A sweatshirt is one of the few gifts you wear every week for years. But when it has a date, a name, or a design that only makes sense to the person receiving it, it stops being just clothing and becomes their favorite piece.
That's why this guide is for anyone who wants to give a personalized sweatshirt: with a photo, with embroidery, or as a matching set for a couple. It explains which piece to choose, what works with each technique (a personalized embroidered sweatshirt and one with a photo call for very different designs), what it actually costs, and what size to order when you can't just ask. The prices on this page are pulled from the store the moment you open it, so they're the same ones you'll see in your cart.
Which piece to choose
First off, there are two families: sweatshirts, without a hood, and hoodies, with a hood and kangaroo pocket. Still, if you're buying it as a gift, the useful question isn't which one is best, it's what the person already wears. For example, someone who wears a shirt underneath goes for the crew neck. On the other hand, someone who lives in hoodies isn't going to switch.
| Item | Who it's for | Fabric | Colors | Price (1 ea.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweatshirt Crew Neck | The safe choice. Crewneck, classic unisex cut | 290 g/m², 60% cotton | 40 | 28 € |
| Unisex Regular Hoodie | Anyone who lives in hoodies. Hood and kangaroo pocket | 290 g/m², 60% cotton | 40 | 30 € |
| Unisex Oversize Hoodie | Streetwear style, dropped shoulder. The heaviest build | 320 g/m², 80% cotton | 7 | 40 € |
| Sweatshirt Half Zip | A tidier look, mock neck with zipper | 290 g/m², 60% cotton | 11 | 30 € |
| Cropped Hoodie | Short, loose cut, designed for women | 290 g/m², 60% cotton | 4 | 29 € |
| Kid Sweatshirt and Kangaroo Kid | Kids ages 1 to 14 | 290 g/m², 60% cotton | 21–23 | from 22 € |
On the other hand, if you're unsure about the fabric weight, the fabric weight explains what changes between 290 and 320 g/m² in practice.
Embroidered vs photo custom sweatshirt: what works with each technique
This is the decision that most affects the result, and the rule is simple: photos and designs with many colors go as DTF printing; phrases, dates, initials, and line art go as embroidery. That's why a photo can't be embroidered as-is: embroidery works with solid colors, while what makes a photo a photo is the transitions between them.
| DTF printing | Embroidery | |
|---|---|---|
| Works with | Photos, illustrations, designs with many colors and gradients | Names, dates, initials, logos, and simple line art |
| Doesn't work with | Very thin letters in small sizes | Photos, gradients, shadows, more than 6 colors |
| Cost | Included on the chest · full front +3 € · back +4 € per piece | Flat fee of 15 € per design, no per-piece cost |
| Maximum size | 32 × 36 cm | 20 × 20 cm |
| Text | No practical minimum | Letters at least 6 mm tall |
| To the touch | Smooth, flexible, moves with the fabric | Raised, with a textured line. Feels pricier, because it is |
What if I want my dog's face embroidered? It can work, but not straight from the photo as it is. For it to turn out right, the photo first needs to be redrawn as a simple line design, with few colors and no shadows. Then, if you already have that illustration, send it as a vector file; if you don't, DTF printing of the photo is almost always the best choice. Also, how to prepare the files is explained in this guide, and the full comparison between techniques here.
How much does a custom sweatshirt cost
In short, the price has three parts: the piece (with front printing included), the area and technique, and the quantity. Then, do the math right here: pick the piece, the technique, and how many you're ordering.
So the same design across all the sweatshirts pays the fee just once. However, a different name on each one counts as one design per name.
We couldn't load the prices right now. In the meantime, check the current prices on the customization pricing.
Three things the calculator shows that you should keep in mind:
- The quantity discount applies to the price of the item: −10% from 8 units, −20% from 20 and −26% starting at 30. So you can mix sizes and colors of the same piece to get there.
- The embroidery fee is paid once per design, even if you embroider it on different items. That's why embroidery is expensive on a single sweatshirt and cheap on a group order.
- Lastly, shipping is free starting at 80 €. Below that, it costs 7,07€.
