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Floatplane
Hey- it’s been a while, we missed you!
Last week, we released our comfiest sweatshirt yet—the Super Soft Hoodie. But what does it take to make something with that claim? Let's take you behind the seams of how a hoodie like this becomes a reality—all the way from idea to production!
The idea
We love making hoodies of all kinds - heck, you might be wearing one right now. But even though we’ve put out dozens of hoodies in the past, one thing was clear: Given both options for free, people in our office were choosing to rep another brand that we all know well… and while the folks at Noctua are bros, we had to figure out why a hoodie made by a fan company was SO POPULAR within our team.
Taking a closer look at how they were built, some features really stood out: They were thick, warm, had a really soft fleece backing, and had a large, substantial drawstring. It made sense why people would want to wear them all the time in a place like Vancouver. Despite this, there were some things that we didn’t like about them.They fit a bit tighter than our design team prefers for this style of hoodie, the feel of the drawstring could be improved, and it had a waffle-knit lined hood that we thought could be cozier.
With all of that in mind, we knew we had an opportunity to be the first pick in the wardrobe once again for many of our team members
Enter Lisa, our Senior Designer and one heck of a creative mind - if you’re on Floatplane, you already know. She always felt that we were missing that soft, cozy hoodie that pairs perfectly with a long gaming session.
From here, the mission was clear: create the ultimate comfy hoodie that’s perfect for everyday wear.
From vision to sketch
The first step? Visualizing the design. Lisa hit Adobe Illustrator to start sketching, inspired by the oversized fit of our Dropout Hoodie, a silhouette that has received a ton of positive feedback for its comfort. Here the clothes’ primary features are put into place: a cozy kangaroo pocket, an extra-chunky drawcord that took on a different shape than the hoodie we were inspired by, and in classic LTT fashion; a secure pocket for your phones or earbuds.
Meanwhile, our fit technician, Olamide, mapped out measurements for the entire size range, setting the foundation for the hoodie’s comfy fit and feel.
Making the hoodie “Super Soft”
But let’s be real—without the right fabric, we can’t call this hoodie what it is. Sourcing the ideal fabric was crucial, so we reached out to multiple vendors to gather a wide variety of swatches. Having multiple options to consider gives us flexibility and helps keep the design process moving if we encounter any challenges down the line in lab testing, or sample fitting with our models & staff.
After combing through the options, one vendor had sent us a whole portfolio of swatches in different colors that really stood out. Lisa finally found it: a fabric so soft, she couldn’t stop touching it. It was irresistibly soft on the outside, and the plush fleece-backed interior took it to the next level.
So that’s when we end up requesting a larger fabric sample. This allows us to start to really get an understanding of the fabric; how it drapes, and how it really feels on your skin. Cue our materials expert, Tatjana, who put it through the works: wash tests, pilling tests, flocking checks, you name it. Each test reinforced our excitement. This was the one.
From prototype to perfection
Of course, first prototypes are rarely flawless. Sometimes, Linus may suggest some feature changes—but usually it’s the fit, length, and pockets that are usually tweaked throughout the next few samples. When we’re happy with everything, then we order a sample for every size. That’s when Olamide invites staff members to try it on, confirming that we hit the mark on comfort and fit.
But before we ordered those samples, Lisa had to finalize the color we’d offer the hoodie in. While we did mark some favorites from the initial portfolio of swatches that were sent to us, we often go back-and-forth between the options throughout the entire sampling process. We finally landed on a smooth, dark gray that is versatile and gender-neutral, so it’s easy to share with your favorite hoodie-stealer.
Finally, we ordered our pre-production sample (PPS)—the final check before production. Lisa then presented it in a merch meeting, where Linus, Nick, and the rest of the fashion team gave their final stamp of approval. Once everyone across the board was 100% confident in the Super Soft Hoodie, we sent it off to production to be sent straight to you!
So far, our team has been loving it, and we hope that you do too. We definitely feel like we hit the mark on this one!
Warmly,
The LTTStore Team