Graduation is a milestone worth celebrating—and your stole should tell your story. Whether you’re a first-generation college graduate, a proud member of a fraternity or sorority, or an international student representing your heritage, a custom graduation stole lets you showcase who you are on your big day.
Thanks to the CollegeWear Inc. Stole Design Tool, you don’t need graphic design skills to create something personal and unique. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about customizing a stole, with plenty of tips to make the process fun and stress-free.
Why Customize a Graduation Stole?
Graduation stoles (sometimes called sashes) are more than just an accessory. Designing and wearing a graduation stole lets you:
- Highlight your major, club, or leadership role
- Display your fraternity, sorority, or honor society affiliation
- Represent your heritage or culture with flags or hybrid designs
- Make you stand out in photos while keeping your story visible for years to come
In other words: your stole is your chance to wear your educational journey.
Step 1: Personalize with Text
Adding text is the easiest way to start designing. Popular choices include:
- Graduation year (e.g., Class of 2025)
- Major or degree (e.g., B.A. Psychology)
- Club or leadership role (e.g., Student Government President)
- Your name or nickname
Tips for text customization:
- Direction: Try vertical or diagonal layouts instead of only horizontal.
- Fonts: Choose from classic (Times New Roman), modern (Helvetica), or script styles.
- Size: Keep in mind that longer text = smaller font size.
Step 2: Add Logos, Seals & Symbols
Want to highlight your college, military service, or personal brand? The tool includes preset college logos, Greek crests and seals, and other symbols related to college and majors and programs.
Don’t see yours? No problem—you can upload your own!
(Accepted formats: .jpg, .png, Max size – 2MB)
After checkout, our team may reach out to you about your uploaded artwork if the artwork required additional licensing review, if it does not meet our guidelines, or if we are unable to reproduce the logo/design.
👉 Pro tip: Balance logos with text placement so your stole doesn’t feel too crowded.
Step 3: Show Your Greek Pride
If you’re part of a fraternity or sorority, your stole can feature:
- Greek letters in different orientations and sizes
- Crests and chapter designations
- A combination of symbols, text, and colors that reflect your house traditions
Step 4: Represent Your Culture with Flags
Your stole is also a great way to celebrate your cultural heritage or international experience. Flag options are a powerful way to tell your story.
Add as many flag patches as you’d like or select from one of our available flag stole bases (selection limited).
Flag Patch: Small and subtle—add it alongside text or logos. Flag patches are a subtle option that you can place anywhere on a stole alongside text or logos. Select from country or state flags. Don’t see your flag? Upload it using the “Upload Logo” tool.
Flag Stole: Flag stoles – a full stole made from your country’s flag is another great option to represent your story. You can even add custom elements on top to create a bold design. If you’d like, purchase a blank flag stole to layer with your other graduation regalia like leis or cords.
5. Create a Hybrid Stole
Hybrid stoles combine satin fabric with a unique patterned tip.
These represent identity in a more subtle but powerful way. Options include:
- Cultural Fabrics (Kente, Serape, Native American, AAPI)
- Pride Fabric
- Solid Colors (add to complement the body of your stole)
The tip usually covers the lower quarter of the stole, leaving plenty of space for text, logos, or patches. It’s a subtle but powerful way to represent your identity.
Play With Placement
One of the coolest features of the stole design tool is full drag-and-drop freedom.
Want your crest near the tip? Your name vertically down the side? Done.
Placement tips:
- Keep designs between the center and tip of the stole.
- Avoid placing text/logos near the neck area—it may get hidden by hair or your gown.
- Preview your design in the app to see how it looks from different angles.
- Use caution when putting text or logos between the shoulder and chest as long hair and overlapping stoles often covers that area.
Order Early
Custom stoles take time to produce, and larger group orders (for clubs, teams, or chapters) need even more lead time. Don’t wait until the last minute—start designing early and check this milestone off your graduation prep list.
For lead time information check our manufacturing page.
FAQ: Common Questions About Custom Graduation Stoles
How long does it take to order a custom stole?
Production can take several weeks. Order early, especially if your group or club is placing a bulk order.
Can I combine multiple design elements?
Yes! You can add text, logos, Greek letters, and patches on the same stole. Hybrid and flag stoles can also be further customized.
What if I don’t have design experience?
That’s the best part—our tool is beginner-friendly. You’ll see live previews as you design, so you don’t need design skills to create something amazing.
Design Your Graduation Stole Today
Your graduation stole is more than fabric—it’s a symbol of your journey, identity, and achievements.
Whether you keep it simple with text or go bold with logos, flags, and hybrid patterns, the CollegeWear Inc. Stole Design Tool. makes it easy to create something meaningful.
Don’t wait—design your stole today and make graduation truly unforgettable.
And when it arrives? Show it off! Share your design on social media! Tag @CollegeWearInc or use #CollegeWearInc on social media— so we can celebrate with you. 🎓✨
👉Feeling Inspired and ready to get started? Design your stole now.
Interested to learn more about our custom graduation stoles/sashes? Learn more here:
