A hood for the ages

The hoodie’s had an interesting life… That said, we’re going to skip over its medieval past - the bit where monks stagger about up to their knees in filth with their hoods up. Skip straight to the 1930s, when the classic hoodie took its first step toward workwear greatness. Popular with New York’s freezing factory workers during the winter months, the hooded sweater became a staple among the city’s tough guys, before being picked up by street gangs, tough nuts and gym-goers nationwide. Then - somewhat surprisingly - the hoodie got its preppy pass in the ‘80s as American Colleges started whacking their punchy, animal-heavy logos on every bit of merch’ they could think of.

And where does that leave us now?

Well, with an iconic item that - when made just right - can hold its own as easily on the track as it can down the library. Whether you’re bench-pressing, cracking the books, or gearing up for a lazy Sunday you’ll both look the part and be in maximum comfort.

From the get-go, we’d asked you what you wanted us to look out for in making a hoodie that would be head and shoulders above the rest. As always, you gave us the feedback we needed to make a robust hit list:

1 - Top-quality fabric
2 - A vintage-inspired neat cut
3 - Keeps its shape
4 - Strong colours that don’t fade

But we don’t just make an item and then rest on our laurels. This is the sixth version of our Hoodie, which means that we’ve had plenty of time to transform a great hoodie into a perfect one. As long as you keep the feedback coming, we keep on refining it.

Whether you’re doing the 200m hurdles or the 1m lie-down-on-the-sofa, comfort’s key to a good hoodie. And top-end materials are key to comfort. That’s why we chose 100% organic cotton from Turkey, certified to the highest organic textile standard in the world. So as you slurp on your hot cocoa in front of Netflix, you can rest assured that you’re not just supremely comfy, but you’re also wearing something that’s been made responsibly. And we brushed the fabric on the reverse, pushing the already lovely cotton to the peaks of warmth and comfort performance. On top of that, our Hoodie scored a whopping 4.5/5 in the anti-pilling lab tests. So there. Consider bobbles beaten.

Our previous version of the Hoodie weighed in at 500g/m2. Which was great for snuggling up in mid-winter, but left a few of you regretfully hanging up your hood from spring to autumn. You wanted a Hoodie that was a year-round winner, so we went back to our subterranean fabric lab and did some complicated calculations… The result? 380g/m2 is the ideal weight for a hoodie that’ll keep you cosy in winter, but won’t leave you sweating once the green shoots breakthrough. And it’s still a good deal more substantial than a high-street bodge job. So, naturally, that’s the weight we went with.

Hoodies need to fit nicely. Unless you’re to relive Reading Festival 2002, you probably don’t want your hoodie to be hanging around your knees. We fine-tuned the sizing to make sure our Hoodie has a neat fit. That means it's great for a workout, but also looks the business when you’re out and about. We might draw the line at recommending it for a work dinner, but it should more than do the trick for any event up to that point on the smart chart. A classic sportswear-inspired hit.

We aren’t known for OTT design flourishes. But we did take a long hard look at the Hoodie and decided to do away with a few little extras we’d worked into the early versions. Of course, nothing that was crucial to comfort or durability. So why did we do it? This way we could keep that crucial organic cotton, the high-comfort reverse brushing, the anti-pill finish and the killer cut - all while keeping the price the same, in spite of rocketing supply costs in the fashion world. But don’t worry, we didn’t do away with our usual attention to detail…

The Hoodie’s designed to be by your side January to December, and for years to come. So we didn’t get lazy on the durability details. We went for reinforced seams, steady topstitching and secured the hood to the torso with an extra sturdy strip of bias tape. Lastly, we opted for embroidered eyelets and metal aglets - meaning that drawstring’s staying put and fray-free.

The kangaroo pouch pocket’s key to a good hoodie’s vintage sportswear vibe - and we didn’t cut corners on ours. We brushed the inside of the kangaroo pouch so that your hands’ll be happy hanging out in there. And don’t be shy, you can fill that pocket to your heart’s content, because the tough, triangular stitching means it can take some serious weight.

A cracking hoodie, even one with a dreamy fit, made from the best cotton on the market would only be halfway there if its colours did a runner after a few rounds in the wash. But fear not, you can be sure that these colours will stay vibrant because we dyed the fabric in rolls before producing the garments. That’s how it should be done. And - since you asked so nicely - we added some new colours to the lineup:

• Navy

• Mid-grey marl

• Burgundy

• Military Green

There you have it, everything there is to know about our updated year-round Hoodie. And it will be available to preorder for 89€ from Tuesday, 8th of August. If you want first dibs, you can hit this link below and we’ll be sure to notify you when you can grab them.

And if it doesn't work out when your Hoodie arrives, returns and exchanges are easy. The return costs are on us.

Need to know anything else? Ask away via the comments below, or alternatively, you can check our international Instagram page for more info.

The Asphalte Team