How to Care for Custom Hoodies | Arklavo

Conor Smart, Apparel Expert at Arklavo

Custom apparel for 1,000+ U.S. businesses since 2023

We embroider and print every hoodie in house, so I see how the fleece and the logo hold up over a season of real wear. These are the care steps we give our own customers to keep a branded hoodie looking new.

Your custom hoodies are built to last, and a little care keeps the fleece soft and the logo crisp for years. Whether your logo is embroidered into the fabric or printed on the front, the main job is the same: wash cool, dry low, and store with shape in mind. Here is how to wash, dry, and store your branded hoodies so the logo stays sharp.

The short version

✓ Turn inside out, cold water, gentle cycle, zip any zippers first.
✓ Mild detergent only. No bleach, no fabric softener.
✓ Tumble dry low or hang dry. No high heat.
✓ Fold to store, never hang for long by the shoulders.

How should you wash a custom hoodie?

Turn the hoodie inside out to protect the logo, whether it is embroidered or printed.
Use cold water, never hot. Cold protects both the color and the logo.
Choose a gentle cycle. Zip up any zippers and tie nothing into knots first.
Use a mild detergent. Skip bleach and fabric softener, which break down fibers and coatings over time.
Wash with similar colors so nothing transfers, and avoid overloading the machine.

How should you dry it?

Tumble dry on low, or hang dry, to keep the fleece from shrinking.
Keep it out of high heat and strong direct sunlight, both of which fade color and stress a printed logo.
Remove it while slightly damp if you can, then lay it flat or hang briefly to finish.
Do not wring it out. Reshape the cuffs and hem by hand before drying.

How do you protect an embroidered logo?

A stitched logo is durable because it is sewn into the fabric, not printed on top, which is why embroidery holds up so well to daily wear and frequent washing. It still pays to treat it gently:

Do not iron directly on the embroidery. If you need to press, turn the hoodie inside out and use low heat, or steam from the inside.
Watch for snags. The thread is tough, but a caught loop is easier to prevent than to fix, especially on a work site.

How do you protect a printed logo?

If your hoodie carries a printed front logo, the print sits on the surface of the fabric, so heat and friction are what wear it down. A few habits keep it looking new:

Always wash inside out, so the print rubs against itself and not the drum.
Never iron directly on the print. Press from the inside, or place a cloth over the print on low heat.
Skip the high-heat dryer. Heat is the fastest way to crack or peel a print.

How should you store hoodies between seasons?

Fold rather than hang for long, so the shoulders do not stretch out of shape.
Store somewhere cool and dry, away from damp that can cause mustiness.
Make sure the hoodie is fully dry before you put it away, so no moisture is trapped in the fleece.

Quick do's and don'ts

Do	Do not
Cold wash, turned inside out	Hot wash or bleach
Tumble dry low or hang dry	Tumble dry on high heat
Mild detergent	Fabric softener
Fold to store, dry first	Iron the logo or hang wet by the shoulders

Frequently asked questions

Q.Can I machine wash an embroidered hoodie?

Yes. Turn it inside out, use a cold gentle cycle with mild detergent, and wash it with similar colors. The embroidery is stitched into the fabric, so it handles regular washing well. Skip the hot wash and the high-heat dryer to keep the fleece and the stitching in shape.

Q.How do I stop a hoodie from shrinking?

Heat is what shrinks a cotton-blend hoodie, so wash in cold water and dry on low or hang dry. Avoid the hot wash and the high-heat dryer, which are the two most common causes of a hoodie coming back a size smaller. Reshape the cuffs and hem while damp.

Q.Why does embroidery hold up better than a printed logo?

The thread is sewn into the fabric rather than sitting on the surface, so it does not crack or fade with washing the way a print can. That is a big reason crews that wash gear hard often choose embroidery. Our screen print vs embroidery guide covers the trade-offs between the two.

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