Looking for custom hoodies in the UK? Learn about hoodie GSM, DTG and DTF printing, artwork, print placement, sizing, costs and choosing the right hoodie.
A custom hoodie is more than just a piece of printed clothing. The right combination of garment quality, fit, fabric and printing method can create something people genuinely want to wear again and again.
Whether you're ordering a single personalised hoodie, creating branded workwear, preparing merchandise for an event or launching your own clothing brand, there are several things worth considering before placing your order.
This complete guide explains what to look for when ordering custom hoodies in the UK, including hoodie weight, fabrics, printing methods, artwork preparation, print placement, sizing and garment care.
A custom printed hoodie is a blank hoodie personalised with your own:
Custom hoodies can be created for both personal and commercial purposes.
They're particularly popular for:
Because hoodies are practical throughout much of the UK year, they can also offer more repeat wear than merchandise designed only for warmer weather.
The print matters, but the hoodie underneath it matters just as much.
A brilliant design printed onto an uncomfortable or poorly fitting garment still won't produce a premium finished product.
Before ordering, consider four important characteristics:
When shopping for custom hoodies, you'll often see a number followed by GSM.
GSM means grams per square metre and describes the weight of the fabric.
As a general guide:
However, higher GSM does not automatically mean better quality.
Fabric construction, stitching, composition, finishing and fit all contribute to how premium a hoodie actually feels.
The best choice depends on what you're creating.
A promotional hoodie and a heavyweight fashion hoodie may have completely different requirements.
A 380 GSM hoodie sits firmly within heavyweight territory and can provide the substantial feel many customers associate with premium hoodies and modern streetwear.
Heavyweight hoodies can work particularly well for:
ElitePrints' Heavyweight Pullover Hoodie is 380 GSM, making it an option for customers looking for a more substantial garment.
Remember that GSM should still be considered alongside the hoodie composition, fit and intended use.
Fabric composition affects how a hoodie feels, performs and responds to different printing techniques.
Cotton is known for its natural, comfortable feel and breathability.
Cotton-rich surfaces can also work particularly well with certain direct-to-garment printing applications.
Many hoodies combine cotton and polyester.
Blended fabrics can provide a useful balance between comfort, durability and shape retention.
Depending on the garment, you may also see a cotton-facing outer surface combined with polyester elsewhere in the construction.
There isn't one composition that's right for every customer.
For a fashion or merchandise hoodie, feel and print quality may be the priorities.
For staff clothing or garments receiving frequent use, practicality and durability may carry more weight.
The intended printing method should also be considered when choosing the garment.
Another important decision is whether you want a traditional pullover or a zip hoodie.
Pullover hoodies provide a large uninterrupted area across the front and back.
This makes them particularly suitable for:
Zip hoodies provide additional flexibility for everyday wear but the front zip affects the available printing area.
A small left-chest logo can work particularly well on a zip hoodie, while larger designs may be better positioned on the back.
The right option depends on the design and how the garment will be worn.
There is no single printing method that's ideal for every hoodie.
The right choice depends on:
Common methods include DTG, DTF, screen printing and heat-transfer vinyl.
DTG (Direct-to-Garment) printing applies ink directly onto the garment using specialist digital printing equipment.
It can produce highly detailed, full-colour artwork and can be particularly effective on suitable cotton-rich garments.
DTG is useful for designs containing:
Because the process is digital, it can also be suitable for smaller quantities where traditional screen-printing setup may not be practical.
Printing onto dark garments requires additional consideration.
For many DTG applications, a white underbase is applied beneath the coloured artwork. This provides a suitable foundation so the colours remain visible against the darker fabric.
Artwork preparation and garment selection therefore matter when printing onto black, navy or other dark hoodies.
DTF (Direct-to-Film) is another popular digital garment-printing method.
Instead of printing the artwork directly onto the hoodie, the design is printed onto specialist film and transferred to the garment using heat.
One major advantage of DTF is its versatility across different garment types and fabric compositions.
It can be particularly useful for:
DTF and DTG produce different finishes, so the best option depends on the hoodie and artwork rather than one method universally being better.
Screen printing remains an effective option when producing larger quantities of the same hoodie design.
The setup involved can make it less practical for very small quantities, but once prepared, the process can be efficient for repeated designs.
Screen printing can be particularly suitable for:
Your order quantity and artwork should therefore help determine which production method makes the most sense.
Print placement can dramatically change the appearance of a custom hoodie.
Some of the most popular options include:
A classic choice for:
This placement provides visible branding without dominating the garment.
Centre-chest artwork works well for logos, typography and graphic designs.
The hoodie's pocket and construction need to be considered when deciding the exact dimensions and position.
Large back prints are particularly effective for:
One popular combination is a small left-chest design on the front with a much larger statement design on the back.
Sleeve graphics can add another branding element without competing with the main artwork.
Depending on the design, this could include a brand name, website, slogan or smaller graphic.
There is no universal perfect print size.
The right dimensions depend on:
A design intended for an oversized hoodie may need different proportions from the same artwork on a smaller regular-fit garment.
This is why looking at a mockup before production can be useful.
It allows you to assess whether the artwork looks too small, too large, too high or too low before the garment is printed.
