How to Design Hoodies (That Your Chapter Actually Wants to Wear)

There’s nothing like having your favorite hoodie during the fall: the one that lives on your chair, goes to every 8 AM, and somehow makes group projects slightly more tolerable. A good hooded sweatshirt is comfort plus identity: it keeps you warm and quietly says, “These are my people.”

For fraternities, sororities, and campus orgs, that hoodie is also a walking billboard. The problem? You’ve got 40 opinions in the group chat, five Pinterest boards, and no clear direction.

This guide walks you through how to design your own hooded sweatshirt that people will actually wear all year, not just on Bid Day, Mountain Weekend, or one random philanthropy night.

How can you design your own hoodie in 3 easy ways?

You’ve basically got three paths: DIY in the Design Tool (full control), hand it to the Fresh Prints Art team (full delegation), or remix a past favorite with our Image AI (minimal effort, still fresh). All three work for both frat hoodie designs and sorority hoodie designs. You just need to pick whichever matches your energy level and timeline.

How do you turn the Design Tool into your personal hoodie maker?

If you want creative control but don’t want to be an actual graphic designer, our Design Tool becomes your super convenient hoodie maker. You can drag and drop art, change fonts, and test color combos without downloading software or pretending you understand Photoshop. Plus, it's designed specifically for Greek merch, so you're not gonna waste time trying to find a "similar" shirt base on another platform.

Here’s how to use it without getting overwhelmed:

Start with inspo, not a blank screen. 

Our site has a photo gallery of real chapters and teams, a Design Gallery of pre-made art you can customize, and lookbooks with full outfits, not just product shots, so you can see how they pair with other products.

Pick a base hoodie that fits your goal. 

You can just choose one hoodie for every event, but sometimes a midweight one just doesn’t do it, especially if you’re living in a state with super cold winters. Here’s a good starting guide for you:

• Everyday chapter hoodie: midweight, simple chest logo. The Fresh Prints St. Bond Hoodie is the perfect base for this, as you can wear it even when it’s just a bit warmer without sweating like you just ran a marathon.
• Event hoodie: heavier weight, bolder color, big back graphic. Our Boston Heavyweight Hoodie (and its camo, leopard print, and acid wash versions) is a HUGE favorite for this reason.
• PR hoodie / cute hooded sweatshirts for women: cropped or oversized fits, softer color palette, maybe small embroidery on the chest or cuff. Get the Fresh Prints Spring St. Ladies Zip-Up Hoodie for something that’s super cute and flattering.

Use fonts and color like you know what you’re doing. 

Inside our Design Tool, you can swap between a whole font library, add or remove text and icons, and test multiple colorways in minutes. Stick to 2–3 colors so the hoodie doesn’t look chaotic in photos.
Try a few “template” hoodie styles that always hit.

Instead of guessing, steal formulas that are already working in the Design Gallery and then make them your own in the Design Tool. Here are some designs you can use as inspo:

Mountain Weekend scenic back

Use the Phi Kappa Tau Skiing Graphic Mountain Weekend Hoodie as your blueprint: a big illustrated scene (like a skier flying through a snowy forest) filling the back, event name and year at the bottom, and your chapter or trip name at the top. It started as a mountain weekend piece, but any org can swap in their letters, location, or event details—and it translates perfectly to fall retreats, ski trips, or formal weekends.

Denim star patch

The Sigma Delta Tau Denim Stars Stitched Patch PR Hoodie is a great template if you want “cute but still timeless.” The design layers denim-textured stars with stitched edges and script text like a motivational phrase or chapter tagline. You can keep the star layout, change the words to your own motto, and drop it on any hoodie color in the Design Tool for a PR piece that already has proven appeal.

Lace heart chest print

For softer, more romantic cute hoodies, base your design on the Alpha Xi Delta Lace Heart Bid Day Hoodie. It uses an intricate lace heart frame around the chapter name and Bid Day details on the chest. Swap the letters, event, and colors, and you’ve got a dreamy front-focused hoodie that also looks amazing on cropped tees or crewnecks.

Love-letter stamp collage

If you want maximum visual interest on the back, look at the Delta Gamma Love Letter with Vintage Stamps Bid Day Hoodie. It’s a collage of retro postage stamps, hearts, and a central envelope graphic with chapter and “Est.” details. In the Design Tool, you can rearrange the stamps, change colors, and sub in your own letters or phrases while keeping that stamp-board vibe that photographs really well.

All four styles can be found in our Design Gallery, which means you can hit “Customize,” keep the layout, and just update letters, colors, and dates. It’s the easiest way to design your own hoodie without starting from a blank canvas.

What if you want an Art team to do the heavy lifting?

If your vision is clear but your calendar is not (midterms, recruitment, formals, life), let the Fresh Prints Art team handle it.

The short version of how it works:

• You pick a hoodie
• You share your inspo (photos of old hoodies, Pinterest, IG screenshots, mood board vibes).
• The Art team sends back a free mockup.
• You send feedback. They revise until it matches what you and your exec board had in mind.

This is perfect if you’re:

• Running point on how to make custom hoodies for your entire chapter
• Planning how to design bulk custom hoodies for a fundraiser (where cost per piece and print type matter a lot)
• Balancing multiple officers’ opinions and want a pro to translate them into a clean design

If your school has a Campus Manager, you can also loop them in so there’s a real person helping you keep deadlines, approvals, and sizes on track.

How do you remix last year’s hoodie with Image AI and small tweaks?

Sometimes your best move is not reinventing the hoodie. Just upgrading it.

If last year’s retreat hoodie or Bid Day hoodie was a hit, you can:

• Upload last year’s art file or a clear pic into the Image AI.
• Keep refining until you get that new version you like and put it on your base.
• Swap to this year’s colors or your new theme.
• Update the text (year, event name, line name, or new member class).

This is clutch for Founders Day or anniversary hoodies, Annual formals, retreats, or mountain weekends, or matching family / big-little hoodies that evolve each year.

It also keeps frat hoodie designs consistent so alumni recognize the tradition, while your current brothers still feel like it’s “theirs.” For sororities, it means you can have a whole archive of sorority hoodie designs that look cohesive across years in photos.

Bonus: reusing art reduces decision fatigue and makes approvals faster. No more three-week arguments in the exec group chat.

Which print types actually make your hoodie look good?

Print type is where a lot of people accidentally downgrade their hoodie. The exact same design can look premium, crunchy, or fuzzy depending on how it’s printed.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the main options you’ll see in the Available Print Types section of the Help Center:

When should you choose screen printing for hoodies?

Pick screen printing when you’ve got a larger order (full chapter, multiple orgs, or a campus-wide fundraiser) or your design uses a handful of solid colors (no crazy gradients).

Why it works:

• Super vibrant, durable prints.
• Perfect for bold chest text, big back graphics, and classic collegiate looks.
• Cost-effective for big runs, which is ideal for philanthropy or “every member gets one” projects.

If you’re planning how to design bulk custom hoodies for a fundraiser, screen printing plus a simple design (1–2 ink colors) is usually the smartest way to keep prices low and margins healthy.

When is digital printing or DTF better than screen printing?

Choose digital printing (DTG) or DTF transfers when your art is doing the most, with full-color illustrations, complex shading and gradients, or photo or collage-style graphics

Digital printing (DTG) feels like the design is part of the fabric, and it shines on cotton or cotton-blend hoodies for smaller runs. DTF transfers print your art onto a film that’s then pressed onto the hoodie, which is awesome for multi-color, detailed designs and gives you a lot of flexibility on placements and garment types.

These are great for those scenic mountain weekends, love-letter stamp collages, or anything you want to look exactly like your art file.

How do embroidery and appliqué change the hoodie aesthetic?

If your goal is “this looks expensive” rather than “this looks like a flyer,” consider:

• Embroidery – stitched thread; best for smaller logos, monograms, and icons (left chest, cuff, or upper sleeve).
• Appliqué – fabric letters or shapes stitched onto the hoodie with an embroidered border; classic for Greek letters across the chest.

Why they’re worth it:

• They last a long time and age nicely.
• They make even simple designs feel premium.
• They’re perfect for year-round chapter hoodies and cute hoodies you actually wear with jeans.

Embroidery and appliqué are especially good for minimal sorority hoodie designs and clean, collegiate frat hoodie designs where texture does the heavy lifting.

When should you use vinyl, transfers, patches, rhinestones, or foil?

If you’re into making your hoodies look extra-sparkly or extra-noticeable, and you’re not here to not be seen, these print types are your best options:

• Vinyl – good for names and numbers (jersey vibes) and small sporty details on sleeves or backs.
• Transfers (like Supacolor) – flexible, full-color graphics you can heat press; great when you need strong color and detail.
• Patches – leather, rubber, or embroidered patches on the chest, sleeve, or pocket for a more streetwear, outdoorsy, or heritage look.
• Rhinestones – add a subtle sparkle for PR hoodies or gifts (think step team, dance team, or Bid Day).
  Foil – metallic accents (gold, silver, etc.) that catch the light and look great in photos.

You don’t need to stack everything on one hoodie. Usually one main print method plus one “fun” add-on is enough.

For deep dives, you can scroll through each method under Available Print Types in the Fresh Prints Help Center.

What decorations, hood stitch, and placements make hoodies feel custom?

Once your base print is set, decoration methods and placements are how you make the hoodie feel truly your chapter’s, not just “a hoodie with a logo.”

What is a hood stitch, and why does everyone love it?

A hood stitch is a line of decorative thread sewn along the edge of the hood. You can do an asymmetrical or half-hood stitch (just one side of the hood), or a full hood stitch (all the way around the edge of the hood)

You choose your stitch color from a curated palette: think white, antique white, baby pink, mint, pale blue, navy, lavender, gray, red, black, etc. It’s not Pantone-perfect, but your rep can help you pick a shade that complements both your hoodie color and your print or embroidery.

When you ask for hood stitching, the Art team shows it in your proof: they add a thread graphic along the hood and clearly label the stitch color under the swatches (for example, “Stitch color: Black”). Behind the scenes, they use dedicated vector assets and approved stitch colors, and loop in logistics if you’re asking for anything custom.

Translation: you get that elevated detail with full visibility before anything goes into production.

How can stripes, cover stitch, bows, and rosettes level things up?

Decoration methods are like jewelry for your hoodie. Tiny, but they change the whole vibe.

Some options you’ll see in the Available Decoration Methods section:

• Stripes – up to three stripes on sleeves, pant legs, or across the body; great for game-day sets, step teams, and “retro athletic” looks.
• Cover stitch – bold stitching over seams (neckline, arms, hood) in your chapter color; subtle but noticeable up close.
• Bows and rosettes – sewn details that lean feminine and romantic, perfect for PR hoodies or Bid Day fits.

For cute hoodies you can dress up or down, details like a contrast cover stitch or small rosettes can do more than another line of text ever will.

What about custom hood lining and other details?

Custom hood lining is the next level up from hood stitch. Instead of just stitching the edge of the hood, we can:

• Fully line the inside of the hood with a contrasting or patterned fabric
• Use standard patterns (polka dots, stripes, checks, solids) or
• For certain FP-exclusive hoodies, create fully custom printed lining

Custom hood lining is a great move when you want something special for:

• Sorority Bid Day hoodies with floral or pattern-lined hoods
• Fraternity retreat hoodies with striped or school-color linings
• Matching PR hoodies that stay neutral on the outside but have personality on the inside

You still get a hoodie that’s easy to wear with everything, but people notice the detail when they pull the hood up.

Where can print actually go on a hoodie?

Most hoodies can be decorated in more spots than just “front” and “back,” but not every location works with every print type. The exact options depend on the hoodie style, but in general:

Hood

You can decorate the hood with embroidery, appliqué, or transfer-style methods like Supacolor/DTF and heat-pressed vinyl. This is perfect for small logos, chapter names along the edge, or icons that show when the hood is up.

