Custom Hoodies With Your Logo: A UK Small Business Guide
By The Velocity Wear Team
Most small business logos were made for screens. They've got thin lines, tiny taglines and colours defined in RGB. None of that translates cleanly to a hoodie. The good news: you don't need a new logo, just a hoodie-friendly version of the one you've got.
Step one: find the right file
Dig out whatever your designer sent you when the logo was made. You're looking for an AI, EPS, SVG or PDF file. Those are vectors, meaning they scale without going blurry. If all you've got is a small PNG from your website, tell your supplier. It can usually be redrawn, but it's better to know upfront.
Step two: simplify for fabric
- Drop the tagline if the letters are tiny. It won't be readable on a chest logo anyway.
- Thicken very thin lines, especially for embroidery.
- Consider a one-colour version. It's often cheaper and usually looks cleaner.
- If your logo sits in a coloured box on the website, try it without the box.
Step three: get colours right
Screen colours don't match ink or thread exactly. If your brand colour matters, find its Pantone reference. Your designer may already have it. Without one, you're relying on someone's eyes, and everyone sees colour slightly differently.
Placement that suits a small business
For a professional look, a left-chest logo is hard to beat. For visibility, add your name or website across the upper back. Trades, cafés, dog walkers, cleaners and gardeners all do this, because the back of a hoodie is often what customers see while you're working.
A sensible first order
Our minimum is 20 per design, sizes mixed. For a small team, that often covers two hoodies each plus spares. If you want to sell some or give them to loyal customers, 50 pieces gets you a lower price per hoodie.
Order a couple of extras in the most common sizes. New starters happen, and reordering a single hoodie isn't practical.
Get more out of the hoodies
Branded hoodies are marketing, so treat them that way. Ask staff to wear them on social posts and on jobs. Give one to a loyal customer or a local sports team you sponsor. Put a photo on your Google Business Profile of the team in matching kit, which makes a small firm look established and trustworthy at a glance.
If you run a café, salon or shop, keep a few on a rail by the till. Customers who like you will buy them, and it quietly turns your best regulars into walking adverts.
Hoodies for van-based trades
Plumbers, electricians, gardeners and window cleaners work in all weather. A dark branded hoodie with your logo on the chest and phone number on the back is warm, professional and turns every job into an advert. Pair it with a matching polo for summer.
Keeping the logo file safe
Once your logo has been prepared for embroidery or print, keep that file. It saves time and cost on every reorder and keeps hoodies consistent.
Print or stitch?
Embroidery is the smart, long-lasting choice for a chest logo. Screen print is better value for a big back print. Plenty of businesses combine the two. See print vs embroidery for more.
When your file is ready, try it on a hoodie in the design studio, get a price on the calculator, or head to custom hoodies. We'll send a proof before anything is made.
