Company Hoodies for UK Staff: Getting It Right First Time
By The Velocity Wear Team
Company hoodies used to mean a slightly too-thin grey thing handed out at a conference. That's changed. Tech firms, trades businesses, agencies and warehouses now use hoodies as everyday kit, and the good ones get worn at weekends too. Which is exactly the point.
When a hoodie beats a polo
- Your team works in cold spaces: warehouses, workshops, vans, outdoor sites.
- The office is casual and nobody wears a collar anyway.
- You want something staff choose to wear outside work, which spreads your name.
- It's a gift or a team moment, like a launch, milestone or Christmas.
If staff face customers in a formal setting, a polo or smart layer may suit better. Plenty of firms do both: polos for front of house, hoodies for everyone in winter. Our polo shirts are on the same 20-piece minimum.
Logo placement that looks professional
Left chest embroidery is the safe, smart choice. It reads as uniform without feeling cheap. For a more relaxed, brand-led feel, put a small logo on the front and a larger mark or your web address on the back. Trades firms often do exactly that, because the back of a hoodie is what people see when you're up a ladder.
Sizing staff without making it awkward
Don't guess, and don't ask in a group chat. Send a private form with a size chart that lists actual chest and length measurements. Offer a relaxed fit so nobody feels squeezed. And order a few extra in the most common sizes for new starters, since reordering two hoodies isn't practical at a 20-piece minimum.
Plan for reorders from day one
Staff kit is never a one-off. People join, hoodies wear out, someone's washed theirs at 90 degrees. Keep a written spec: hoodie weight, colour reference, logo position in centimetres, thread colours. Then a reorder next year looks identical to this year's batch instead of almost the same.
What to budget
Our hoodies start from $31 a piece at 20 units with one standard decoration, and the per-piece price drops at 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1,000. Embroidery adds a little; a second position adds a little more. The calculator shows it in pounds. For a UK business, remember branded workwear may have tax implications, so check with your accountant how it's treated.
Colours that work for staff kit
Navy, black and charcoal hide dirt, suit most skin tones and make a logo pop. Grey marl looks relaxed but shows sweat and coffee. Bright brand colours are fun, but a lime green hoodie that suits the marketing team may not be popular with the warehouse. If your brand colour is loud, use it in the logo and keep the hoodie itself neutral.
One more tip: think about hi-vis. If some staff work on roads, sites or yards, a hoodie isn't a substitute for proper high-visibility clothing. Give those teams certified hi-vis on top, and keep the hoodie as the layer underneath.
New starters and leavers
Add company hoodies to your onboarding checklist so new starters get one in their first week. Most businesses let leavers keep casual hoodies, but if hoodies carry security-sensitive branding for site access, ask for them back as part of the leaving process.
Timeline
Allow 10 to 15 working days from artwork approval, then delivery. For Christmas gifting, get artwork signed off by mid November at the latest. December is not the month to discover a supplier's queue.
Browse custom hoodies or see our corporate uniforms page for a fuller staff kit.