Hoodie pocket

The front pouch pocket can usually handle screen printing, Supacolor/DTF, or heat-pressed vinyl. Think small event logo centered on the pocket or subtle wordmark just above it.

Cuffs

Sleeve cuffs can take screen printing, Supacolor/DTF, or vinyl. A tiny date, motto, or icon here is super subtle in person but looks great in close-up photos.

Sleeves

Sleeves are prime real estate: they can accommodate screen printing, DTG, Supacolor/DTF, and vinyl down the length, plus embroidery or appliqué above the elbow. This is where you put vertical chapter names, “since ____” text, or class years.

A couple of helpful rules:

• We can print over seams, but usually only with embroidery or appliqué. If you want a design crossing the shoulder seam or onto the hood, that’ll almost always be stitched.
• Zip-up hoodies can be decorated across the zipper using appliqué or Supacolor/DTF, but our Art team will help line things up so it looks right zipped and unzipped.
• Design-wise, restraint looks intentional. A combo like chest + back + one sleeve or cuff detail usually lands better than hitting every placement just because you can.

If you want to get nerdy about what can go where, check out the garment placements article in the Help Center.

FAQs

What makes a hoodie “cute” instead of just okay?

A hoodie reads as “cute” when the fabric and fit are actually comfortable, the design is intentional: simple, readable, and on-brand for your group, and there’s at least one interesting detail. You can go for an embroidered chest, hood stitch, custom lining, stripes, etc.

Too many fonts, colors, and random icons push it into “worn twice, then forgotten” territory.

How do I design my own hoodie if I’m not artsy?

That’s the beauty of our Design Gallery, our Design Tool, and our Image AI. If you can’t design from scratch, you can:

• Use templates and tweak them.
• Start from an existing gallery design you like (mountain scene, lace heart, stamp collage, denim stars).
  Swap the text to your chapter, event, or motto.
• Adjust the colors to match your branding.

You’re still getting to design your own hoodie, you’re just not starting from a blank artboard. If you get stuck, request a mockup and let the Art team carry it from there.

Where can I get frat hoodies that don’t all look the same?

If you’ve literally Googled “where can i get frat hoodies”, you’re in the right place.

Best move:

• Browse the Fresh Prints Designs and Lookbooks for frat hoodie designs that match your chapter vibe.
• Save a few options that feel right (Game Day, formal, retreat).
• Hit “Customize” or request a mockup to get your letters and colors plugged in.

That way, you’re not starting from scratch, but you’re also not wearing a carbon copy of the house next door.

How should I design bulk custom hoodies for a fundraiser?

For fundraising, think like a business. Choose a midweight hoodie in a universally wearable color. Use screen printing with 1–2 inks to control costs. Put the event or cause clearly on the front, with small sponsor logos on the back or sleeve. Take pre-orders so you’re not stuck with random leftover sizes.

That’s the most reliable way to handle how to design bulk custom hoodies for a fundraiser that people actually buy and wear.

Where can I see more sorority hoodie designs and inspo?

For sorority hoodie designs (and matching tees, crews, and sets):

• Scroll the Design Gallery and filter by sorority.
• Click through lookbooks to see how hoodies look on real chapters.
• Check our How To Merch page for inspo sources and all our print types.

Screenshot what you like, drop it in your exec chat, and narrow down to one or two directions before you touch the Design Tool.

Let your next hoodie earn “favorite” status

At the end of the day, your chapter hoodie is more than merch. It’s the thing you reach for when you’re running late to class, walking home from a mixer, or cramming in the library. If it’s soft, simple, and actually feels like your org, people will wear it nonstop without you ever having to push it.

So whether you’re using the Design Tool as your hoodie maker, handing it off to the Art team, or just glowing up last year’s go-to, aim for one goal: make a hoodie your members forget is “chapter apparel” and just think of as their favorite.