Balancing Comfort and Professionalism
Hoodies In The Workplace
Have you always thought that hoodies are for lounging at home and button-downs are for work? You might want to sit down for this because we’ve got news. More workplaces are embracing the casual look, and your snuggly, warm-as-a-hug sweatshirt could help you rock the office as well as your movie night.
Read on to find out more about how you might be able to wear a comfy hoodie while bringing home the bacon.
Hoodies in the Workplace
Do you own a business or manage a team? You might want to consider whether to allow hoodies in your workplace if you don’t already. Here are just a few of the benefits:
- You promote your company and build your brand. Creating custom workplace sweatshirts with a printed or embroidered company logo and workwear becomes a way to get your marketing message and brand in front of others. On the train to work, on their lunch break, and stopping by a shop on the way home, your employees are walking ads for your business. Who knows what future customers a cool-looking hoodie could bring for a fraction of most of your marketing efforts?
- You create a sense of teamwork. When everyone wears a company sweatshirt with your logo or brand message, they look like part of the team. Some differences become less obvious, and your employees may feel like they’re part of the team. It’s the reason athletes wear uniforms, after all. Those multi-billion-dollar sports franchises might be onto something.
- You build a more accessible workplace. Trying to create a space more welcoming to people with varying backgrounds, abilities, and medical conditions? Casual workwear such as sweatshirts can be a lot easier for people with some conditions to wear since hoodies are easy to put on and allow for maximum mobility and comfort. Hoodies can also be more affordable than having to buy an entire business wardrobe. When you allow hoodies in your workplace, you open the door for more great workers.
- You make your workers happy. Your team may have already been hoping you would allow hoodies in the workplace. Your employees work hard, and being able to stay warm and comfortable in a sweatshirt can feel like a treat.
- You create a warmer, friendlier workplace. There’s a reason they’re called working stiffs: button-down business looks can come across as prickly, overly formal, and cold. Many customers, clients, and colleagues react well to a casual look. It can inspire more warmth and friendliness at work and with your customers. And that’s something everyone can appreciate.
Popular Industries and Work Situations Where Hoodies Are Accepted
Whether you’re an employee or boss, there are certain industries and workplace situations where you may already be seeing hoodies:
- The tech sector. Silicon Valley has been way ahead of the curve. Hoodies, t-shirts, and jeans are popular with engineers, developers, and other tech workers around the world.
- Care jobs. Teachers, caregivers, daycare workers, and other people who care for children, the vulnerable, and others need comfortable clothes that offer full mobility. Hoodies fit the bill. They’re also easy to clean if finger paint, juice, or other stuff gets spilled on them.
- Creative work. Creative types channel the muse, and sometimes, the muse requires you to wear a cozy, warm sweatshirt. Hey, you can’t argue with inspiration.
- Some office jobs. Many offices are already going casual, and others are creating casual days. Call centers and other offices where workers don’t interact with customers in person are especially likely to snuggle into sweatshirts.
- Some manual labor positions. People who are hard at work directing air traffic at airports, stacking products in warehouses, assembling key products in factories, fixing cars in body shops, and otherwise working with their hands need to put comfort first. Hoodies keep these hard-working employees warm in cold weather and allow for plenty of movement during tough shifts.
- Sporty jobs. Trainers, athletes, coaches, gym teachers, and other people who work in the sports industry have always worn sweatshirts and other athletic wear. It’s the best way to stay warm after a workout and to stay chill when you’re down in the last minutes of a game.
- Workplace events. Company retreats, business charity events, training, and company parties are all ways that co-workers get together in more casual settings. These can be great spots to wear branded company hoodies to show off your company brand.
- Remote work. Working from home gives you lots of options. If you’re not on video meetings, you could even wear bunny slippers and no pants. We won’t tell. Just please do us a favor: cover up and put on a clean hoodie for video conferences. Check out the tips below to make sure your video screenshot doesn’t become a meme this year.
Tips for Staying Professional in Hoodies
While hoodies can work in the workplace, we’re not talking about oversized sweats with holes in the elbows and Oreo cookie crumbs all over the front. Some sweatshirts are for your eyes only. If you would hesitate to open the door wearing your favorite hoodie, it probably doesn’t belong in the office. Here’s how to pull off the casual business-casual look with sweatshirts, and maybe even look chic while you’re at it:
- Keep it fitted. If three of you could fit in your hoodie, it’s probably a bit much for your 9-to-5. Look for a fitted top that looks like the casual cousin of a button-down.
- Choose high quality. High-quality hoodies tend to hold their shape better and are usually better fitted, with more balanced proportions. They may also resist fading and pilling, making you look ready to work.
- Go for branded hoodies. Hoodies with your company logo are usually a good bet. Otherwise, consider hoodies with a small logo or neutral images, or keep it plain. Avoid busy prints or anything that could be even the tiniest bit controversial.
- Choose branded hoodies carefully. You don’t want to show up in your homecoming sweatshirt or your bachelorette hoodie. Any branding should be either for your workplace or should be small. And we probably don’t need to say it, but never, ever wear a hoodie with your employer’s competition.
