Frequently Asked Questions

Please email us at hello@academichoods.com to make a request. We are happy to send samples of our products for orders potentially of 100+ cap/gown and tassels or thereabouts. We ask you follow the link above and complete our sample set request form. After the request is approved we can send you a sample set for you to keep for analysis.

The fabric for all of our gowns and our stoles is a polyester-cotton blend. We recommend dry cleaning for all of our products in order to keep the integrity of the garment. However, our products can be washed in a machine using the gentle cycle or handwashed. For drying, please hang dry. The material can be ironed on a low setting.

The main difference is the finish of the fabric. Our shiny gowns are a knitted fabric that has more of a shiny look to it giving the color of the gowns more brightness. Our matte gowns are a woven fabric which has more of a flat dull finish.

Our Deluxe gowns have fluting around the shoulders and yoke. They have more fabric used so they tend to be heavier. This is true for all of our deluxe gowns. 

The deluxe master has a different shape for the batwings. 

The deluxe doctor has bell sleeves and a braided button to attach the hood whereas the classic does not.

We cannot do an embroidered chest emblem on the classic doctor. 

Overall, the deluxe is considered a higher quality gown for your regalia.

Please contact your educational institution, as we currently do not have access to school colors.

We welcome anyone to order with us! Although, we cannot give assurance or be held responsible for our gowns’ colours matching another company’s gowns. We provide unique shades of gowns are not the same with another vendor's products.

We do not color match. We have a very specific set of fabrics. We cannot guarantee that our fabric colors will match with another supplier’s fabrics.

You can email us the color that you need, we will get back to you with a closed match. 

We can color match some products if a bulk order is placed.

You need to provide us with each customer's height with shoes on for the gown and weight. You do not need to provide cap size as our standard caps are one size fits all with elastic. Please see the our size chart. 

We do have regular and full-fit sizes. We have plus sizes in 45, 48, 54, 57, and 63. Please refer to the measuring instructions link for more information on our sizing.

We do not have full fit sizes in our child gowns. If you don't believe your graduate will fit within the child sizes, try a Size 39. You can find that size in High School Category. However, you may have to get the length hemmed at your cost.

From Pre-K to High School/Bachelor regular gowns, we do not offer other colors than the ones listed on the website. If you are looking to order more than 1000pcs, please email us the Pantone color and we will get back to you.

If you need to add a logo or letters on regular gowns, please email us the specifications and we will get back to you with a quote and estimated delivery date. 

For Deluxe Bachelor, Master gowns, we do offer custom colors and embroidery with no minimum order required. Please email us what you are looking to order and we will provide you a quote. 

For Doctoral gowns, we offer a listing where you can customize your own gown. You can select your gown color, piping color, add embroidery, etc... If you do not see an option that you would like to add on your gown, please email us and we will check if we are able to process your request.

Piping is an embroidered thread around the velvet of a gown or hood.

The 4th Chevron is for the Chancellor or President of a University. If you are neither, do not select "Add 4th Chevron" to your doctorate gown.

There is no standardized and unified published listing available of all current school colors.

While Academichoods.com does maintain a color chart for degree velvet colors there is no true substitute for contacting your school directly and asking them what colors they are currently using for your graduation apparel. Schools can and sometimes do change their colors on a yearly basis (and even the color of the gown itself).

The lining and chevron (satin fabric) represent your school colors. The shell is the material of hood which is always black (polyester fabric, matte finish). The velvet color represents your specific degree or field of study.

Please note for Associate Degree, you only need to select the lining and chevron colors (no velvet color required). 

You always need to choose the colors based on your highest level of education or current school you are attending.

Place it over your head draping off your shoulders and across the back of your gown. The velvet edge should be on the outside visible from the back. Make sure the lining (field and chevron school colors) are turned out so that people can see from the back your university colors. Usually this is done by turning the velvet trim to the outside at the back just below your shoulders. If you ordered a professional / faculty hood there will be a cord in the back (with two buttons one on each side of the hood) to keep your hood in place and a cord in the front to keep the hood away from your neck. Fasten the front cord to a shirt or dress button. Finally make sure the fabric shell of the hood is smoothed down and lays flat against the back of your robe. 

Our caps are made of 100% polyester. 

We provide caps in two sizes: Adult and Child.

They measure 9"x9".

The caps are not adjustable.

The level of education attained by the wearer is indicated by the varying number of sides on a tam. Master's graduates commonly wear four or six-sided tams, with the specific choice often determined by the school. It's advisable to verify the appropriate tam style before making a purchase. Tams with six sides are suitable for programs like Ed.S (education specialist) that fall between Master's and Ph.D. Eight-sided tams are typically reserved for Doctoral programs.

A beefeater, also referred to as a Tudor Bonnet, is a premium hat usually reserved for esteemed officials overseeing graduation ceremonies (deans, presidents, etc...). The standard mortarboard, a square of cardboard encased in polyester, is worn atop the head and traditionally used for primary and secondary school graduations. In contrast, tams are more commonly chosen for advanced graduations like Ed.S and doctoral ceremonies, and occasionally for master's degrees.

Email us the information of what you are looking to order and we can create a mockup for you.