On the verge of announcing what the mystery gift is that comes with year one of "The Membership" (invites roll out Friday 6/10), we thought it might be a good idea to explain what makes for a great hoodie. Not that a hoodie is what the gift is. It’s not. Or maybe it is. I actually don’t know. I’m just the writer. They don’t tell me anything.
I digress. Look, it’s not easy to make a great hoodie. Hell, it’s not even easy to make a good one. What separates the hoodie that you're always reaching for in your closet from the one folded up and covered in dust under your bed, is all in the many, many details. When designing our new hoodie, we approached every single one with the question, "how can we make it great?"
Here's where we landed...
Where it's made
A great hoodie is made in capable hands. Our new hoodie is produced in the same "fully vertical" manufacturer in Canada as some other supreme brands. Fully vertical means the same place custom-mills the fabric that assembles the garment. Typically, they're separate—you ship the fabric from a mill to a manufacturer once it's ready. Working with a fully vertical manufacturer in North America, and one with a track record of creating top-tier garments, allowed us to move faster during the prototyping process, reduce errors, and ensure higher quality.
The Fabric
A great hoodie has great fabric. Our fabric is, and stay with me here, "100% cotton three-end tumbled brushed terry." We wanted to use a fine yarn to create a soft cozy feel, but we didn't want to sacrifice the structure or weight of the hoodie, so we used a three-end quality of it. This means the hoodie, weighing over 400gsm, has body and won't collapse on you. Then, we went a step further and brushed the fabric on the inside of the hoodie for extra softness that won't get matted. And last but not least, before the fabric was cut and sewn, we pre-shrunk it so it'll fit true to size even after you wash.
The Design
A great hoodie has an elevated design. To accomplish this, we applied two precise hits of high-density black on black embroidery to the front and back. We created a custom color we now call "Member Red" and added a few thoughtful touches of it, which harmonize to establish a sense of balance. To ensure Member Red was produced to exact specifications, we analyzed it under a D65 artificial daylight lamp in a pitch black room. Lastly, a jacquard membership label with zigzag stitching hides in plain sight on the left arm sleeve. It's one of our new subtle signature details that you'll start to notice on more products.
The Details
A great hoodie has beautiful, unique details. We wanted to incorporate recycled cotton into the hoodie and the drawstrings served as the perfect opportunity to do so. The ends of the drawstrings are completed with water-based matte-finished tips in Member Red.
Most hoodies have a kangaroo pocket, which is applied on the external of the garment and gives a casual look. We flipped the script and constructed our pocket internally for a quieter, more `designed` look. It's not a subtle difference, and it really expands how and where you can rock this hoodie.
The Fit
A great hoodie fits perfectly and stays that way. We completed three rounds of fit-testing with updated size iterations on both men and women. You know how some hoodies can sort of cup and catch to your body along the bottom? We didn't want that to happen, so we added two small side-slits, which allows it to ease more gracefully onto your body. We incorporated a tiny bit of spandex into the hem of the arm cuffs for a quick and lasting recovery of the original shape. And again, the fabric is pre-shrunk, so you never have to worry about it changing sizes on you.
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A great hoodie is the outcome of being obsessed with every detail that goes into creating it. We're excited to bring you our hoodie, and all of our new products made with this same mindset, starting next week. Stay tuned.
