Outerwear is one of the few branded items people wear well beyond work. Choosing the right one turns your team into walking brand ambassadors.
Unlike a lot of branded apparel, a good hoodie or jacket gets worn outside of work — running errands, at the gym, traveling. That extra visibility is only realized if the item is actually good enough that people want to wear it in their personal life, not just at the office.
Mid-to-heavyweight fleece (around 8-10 oz) offers a good balance of warmth and comfort for year-round use in most climates. Lighter fleece works well for mild climates or as a layering piece; heavier options suit colder regions or outdoor work.
A boxy, ill-fitting hoodie reads as a cheap giveaway. A well-fitted, modern cut reads as a genuine piece of clothing someone would choose to wear. If budget allows for ordering a range of sizes with a more tailored fit rather than the absolute cheapest bulk option, it noticeably changes how often the item actually gets worn.
Embroidery is the standard for outerwear — it holds up better through repeated wear and washing, and a small embroidered chest logo reads as more premium than a large printed graphic. Screen printing works for larger, bolder graphics on hoodies specifically, but embroidery is generally the better long-term choice for company outerwear.
Neutral colors — black, navy, heather gray — tend to get worn more often than brand-specific bright colors, since they're easier to incorporate into someone's everyday wardrobe. If brand color matters, consider a neutral garment with the brand color used in the logo or a smaller accent rather than the entire piece.
Quality outerwear costs more than a basic t-shirt, but the extended wear life and higher likelihood of actual use outside of work make it a strong choice for a smaller, higher-value order — such as employee holiday gifts or a limited leadership team order — rather than a mass giveaway.
Ordering a reasonable size range (not just S-XL, but extending to 2XL and 3XL where the audience calls for it) avoids leaving team members without a proper fit, which undermines the goal of everyone looking cohesive. It's worth collecting actual size preferences from the group rather than guessing at a standard distribution, especially for a smaller, higher-value order like outerwear.
For businesses in climates with real seasonal variation, planning outerwear as part of a layering system — a lighter quarter-zip for shoulder seasons, a heavier jacket for winter — rather than a single one-size-fits-all piece, ensures the branded gear actually gets worn year-round instead of sitting unused for part of the year.
Tell us your team size and budget — we'll recommend the right option and send pricing.