Why embroidery pays off in a group
With that in mind, the chart shows the price of each Sweatshirt Crew Neck with the same embroidery, depending on the quantity ordered. In other words, the green part is the embroidery fee divided across the pieces.
Personalized couple sweatshirts
The couple's sweatshirt set is the most requested gift, but how you design it changes the price. For example, with same design on both, the embroidery fee is paid once: two Crew Necks with the same embroidery come to 71 €. However, with a different name on each, that's two designs and two fees. So do the math in the calculator above with two designs.
Ideas that work well in embroidery, because they're short and legible:
- The date you met, small on the left chest. The same design on both, only one fee.
- The coordinates of the place where the first date happened, or the proposal.
- Each other's initials: each one wears the other's letter.
- A word only the two of you get, a nickname or an inside joke.
- Two halves of a line-art design that only make sense side by side.
Also, for family and friends the logic is the same, with one perk: starting at 8 pieces, the quantity discount already kicks in. For example, matching sweatshirts for a group birthday, a matching mom-and-daughter set, or the family dog in DTF on everyone's back.
What size to gift
A personalized piece can't be exchanged. In fact, that's not our policy: it's the article 17.º of Decree-Law no. 24/2014, which removes the right of withdrawal for items made according to the customer's specifications. That's why the size deserves two minutes.
First, measure a sweatshirt the person already wears and that fits them well: laid flat on a table, from armpit to armpit (width) and from shoulder to hem (length). Then compare it to the size chart of the piece you picked.
| Size | Crew Neck | Hoodie Regular | Hoodie Oversize |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 51 × 63 cm | 52 × 68 cm | 56 × 68 cm |
| S | 54 × 66 cm | 54 × 69 cm | 60 × 69 cm |
| M | 57 × 69 cm | 56 × 70 cm | 64 × 70 cm |
| L | 60 × 72 cm | 58 × 71 cm | 68 × 71 cm |
| XL | 63 × 76 cm | 60 × 72 cm | 72 × 72 cm |
| XXL | 66 × 78 cm | 62 × 74 cm | 76 × 74 cm |
Usually, the most common mistake is sizing up on an oversize fit "to get it loose." But it's already roomy on purpose: the M has 64 cm chest, versus 56 cm on the Hoodie Regular. So just order the person's usual size. To see the difference at scale, pick a size:
Finally, if you can't measure anything, the Crew Neck and the Hoodie Regular in the person's usual size are the safest bets. Also, when torn between two sizes on a classic-cut piece, going bigger tends to be safer for a sweatshirt than for a t-shirt.
When to order
Generally, a personalized sweatshirt arrives in 7 to 14 days after the order.
However, for large orders the timeline stretches out. For example, if it's for Christmas, the personalized Christmas gift guide has the December cutoff dates. Likewise, if it's for Valentine's Day or Father's Day, allow at least three weeks of buffer: that's the time of year most people remember at the last minute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I order just one personalized sweatshirt?
Yes. There's no minimum quantity, and a single piece gets the same finish as an order of a hundred.
Can you embroider a photo onto a sweatshirt?
Not directly. That's because embroidery works with up to 6 solid colors and can't reproduce gradients or shadows. So a photo looks great in DTF printing; for embroidery, the design needs to be simplified into line art first.
How much does it cost to embroider a personalized sweatshirt?
The price of the piece plus a one-time fee of 15 € per design. For example, on a Sweatshirt Crew Neck with one embroidery, a single unit comes to 43 €. Also, the fee isn't charged again if you embroider the same design on other pieces.
Does embroidery or printing come off in the wash?
No, as long as the sweatshirt is washed inside out, at 30 °C, with no bleach or fabric softener, and never ironed directly over the print. Plus, every order comes with a care card.
Can I exchange the size after receiving it?
A personalized piece isn't eligible for return, since it's made to your specifications. So it's worth measuring a sweatshirt the person already wears before ordering.
Do two couple sweatshirts pay for embroidery twice?
Only if the designs are different. In other words, the same design on both pays the fee once; a different name on each counts as two designs.
Ready to create yours?
Choose the piece, upload the photo or write the phrase, and you'll see the result and the price right there before you pay.
