Embroidered or Printed Pet Hoodie: Which to Choose

Here's the short version. Go printed if you want your pet big and bold on the front, in full colour, on fabric that stays soft. Go embroidered if you'd like something smaller and classier: a simple line drawing of your pet, stitched in thread on the left chest.

What's actually different

Both start the same way. You send us a photo of your pet, we turn it into artwork, and you see a free proof before anything gets made. (The artwork is made with AI, and one of us checks it before it reaches you.)

After that, it's just ink or thread. Printed means the ink goes into the fabric. Embroidered means the design is sewn on with thread. That one difference decides the rest: how big it can be, where it goes, and how it feels when you wear it.

When printed is the better pick

Choose printed when the picture is the whole point. Print keeps every colour and all the little things that make your pet look like your pet: the white patch on the nose, the one floppy ear, the grey hairs creeping in around the muzzle.

You can have it big in the middle of your chest, where people will spot it from across the room, or small on the left chest.

It's also the softer option. The ink soaks into the cotton instead of sitting on top, so there's no stiff patch and nothing to peel off. It just feels like the rest of the hoodie.

When embroidered is the better pick

Choose embroidered when you want a nice piece of clothing first and a pet portrait second. It sits on the left chest, and the thread gives it a slightly raised feel and a soft shine. People notice it up close, not from across the street.

We embroider one design: the Line drawing. Thread is great at lines and not so great at shaded fur, so a full-colour face never looks as good stitched as it does printed. A line drawing is already simple, so it comes out just right. You pick the thread colour.

Embroidery costs a little more than print. You're paying for the stitching, not for a different garment. The hoodie, sweatshirt or tee is the same one.

Line drawing or full colour?

Our clothes come in two designs, and the design decides which finish you can pick.

The Line hoodie shows your pet as a simple line drawing. You can have it printed (in the middle or on the left chest) or embroidered (on the left chest, in the thread colour you like). It's the only design we embroider.

The Custom hoodie shows your pet's face in full colour, shading and all. It's printed only, in the middle or on the left chest. We don't embroider it, because thread can't keep all that shading looking right every time.

Not sure which suits your pet? The pet portrait styles guide puts them side by side.

Hoodie, sweatshirt or t-shirt?

Every hoodie, sweatshirt and t-shirt can be printed, and all three come embroidered in the Line design. So pick the garment for how you'll wear it, and the finish for how you want your pet to look.

The hoodie and the crewneck sweatshirt are thick and heavy, which is great for embroidery: the fabric keeps the stitches flat, with no puckering. The t-shirt is lighter. A big print in the middle is the classic tee look, but a small stitched line on the chest is lovely if you want something more low-key.

You'll find everything in apparel. Each design shows one pet. Want two on one piece? Ask us before you order.

Washing and wear

Same care for both: wash cold, tumble dry low. Turning it inside out first is a good habit too, so the design doesn't rub against everything else in the machine.

Prints don't peel, and the colours stay put as long as you stick to cold washes. Embroidery keeps its shape in the wash. Its only enemy is snagging, so keep it away from velcro, zips and very excited claws.

Before you order

Honestly, the photo matters more than the finish. A sharp, bright picture where your pet's face fills the frame gives the best result either way. Our guide to photographing your dog with a phone shows you how. And whatever you choose, nothing gets made until you've seen the proof and said yes.

Questions

Which lasts longer, embroidery or print?

Both are made to be worn and washed a lot. Embroidery is a bit tougher in the wash, but it can snag. Print won't peel as long as you wash cold and tumble dry low.

Can embroidery go in the middle of the chest?

No. Embroidery only goes on the left chest. If you want your pet big and in the middle, go for print.

Can I get my pet's face embroidered in full colour?

No. We only embroider the Line design, as a line in the thread colour you choose. For your pet's face in full colour, pick the Custom design. It's printed.

Is the garment different if I choose embroidery?

No. It's the same hoodie, sweatshirt or t-shirt. Only the finish changes. Embroidery costs a little more because of the stitching.

Will I see it before it's made?

Yes. You get a free proof of the artwork first, and nothing is printed or stitched until you say yes.