High-quality printing begins with suitable artwork.
For raster graphics, aim for a high-resolution original file prepared close to the intended print dimensions.
300 DPI at the intended print size is a useful target for many high-quality print applications.
Increasing the DPI setting of an already tiny or pixelated image will not recreate missing detail.
A high-resolution PNG with transparency can be particularly useful for digital printing.
If your artwork contains an unwanted white background, that background may become part of the printed design.
Screenshots and images downloaded from social media are often compressed.
Whenever possible, use the original artwork file.
Before submitting your design, inspect:
If the hoodie is for a business or clothing brand, it's worth checking the artwork carefully before production.
Your garment colour forms part of the overall design.
Black is popular because it works with many different branding styles and provides strong contrast with lighter artwork.
Other popular choices can include:
Think about contrast.
A dark design may disappear visually against a black hoodie, while very light artwork can look completely different on white.
The same logo may therefore need different artwork treatments for light and dark garments.
Always check the garment's specific size guide rather than assuming every brand fits identically.
Two hoodies labelled "Large" can have different measurements.
Consider whether you want:
For clothing brands and merchandise, fit is especially important because it contributes heavily to how customers perceive the product.
If you're ordering for several people, collect their required sizes before placing the final order.
Custom hoodies can provide businesses with practical branded clothing that employees can wear during colder weather.
They can be useful for:
A simple company logo on the left chest combined with larger branding on the back can create a professional, recognisable appearance.
When ordering business hoodies, consider how frequently they'll be worn and washed, as well as the environment in which employees will use them.
Hoodies have become an important product for independent clothing and streetwear brands.
If you're developing your own collection, consider the entire product rather than focusing exclusively on the artwork.
Think about:
A simple graphic printed onto a well-selected heavyweight garment can sometimes feel more premium than a complicated design on the wrong hoodie.
For a new design, producing a sample before committing to a larger quantity can also help you evaluate the finished product.
Personalised hoodies can also work well for:
Names, roles, dates or event-specific artwork can make each garment more personal.
If the hoodies are required for a particular date, make sure you allow sufficient time for artwork approval, garment availability, printing and delivery.
The cost of a custom printed hoodie varies considerably.
Rather than looking only at the headline price, consider what you're actually receiving.
Price can be affected by:
For example, a lightweight promotional hoodie with one small chest logo isn't directly comparable with a 380 GSM heavyweight hoodie featuring both front and large back printing.
When comparing custom hoodie prices, check whether the price includes:
This provides a much more meaningful comparison than choosing solely based on the cheapest advertised price.
Depending on the printing method and supplier, modern digital printing can make small custom hoodie orders practical.
This is useful when you need:
For clothing brands in particular, ordering a sample can be valuable before committing to a larger production run.
You can physically inspect the garment, fit, print dimensions, colours and overall finish before making a larger investment.
Proper care can help maintain both the garment and printed artwork.
Always follow the specific care label and instructions supplied with your hoodie.
Depending on the garment and printing method, common precautions may include:
Different garments and printing methods can have different requirements, so the supplied care instructions should always take priority.
A little preparation can prevent disappointing results.
The blank garment makes a significant difference to the finished product.
Compare fabric, GSM, construction and fit rather than price alone.
A pixelated source image can result in a disappointing print.
Use the highest-quality original artwork available.
Large artwork can look impressive, but it should remain proportional to the garment.
On pullover hoodies, the front pouch pocket affects the available print area.
Your artwork needs to be positioned accordingly.
Never assume sizing is identical across different garments or manufacturers.
If you need hoodies for an event, campaign or launch, allow enough time for artwork checks, production and delivery.
Before submitting your order, confirm:
If you're ordering for a business, event or clothing brand, it's worth checking everything carefully before production begins.
It depends on the hoodie, artwork and quantity. DTG can work particularly well for detailed artwork on suitable cotton-rich garments, while DTF provides flexibility across different garment materials. Screen printing can be efficient for larger repeated orders.
380 GSM is considered a heavyweight fabric and can provide the substantial feel commonly associated with premium and streetwear-style hoodies. However, GSM is only one measure of garment quality.
Detailed, full-colour and photographic artwork can be reproduced using appropriate digital garment-printing methods, provided the source image is sufficiently high quality.
Yes, depending on the garment and printing service. A particularly popular combination is a smaller chest design on the front with a larger graphic across the back.
A high-resolution PNG with a transparent background is commonly suitable for digital garment printing. Vector artwork may also be useful for logos and scalable graphics.
Small-quantity and one-off production may be possible depending on the product and printing method. This can be particularly useful for samples, gifts and testing clothing-brand designs.
Start with a quality garment, choose artwork that complements the hoodie colour, use appropriate print dimensions and avoid overcrowding the design. Garment fit and weight can be just as important as the artwork itself.
A great custom hoodie starts long before the printing begins.
Choosing the right garment, fabric weight, fit, artwork and printing method helps create something that doesn't simply look good in a mockup but feels right when you actually wear it.
Whether you're creating a personalised hoodie for yourself, branded clothing for your team, merchandise for an event or developing your next clothing-brand design, ElitePrints can help bring your artwork to life.
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