- Layer your hoodie. One way to make your hoodie look more work-appropriate is to layer it under a jacket or coat. You can even tuck the sweatshirt into belted pants for a more streamlined look. If your hoodie has a hood, keep it on the outside of your jacket.
- Don’t go all-over casual. A sweatshirt at work is one thing. A hoodie plus flip flops, a ripped baseball hat, chains, yoga pants, and loud jewelry is… a very different thing. Unless your workplace is very, verrrry casual, pair your hoodie with a skirt or slacks and closed-toe, work-appropriate shoes. Combine your hoodie with business casual clothes and accessories to elevate the look.
- Stay tidy. Once a hoodie becomes stretched-out, stained, torn, faded, or tired-looking, throw it at a retirement party and keep it at home. Its working days are done.
The right look starts with a quality hoodie that can help you look work-ready. TeamShirts can help. We offer a range of customizable hoodies in a rainbow of colors and many styles and sizes. In just minutes, you can add your company logo or design and have your hoodies shipped right to your door.
Many of our hoodies also come from top brands and feature quality details. For example, the Unisex Contrast Hoodie from Fruit of the Loom is made from sustainably sourced U.S. cotton. The contrasting neck tape, jersey hood lining, and drawstring add a fashionable touch, while the two-ply hood ensures comfort. Just add your company logo or design, and this hoodie is ready to put in long hours with your team.
And our women’s premium hoodie is designed to be streamlined and fitted for a more professional look. It has a kangaroo pocket with a stitched slit inside for headphones, making it perfect for any tech workers or office workers who need to be on video conference calls. The reinforced cuffs and waist and the combed-cotton exterior create a high-quality look that fits into casual professional settings.
With TeamShirts, you can create all kinds of hoodies for your workplace, including:
- Hoodies to commemorate an event, such as a trade show or launch
- Sweatshirts with your employee names and numbers for company retreats and sporting events
- Everyday hoodies with an embroidered logo and your company colors
- Company sweatshirts with your URL or marketing message
- Hoodies promoting a holiday special or new product
- Sweatshirts to give to clients as a “thank you”
- Hoodies to give to employees as recognition. Here’s an idea — sweatshirts with an employee’s name and “Employee of the Month”
- Sweatshirts to celebrate a work anniversary and an employee’s many years with the company
TeamShirts even lets you order a sample before you buy, so you can be sure the quality reflects your workplace reputation. At TeamShirts, our team wants to make you look like a superhero, which is why we have a printing facility right in Nevada. This allows us to provide the highest standard of printing and embroidery.
Best of all, TeamShirts has a great customer support team. If you’re new to custom sweatshirts and hoodies in the workplace and have questions about ordering, you can reach a live person by phone or email, and they’ll be happy to help you.
Beware the Dress Code
If you’re an employee hoping to wear sweatshirts at work, don’t just roll into your job one day in a sweatshirt. Do some recon first. Here are a few things to ask yourself:
- What do the employee handbooks, worker training, or other resources say about workwear?
- Do other employees at my level regularly wear sweatshirts?
- Am I in a formal industry with a customer-facing job?
You don’t want to wear a hoodie to work unless you’re sure it’s considered appropriate for your role and workplace. When in doubt, find out.
Get Your Own Personalized Company Hoodie at TeamShirts!
Whether you’re an employer hoping to get your team some company sweatshirts or an employee hoping to customize some hoodies for casual days at work, TeamShirts has you covered. For over 14 years, TeamShirts has been working to provide the highest quality custom hoodies and custom gear with a great customer experience. When you shop with us, here are just a few of the benefits you’ll enjoy:
- No minimum orders, but up to 65% in savings with volume discounts when you order more
- Free standard shipping or rush delivery with an added fee if you need your hoodies fast
- Free professional design services when you order five or more shirts
- Access to a free online design wizard, which lets you create your own custom sweatshirt by uploading graphics or choosing one of the many pre-made designs
- We automatically choose the best printing method for your design so your hoodie will look its best
- Our low prices and price match guarantee mean you don’t have to hunt for a better price because there isn’t one
- We bring you hoodies from top brands like Champion so you can feel confident about the quality
- You can return your order within 30 days, even if you goofed and made a mistake
- Get a guaranteed delivery date if you need your company hoodies by a specific work event
TeamShirts makes it easy to create a team at work with customizable workplace hoodies. Our free online design wizard has tens of thousands of designs you can use to add images and text to the front, sleeves, back, or even the hood of your sweatshirt.
Our Names and Numbers feature lets you add the name of each employee and a number. The voting feature lets employees weigh in on different designs if you’re creating shirts for a team. You can tweak images and designs until you get just the look you want. Once you’re ready to order, it’s as easy as submitting the design.
TeamShirts is a home for all teams, and that includes your team at work. We make it easier and more affordable to get you customized company shirts that promote your employer brand. So jump in now. Start your order today!
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We needed some blue hoodies with our custom design for a class trip to Washington DC. It was a tight turn around and there was an issue when they didn’t have enough youth sizes in the color we needed, but they communicated to me right away and helped find a solution that didn’t slow down production. The hoodies arrived days before the trip and everyone was thrilled. I’m definitely coming back to TeamShirts for all our school project needs in the future.
Karl Archer
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Shirts came out perfectly
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