Custom Hat and Embroidery Tee Buying Guide: Sizing, Fit and Print Options

Quick answer

Start with the fit you already wear, not the size label. For hats, measure your head in inches and match it to an adjustable snapback or a fitted cap. For embroidered tees, choose your normal tee size unless you plan to layer, then size up. If you want a hooded layer instead of a tee, a screen hooded fleece fits closer to a sweatshirt than a t-shirt, so treat it as a separate size decision.

Buying a custom hat or an embroidered tee usually fails for one of two reasons: the size is wrong, or the decoration style does not match how you actually wear it. This guide gives you decision rules for both. It covers snapback fit, tee sizing, and how a screen hooded fleece compares to a tee so you can order once and wear it right away.

Everything below uses the product facts available in the etnies catalog. Where a specification is not listed, such as exact chest measurements or hat crown height, I say so instead of guessing. Use the rules here to narrow your choice, then confirm with the size chart on the product page.

How to choose a custom hat fit

A custom hat fit guide starts with one number: your head circumference. Wrap a soft tape measure around your head just above your ears and across the middle of your forehead. Write that number down in inches. If you are between two sizes, an adjustable snapback gives you room to move, while a fitted cap does not. That single difference decides most hat purchases.

For embroidery placement, think about how you wear the hat. A flat brim and a curved brim change where the front panel sits on your forehead, which changes how a front logo reads. If you wear your hat low, a smaller center-front embroidery stays visible. If you wear it high, a wider wordmark or team mark fills the panel better. There is no catalog crown-height spec for these hats, so judge placement from the product photos.

• Measure your head in inches before you look at sizes, not after.
• Choose adjustable over fitted if you are between sizes or share hats.
• Match embroidery size to brim style: smaller for low wear, wider for high wear.

Embroidered tee sizing: how to get it right

An embroidered tee sizing guide should start with the tee you already own. Measure a t-shirt that fits you well from armpit to armpit, flat, and compare that number to the size chart. Chest width matters more than the letter on the tag, because embroidery adds a small amount of stiffness to the front panel. That stiffness is minor, but it can make a tight tee feel tighter across the chest.

If you plan to wear the tee alone, take your normal size. If you plan to layer it over a long-sleeve shirt or under a hoodie, size up once. The Wordmark L/S Tee is a long-sleeve option, so treat it as a layering piece rather than a base layer in cold weather. Wash embroidered tees inside out and skip the dryer to protect the stitching.

• Compare flat chest width, not just S/M/L labels.
• Size up if the tee will be a layer, not a standalone shirt.
• Wash inside out and air dry to keep embroidery crisp.

Screen hooded fleece vs tee sizing

A screen hooded fleece and a tee are different garments, so they take different sizes. A hooded fleece is cut to fit over a shirt, which means its chest and body are roomier than a tee in the same labeled size. If you wear a medium tee, a medium hooded fleece will usually fit, but it will sit closer to the body than a hoodie you bought specifically to layer. Size up if you want room for a thick long-sleeve underneath.

Screen printing on fleece also behaves differently than embroidery on a tee. A screen print sits on top of the fabric and can feel stiffer across a large front graphic, while embroidery is denser but smaller. If you want a soft, broken-in feel from day one, a smaller print or an embroidered chest mark is the safer choice. If you want a bold front graphic, expect a slightly stiffer panel until it breaks in.

• Treat hooded fleece and tee as separate size decisions.
• Size up in fleece if you layer a thick shirt underneath.
• Choose smaller decoration if you want a soft feel immediately.

Print and embroidery options that hold up

Embroidery is the more durable decoration for hats and tees because the stitching is part of the garment. It handles repeated washing and abrasion better than a surface print, which is why team marks and wordmarks are usually embroidered. The trade-off is detail: very small text and fine gradients do not embroider cleanly, so simple, bold shapes work best.

Screen printing wins when you want large graphics, multiple colors, or a soft, vintage look after washing. It is also the more common choice for hooded fleece because the print area is larger. Neither option is better in every case. Pick embroidery for logos and small marks, and screen print for big front or back graphics.

• Embroidery for logos, wordmarks, and small marks.
• Screen print for large graphics and multi-color art.
• Keep embroidered text bold; fine detail does not stitch cleanly.

Decision rules for hats, tees, and fleece

• If you are between hat sizes: Choose an adjustable snapback over a fitted cap so you can dial in the fit instead of guessing. Checkpoint: measure head circumference in inches first.
• If the tee will be worn alone: Take your normal size and compare flat chest width to the size chart rather than relying on the letter size. Checkpoint: size up only if you plan to layer.
• If you want a hooded layer instead of a tee: Treat the screen hooded fleece as its own size decision, since it is cut roomier than a tee in the same label. Checkpoint: size up if you wear a thick long-sleeve underneath.
• If decoration must survive heavy washing: Choose embroidery for logos and small marks, and reserve screen printing for large multi-color graphics. Checkpoint: wash inside out and air dry either way.

Catalog facts that affect your choice

• Wordmark L/S Tee: Long-sleeve tee listed at USD 19.98 with a catalog comparison price of USD 39.95, available in Color and Size options. A long-sleeve tee is a layering piece, so size it to fit over a base layer rather than as a standalone summer shirt.
• Marana Michelin: Built for durability with a Michelin outsole that is 3× more durable, a fused-on rubber toe cap, hidden lace loops, padded tongue and collar, and an STI Evolution Foam midsole. Suede/synthetic upper. If you skate in your embroidered tee and hat, this is the shoe that matches that wear pattern: reinforced toe, protected laces, and impact cushioning.
• Callicut: Features STI Comfort Level 1 insole, padded tongue and collar, a 400 NBS rubber outsole, breathable mesh tongue, and a classic flexible tread pattern. Action nubuck/synthetic upper. A flexible, lower-cost option for everyday skating when you want board feel over maximum durability.
• Wallen Michelin: Features a Michelin Performance rubber outsole that is three times more durable, a hidden rubber toe cap extending into the ollie area, a suede/synthetic upper, System Flo2 ventilation, Pro Foam 1 insole, and padded tongue and collar. Choose this over the Callicut if you wear through the ollie area quickly and want ventilation plus a reinforced toe.

Who this guide fits

Best for

• Skaters buying a first custom hat or embroidered tee and unsure between sizes
• Anyone layering a long-sleeve tee or hooded fleece over a base shirt
• Buyers who want decoration that survives regular washing and skating

Not for

• Shoppers looking for exact chest or crown measurements, which are not listed in the catalog facts here
• Buyers who want a fitted, non-adjustable hat and cannot measure their head first

Pick the fit you already wear, then match the decoration to how you use the item: embroidery for logos and small marks, screen print for large graphics. If you are between sizes, go adjustable on the hat and size up on the layer. Confirm final numbers on the product page size chart before you order.