How to Customize a Graduation Stole That Reps Your Whole College Journey

Graduation season is finally here! And after all those years of working your butt off, beefing up your resume, and running on iced coffee (this doesn’t stop btw), why would you want to cross the stage in a plain, unrecognizable stole?? 

Your stole can tell your college journey and more of your lore - your chapter, your title, and even your culture. This quick guide walks you through exactly how to customize a graduation stole, step by step.

Step 1: Confirm your school’s stole rules

Before you even look at fonts or design inspo, check your university’s policy. Some schools don’t allow graduates to wear custom stoles (but custom grad caps instead). Some schools only allow registered organizations, cultural stoles, or approved logos on stoles. While others give you more creative freedom—but usually only with prior approval. So always check their policy!

Step 2: Pick your base stole

Most stoles are 68-74 inches long and should fall somewhere between your navel and knees. Fresh Prints can do solid colors, stoles with accents, or even specialty patterns like Pacific floral and Kente. Choose a base that fits your chapter, heritage, or just your amazing personality. 

Step 3: Choose how you’ll decorate

You can customize stoles with embroidery, digital printing, or both (e.g., embroidered Greek letters on one side, printed crest/date on the other). Embroidery gives a raised, classic look; digital print lets you use full-color art and finer detail.

Step 4: Plan placements

Design balance is key. The usual layout looks like this:

• Left panel: Greek letters, crest, or seal
• Right panel: Chapter name, role (Social Chair supremacy), grad year, or college/major

You can request vertical text, mix fonts, and use panel-specific designs. 

Step 5: Prep artwork & text

Got a logo or a specific design you want on your stole? You’ll need it in high-res or vector format (PDF, SVG, AI, EPS). Keep your text clean and readable. Embroidery requires thread color confirmation; for digital print, double-check color previews. Don’t worry though, Fresh Prints will always send you a proof to make sure everything looks great when you walk on stage.

Step 6: Submit for school approval (if required)

While Fresh Prints partners with Affinity & CLC to create officially licensed merch for many Greek orgs and universities, your school might have graduation-specific rules that you need to follow. 

If your school requires pre-approval for custom stole designs, don’t wait. Send your mockup early to avoid any issues. Universities often have differing thoughts on what counts as “in line with decorum,” so always check with your school!

Step 7: Place the order & check timeline

Grad season = production crunch. Make sure to order early. If your school requests changes, you’ll want time to address them (and don't worry, our art team does unlimited design revisions for free, so we’ll help!).

FAQs

Can you customize your graduation stole?

Yes. Many schools allow graduates to wear custom grad stoles - whether they have your org’s letters, name, your role, etc. But you should always refer to your school’s guidelines to know what you can/can’t wear on graduation day.

Can I add a logo to my graduation stole?

Usually, yes—as long as you’ve got a high-res or vector file and your school gives the thumbs up. 

Can you wear a custom stole at graduation?

Many schools allow custom stoles, especially for Greek organizations, honors societies, and cultural identity groups. Just make sure your design is within policy—and approved if required.

What should I put on a custom stole?

Some popular options are: Greek letters, crest/seal, org name, your title, grad year, college/major, short quotes or mantras. Most people split these between the two panels for a clean look.

Get custom graduation stoles at Fresh Prints

If you’ve got a custom stole idea in mind but need help bringing it to life, send it our way. We support embroidery, digital printing (or both), offer free mockups + unlimited revisions, and we’ll make sure everything's good to go before your big day. That way, you can focus on savoring the moment and taking as many senior pics as possible.