her book club and somehow turned into the go-to guy for everyone’s custom apparel needs. And here’s what I’ve figured out — most people totally overthink the hoodie printing thing. Press enter or click to view image in full size

2. Yeah, sweatshirts are different from regular t-shirts. The fabric’s thicker, the texture’s weird, and there’s all this pocket and zipper stuff to worry about. But once you know what you’re doing, they’re actually easier to work with in some ways. Why Screen Printing Works Better on Sweatshirts The Thick Fabric Advantage

3. Here’s something most people don’t realize — that heavy sweatshirt material is actually your friend when it comes to screen printing. With thin t-shirt fabric, sometimes the ink bleeds through or you can see the shirt color showing through light inks. Not with hoodies. That thick cotton-poly blend gives you this solid canvas that makes colors pop. I remember doing this job for a youth hockey team a few years back. Same exact design on both t-shirts and hoodies, same inks, everything. The hoodie versions looked way more professional just because of that substantial fabric underneath. Plus, the durability is nuts. My brother-in-law’s been wearing this company hoodie I made him for three years now. Guy works construction, throws it in the wash every week, and the logo still looks perfect. Heat and Curing Benefits Sweatshirts actually hold heat better during the curing process, which helps the ink bond properly. Sounds technical, but basically it means less chance of your design washing out after a few cycles. The downside is you’ve got to be more careful about temperature control. First time I tried printing hoodies, I used the same heat settings we use for regular shirts. Big mistake. The ink got all weird and plasticky because the thick fabric retained too much heat. Picking the Right Blanks Fabric Blends That Actually Work Forget pure cotton sweatshirts unless you want them shrinking down to toddler sizes after the first wash. And pure polyester feels cheap and doesn’t breathe at all. You want something in the 50/50 to 80/20 cotton-poly range. Cotton gives you that soft feel people expect, polyester keeps everything from shrinking and helps with durability. I’ve had good luck with mid-weight options — usually around 8–10 ounces. Heavy enough to feel substantial but not so thick that it’s hard to print on

4. evenly. Style Choices That Matter Zip-up versus pullover is always a debate. From a printing standpoint, pullovers are way easier because you don’t have to work around zippers. But zip-ups give you more space for design placement if you get creative. Crew neck sweatshirts are having a moment right now. They’re perfect if you want to do a bigger chest design without worrying about hood strings getting in the way. Kangaroo pockets can be a pain depending on your design. Nothing looks worse than a logo that gets cut off by a pocket seam. The Real Printing Process Setup Differences You Need to Know Setting up hoodies for screen printing isn’t the same as regular shirts. The thickness means you need different pressure on your squeegees, and sometimes different screen tensions too. We always pre-treat our sweatshirts now, especially if we’re using water- based inks. Learned that one the hard way when a batch of hoodies for a local restaurant came out with this weird uneven texture. Temperature control is huge. Sweatshirts hold heat longer, so you’ve got to adjust your curing times. Rush this part and your ink won’t bond properly. Design Placement Strategy Most people default to center chest, which is fine, but don’t ignore other options. Sleeve prints are getting popular, especially for smaller logos or brand names. Back prints give you room for bigger, more detailed designs. Just remember that hoodies have that center seam down the back that can interfere with certain layouts.

5. If you’re doing hoodies, watch out for drawstring placement. I’ve seen too many designs that look great on paper but get weird when the strings are pulled. What It Actually Costs Real Numbers, No BS Let’s talk money because everyone wants to know but nobody gives straight answers. Small orders (under 25 pieces) are going to run you $25– 45 per hoodie, depending on the blank quality and how complicated your design is. Get up to 50–100 pieces and you can drop that to $18–30 each. Order 200+ and you might see $12–20 per piece, but you need to be moving serious volume for those prices. Design complexity makes a huge difference. Simple one-color logo might add $6–8 to your base cost. Full-color detailed artwork could tack on another $15–20 per piece. Ways to Keep Costs Sane Order during slow periods if you can swing it. Everyone wants hoodies in October and November for holiday gifts and winter events. Place orders in spring or early summer and you’ll often get better pricing. Mix your order sizes strategically. Sometimes adding some t-shirts or tank tops to your hoodie order helps you hit quantity breaks you wouldn’t reach otherwise. Stick to standard colors. That custom heather gray might look amazing, but it could double your blank costs. Quality Control Stuff That Matters What Good Work Looks Like A properly screen printed hoodie should have smooth ink that doesn’t feel plasticky or stiff. All your colors should line up correctly (that’s called

6. registration), and the opacity should be consistent across the whole design. Do the stretch test — gently pull the fabric around the printed area. The ink should flex with the material without cracking. Color matching can be tricky on sweatshirts because the thick fabric can make colors look different than your proof. Make sure your printer shows you samples on the actual blanks you’re using. Making Them Last Sweatshirts get treated differently than regular shirts. People wear them multiple times before washing, they go in with heavy loads, and they usually get thrown in hot dryers. Good screen printing should handle all that abuse without problems. I always tell people to turn printed hoodies inside out before washing and use medium heat in the dryer. Not absolutely necessary with quality work, but it helps everything last longer. Where This Stuff Actually Gets Used Teams and Companies Sports teams love printed sweatshirts for obvious reasons — warm-ups, sideline gear, fan merchandise. The durability factor is huge when you’re dealing with athletes who are rough on their equipment. Companies are catching on too. Employee hoodies work great for outdoor events, trade shows, or just casual office wear. Employees see them as higher-value items compared to t-shirts, so they actually wear them. Events and Fundraising School fundraisers, family reunions, charity events — hoodies have this perceived value that makes people more willing to buy them. The key is

7. making sure your design looks professional enough that people want to wear it after the event ends. Nothing kills a fundraising campaign like hoodies that end up in donation boxes because they look cheap or the design fades after two washes. Common Questions People Always Ask Q: How many washes before the design starts looking bad? A: With decent screen printing, you should get 50+ washes before seeing any real fading or cracking. Depends on the printer’s process and what inks they use. Q: Can you print the same on zip-ups and pullovers? A: Mostly yes, but zippers affect where you can put designs. Center chest prints need to account for zipper placement. Q: What’s the smallest order most places will take? A: Usually 12–24 pieces minimum because of setup costs. Some places do smaller orders but expect to pay more per piece. Q: How long does the whole process take? A: Normal turnaround is 1–2 weeks after you approve the design. Rush jobs are possible but cost extra, usually 3–5 days. Q: Can you match specific brand colors exactly? A: Screen printing can get pretty close to most Pantone colors. Give your printer color references early for best results. Metallic and neon colors might have limitations. Q: What weight sweatshirt prints best? A: Mid-weight (8–10 oz) works best. Heavy enough to feel quality but not so thick it’s hard to print evenly. Q: Can you print on the inside lining? A: Technically possible but terrible idea. The fleece lining doesn’t take ink well and would be uncomfortable against skin. Q: How should I wash screen printed hoodies? A: Turn inside out, wash in cool water, skip fabric softener on new prints, and use medium dryer heat. Air drying is even better for longevity. Getting It Done Right

8. Bottom line — custom screen printing sweatshirts can turn out amazing when you work with people who know what they’re doing. Whether it’s team gear, company swag, or something for your event, the key is not cutting corners on the process. Don’t rush it. Good hoodie printing takes time to set up right, print correctly, and cure properly. The extra time investment pays off in durability and professional looks. Have a clear idea of what you want but stay flexible on details. Sometimes small changes to design or colors can improve the final result or save money. Most importantly, think about how these hoodies will actually get used. The best printed sweatshirts are ones people genuinely want to wear, not just ones that look good in the proof.