So you want to customize a hoodie but the hoodie design that you like has a big, bad zipper.
You’re conflicted because you really want the hoodie yet you want a big artwork at the center. The zipper will ruin the artwork, right? So you have to choose between the handsome hoodie or your artwork, right?
Not necessarily! The solution is this: simply print over the zipper. It sounds so simple but it takes years of practice to ensure the printing is seamless, smudge-free and just, well….perfect. Perfection is important because you cannot give away or sell promotional hoodies that have garment printing errors.
It will reflect you and whatever it is you’re promoting. Here are my tips to make perfect custom hoodies even with zippers:
Table of Contents
DO NOT DIY
You may experiment, sure, but make sure the output is really good (that means professional-looking!).
No smears, no smudges, no drips, no crooked prints and other printing mistakes unless, of course, you don’t mind throwing away money. Let the merch printing experts handle it.
CHOOSE LIGHT COLORS
It’s much easier to print on whites and pastels than on dark garments.
The reason is that when printing on dark garments, you need to apply base coat before applying the actual paint to keep them in their true color. The base coat makes the gap of the zipper more noticeable.
BUT IF YOU REALLY WANT DARK COLORS, MAKE SURE THE GAP IS PART OF THE DESIGN
Don’t hate the zipper so much because it can actually be your asset. The zipper can actually compliment your design. Here’s a good example.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT HOODIE FOR YOUR DESIGN
To make things easier, choose the right hoodie for your artwork and not the other way around.
There are bazillions of hoodies designs- there are those with big, visible zippers and there are hoodies with thin, almost invisible zippers with flaps over them.
Let our print experts give you advice on which hoodie to choose.
_______________________________________________________________________
James Hill is a veteran of the music industry. He first worked at Warner Reprise Records then later joined Interscope/ Geffen Records where he managed producers and songwriters and got his first platinum record for Keyshia Cole’s The Way It Is. He is now helping indie artists with branding and manufacturing through his company Unified Manufacturing, a CD/DVD, custom vinyl records and merch company in LA.
