This is a comparison of two garments, not of two hoodie styles; for pullover against zip, see our hoodie styles for teams. It belongs to our garments series, which starts with choosing t-shirt fabric.
The difference at a glance
| Question | Crew sweatshirt | Hoodie |
|---|---|---|
| Neck | Ribbed crew neck | A hood, with drawcords on most styles |
| In an office | Looks right under a blazer or over a collar | Reads as casual; the hood bunches under a jacket |
| Warmth | Warm on the body | Warmer: the hood covers the head and neck |
| None | A kangaroo pocket | |
| Logo areas | Left chest, centre chest, sleeve, back | Front, back, sleeves; chest either side of the zip on a zipper hoodie |
| Built in your colours | Body colour and decoration | Hood, hood lining, cuffs and waistband, and pocket can each take a contrast colour |
| Styles | Crew neck, regular fit | Pullover, zipper and oversized |
| Sizes | XS to 5XL, kids 2 to 14 | XS to 5XL, kids sizes too |
Which is better for an office?
The sweatshirt, most of the time. A crew neck sits flat under a jacket and over a shirt collar, so it works in a meeting room and on a video call. It also suits air-conditioned offices where people want a layer at their desk without looking like they came from the gym.
A hoodie is a fine office garment for teams whose dress code is already casual, such as engineering, design and studio teams. If you are dressing a mixed company, the sweatshirt offends nobody.
Which is warmer?
The hoodie, because the hood covers what a sweatshirt leaves open. For a team that commutes on two-wheelers, works outdoors in the early morning or travels to cold places for an offsite, that hood is used every day.
Fabric matters as much as the style. Our Classic Hoodie is 300 GSM cotton fleece; the Oversized Hoodie is 350 GSM poly-cotton fleece, for a heavier, roomier feel. Sweatshirts are quoted in the fleece that suits your climate, and the quote names it.
Where can the logo go?
On a sweatshirt, the left chest is the corporate default and the placement people wear at weekends. A larger print fits the centre chest, and a year, a team name or a second logo fits the sleeve. The ribbed neck, cuffs and hem are not print areas.
On a hoodie, the front takes a print up to A4 on our pullover, with the back and both sleeves as well. A zipper hoodie cannot be printed across the zip, so its chest marks sit either side of it.
On either, embroidery suits a small chest logo that should look considered, and print suits large, colourful artwork.
Which gives you more ways to use your brand colours?
The hoodie. In our builder, the hood, the hood lining, the cuffs and waistband, and the pocket can each be a contrast colour. A grey hoodie with a hood lining in your brand colour shows the colour every time the hood is down, which is most of the time. That is a garment built in your brand rather than a logo on a stock piece.
A sweatshirt is simpler: the body colour and the decoration. That simplicity is part of why it looks smart.
What about cost?
A hoodie uses more fabric than a sweatshirt (the hood, the pocket, the drawcords), so in the same fleece it usually costs more per piece. Contrast parts add time as well as cost: a core colour with matching parts, up to 50 pieces, can dispatch from 4 days, while contrast parts move the order to 12. Both garments are quoted per piece with the mockup, and the price per piece falls as the quantity rises.
Who should get which?
- Office and client-facing teams: crew sweatshirt, left chest embroidery.
- Colleges and batch merch: hoodie, big back print, the year on the sleeve.
- Sports clubs: hoodie, club colours in the hood lining and cuffs.
- Field and delivery teams: hoodie, for the hood and the pocket.
- Winter gifting for a mixed team: sweatshirt, because it suits more people and more dress codes.
Can we order both?
Yes, and it often makes sense: hoodies for the team that works outside, sweatshirts for the team that meets clients, the same colour and the same logo on both. They can be separate items on one order and one GST invoice. Collect sizes for both on the same sheet.
If you have chosen the hoodie, our guide to what to know before ordering hoodies covers fit, print and embroidery. If you have chosen the crew neck, order custom sweatshirts with your logo, from one piece.
Quick answers
What is the difference between a sweatshirt and a hoodie?
A sweatshirt has a ribbed crew neck and no hood or pocket; a hoodie has a hood, usually with drawcords, and a kangaroo pocket. Both are made in fleece. The sweatshirt looks smarter; the hoodie is warmer and more casual.
Is a sweatshirt or a hoodie better for office wear?
A crew sweatshirt, in most offices. It sits flat under a jacket and over a shirt collar, so it looks right in meetings. A hoodie suits teams whose dress code is already casual.
Which is warmer, a sweatshirt or a hoodie?
A hoodie in the same fleece, because the hood covers the head and neck. For two-wheeler commutes, early outdoor work or a cold offsite, the hood earns its place.
Where can a logo go on a crew neck sweatshirt?
The left chest is the usual place, the centre chest takes a larger print, and the sleeve or back can carry a second mark. The ribbed neck, cuffs and hem are not printed.
Can we order sweatshirts and hoodies in one order?
Yes. They go as separate items on one order and one GST invoice, in the same colour and with the same logo if you want them to match.
