As the days get longer and the temperature drops, the need for jackets rises. Winter represents a great opportunity for branded marketing—custom embroidered jackets make popular gifts for customers and employees. Eighty-five percent of American consumers remember the advertiser who gave them an outerwear gift.
Winter outerwear comes in various styles, from tough, durable workwear to light-insulated jackets. Below is a jacket-buying guide for the market's most popular types of winter jackets. All can be customized with embroidery or screen printed to promote your brand and logo.
Work Jackets
Tough and durable work jackets are some of the best custom embroidered jackets for men who work and play outdoors. A good work jacket will last for years and spend its lifespan promoting your brand. Popular choices include:
- CornerStone’s Duck Cloth Hooded Work Jacket layers easily with other clothing, making it ideal for both fall and winter weather. Made from 12-ounce 100% cotton duck cloth, this jacket will provide years of use.
- A personalized Carhartt jacket always makes a good impression. The Waterproof Shoreline Jacket combines a Rain Defender® durable water-repellent finish with fully-taped waterproof, triple-stitched seams. Interior and exterior pockets and a detachable visored hood make the Shoreline one of our most popular custom embroidered jackets.
- The Ranger Sherpa-Lined Jacket by CROWN has all the strength of cotton duck without the restrictive and rigid finish. "Action-back" pleats and elbow pleats give this winter outerwear a wide range of motion.
Work jacket manufacturers tend to focus on outerwear for men, to the detriment of the women who work in tough environments. Fortunately, Carhartt provides one of the best winter jackets for women. The Women’s Washed Duck Active Jacket is a personalized Carhartt jacket made from 100% ring-spun cotton duck canvas with 3M™ Thinsulate™ insulation. Tough on the outside and warm on the inside, the Women’s Washed Duck Active Jacket is sanded and brushed for softness and as durable as any winter outerwear designed for men.
Safety and Hi-Viz Jackets
Hi-Vis winter outerwear is important for the safety of anyone working in areas of high traffic or low light conditions. The best safety jackets meet government regulations detailing the amount of reflective materials required on the surface area of the jacket. Hi-Viz jackets range in style from lightweight, warm jackets to heavier winter outerwear and include:
- Bulwark’s Hi-Visibility Flame-Resistant Rain Jacket, which protects your employees from the rain while alerting others to their presence with 2-inch reflective striping.
- The Hi-Vis Waterproof H2O Jacket by Caterpillar features 360 degrees of reflective tape for all-around visibility and taped seams for extra waterproof protection. Storm Blocker Plus technology renders the jacket waterproof, windproof, and breathable.
- The ANSI 107 Class 3 Safety Heavyweight Parka by Port Authority is one of the best pieces of winter outerwear for men and women who work in low-light or hazardous environments. The jacket is waterproof, insulated and includes a snap-off adjustable hood.
Softshell Jackets
Softshell custom embroidered jackets have a soft, flexible outer surface that protects against wind and water. A light and insulated jacket style, softshell jackets can be worn alone in milder weather or layered over or under other clothing for colder temperatures. Examples include:
- The North Face’s Apex Barrier Softshell Jacket, a windproof jacket with plenty of stretch and a 96/4 polyester/elastane softshell with DWR (durable water repellent) finish.
- The Men's Ascender Softshell Jacket by Columbia is a lightweight, warm jacket with a 100% Polyester Nexgen contour softshell, zip front, and storm flap.
Softshell jackets are some of the best outerwear choices for women living in regions with relatively mild winters. Such jackets are available in various styles and include customizable outerwear such as:
- CROWN’s Ladies' Black Diamond Soft Shell Jacket is our #1 Selling and Highest Rated Jacket for women. Water repellent with a microfleece lining, this lightweight, warm jacket is suitable for late fall and early spring and can be used as layering for colder weather.
- The Women's Stormtech Crew Softshell is a two-tone stretch softshell with microfleece lining and a Teflon treatment for long-lasting water repellency.
Puffer Jackets
One of the most popular styles in our jacket buying guide, custom puffer jackets have been described as wearable sleeping bags. Packed down insulation keeps heat sealed in and a water and wind-resistant shell keeps rain and snow out. Examples include:
- The Quantum Puffer Jacket by DRI-Duck is a custom puffer jacket with a water-resistant shell, and 3M™ Thinsulate™ insulation technology.
- The Puffer Jacket by Adidas is made from 100% recycled polyester with baffle construction, a 3D chamber that keeps the down clusters in the jacket fluffy and plump.
- The North Face’s Ladies ThermoBall Trekker Jacket is a streamlined, lightweight, warm jacket contoured to fit your body with a durable water-repellent (DWR) finish.
- The Ladies Custom Puffer Jacket by Port Authority has wide baffles for a modern look, an interior storm flap, and a water-repellent finish.
Fleece Jackets
Great for exercising on a chilly fall morning, fleece can be worn as an outer or middle layer throughout the day and is lightweight enough to be worn inside and out in the elements. Examples include:
Rain and Windbreakers
While most winter outerwear in our jacket buying guide focuses on warmth and insulation, rain and windbreakers keep you comfortable by keeping the elements out rather than your warmth in. Many windbreakers double as lightly insulated jackets. Check out these rain and windproof options for custom embroidered jackets:
- Columbia’s Arcadia Full-Zip Rain Jacket combines a water-resistant 100% polyester shell with elastic cuffs to keep the rain at bay.
- The DryVent Rain Jacket by The North Face is waterproof, breathable, and made from 100% windproof fabric with an adjustable hood to customize ventilation.
- Port Authority’s Ladies’ Tech Rain Jacket is a lightweight jacket made from 10K/10K waterproof, breathable fabric with a DWR finish and fully sealed seams.
- The Women's New Englander Rain Jacket by Charles River is wind and waterproof with heat-sealed seams for weather protection and front-vented capes for breathability and easy decorating access.
Parkas
Parkas are the best custom winter jackets for women and men who won't let anything as minor as a blizzard interfere with their day. Heavily insulated and sealed for maximum warmth, parkas are built to withstand the worst winter has to offer. Examples include:
- Red Kap’s Heavyweight Parka features a 65% polyester/ 35% cotton shell and 100% nylon taffeta lining. A jumbo double slider head zipper helps keep the elements out.
- The Heavyweight Parka by Port Authority has a 6-ounce polyfill-lined body, 4-ounce polyfill-lined sleeves, and an 8000 MM waterproof rating. Bellow pockets provide room for storage and an Interior MP3 player pocket lets you take your tunes out into the winter wonderland.
- The Women's Journey Parka by Charles River keeps the bulkiness associated with parkas to a minimum with 3M™ Thinsulate insulation. A zip-off fleece-lined hood with an adjustable shock cord drawstring adds to your winter protection.
- The Women’s Puffy Parka by Mercer+Mettle provides dependable warmth and transitional style for downtown or out-of-town use. A DWR finish sheds moisture, while the blown-in synthetic insulation provides plenty of warm comfort.
Camo Jackets
Camouflage jackets are associated with active outdoor activities. Popular with hunters, camo jackets are also popular fashion choices. Examples include:
We hope this jacket buying guide has been helpful. Remember, all the custom embroidered jackets on this list can be customized to increase brand awareness, whether you want a large screen-printed logo, a small piece of delicate embroidery, or anything in between.