Cartoon character jackets are often clothing favorites of children and parents alike.
What are Cartoon Character Jackets?
Cartoon character jackets typically feature popular cartoon characters, especially those that appeal to children. From characters like Betty Boop to Looney Tune's Tasmanian Devil, cartoon characters have graced a variety of apparel for both children and adults, including jackets. While some coats or jackets feature small cartoon emblems, others are emblazoned with a large image of the character over the entire back of the jacket. In addition, characters may be found on each sleeve, on jacket pockets and possibly on he coat hood as well.
Choosing a Jacket
Officially licensed cartoon character jackets usually have the same design, although jackets that don't fall under the "officially licensed" label may differ quite a bit. The following features are commonly found on officially licensed jackets:
- Snap-front for easy opening and closing
- Stand-up collar
- Ribbed elastic waistband
- Ribbed elastic cuffs
- Front pockets
- One or two interior pockets
- 300k multi-hit embroidered cartoon graphics (usually located on the shoulders, sleeves, back and chest)
- Officially licensed label
- Materials may include a polyester/vinyl blend or 100 percent cotton twill with a polyester shell
Buying a cartoon jacket is more than just looking for the right shape and size. Character choices are usually prolific, and some of the most popular characters include the following:
- Mickey Mouse
- Winnie-the-Pooh
- Scooby Doo
- SpongeBob Squarepants
- Spiderman
- Superman
- Betty Boop
- Tasmanian Devil
- Batman
- Bratz
- Diego
- Dora
- Flintstones
- Ironman
- Popeye
- Supergirl
- Tweety bird
- Sylvester
- Hulk
- Bugs Bunny
- Miss Piggy
NASCAR Jackets
Even if you really aren't a NASCAR fan, you can't find a better place to look for cartoon jackets than at a store that features NASCAR merchandise. Not only can you find jackets with NASCAR drivers, numbers and cars embroidered on the front and back, but you can also find character jackets as well as jackets from popular sponsors, like M&Ms, Skittles and Starburst. Jacket sizes typically range in size from toddler to adult.
Making Your Own Cartoon Jacket
Depending upon where you order, character jackets can be pricey. There is another option, however. You can create your own cartoon jacket in just one afternoon. Follow these steps:
- Buy a jacket - Purchase a cotton twill or polyester blend jacket in the color of your choice. You may want to decide on a character before purchasing the jacket, and coordinate the color accordingly.
- Look for the character image - Fabric featuring cartoon characters can typically be found at a local fabric store or online. Look for material that contains an appropriate sized character for your decoration purposes. Buy two or three yards of the material, so that you have room for error when cutting.
- Cut the characters or character out of the fabric
- Decide where you want to place each character - For example, smaller pieces may go on the sleeves or shoulders, while larger ones could go on the chest or back.
- Attach the fabric to the jacket - This can be done either with fabric glue or with a sewing machine. For added dimension, add a layer of cotton filler between the fabric and the jacket. If you choose to glue the fabric on, you may want to seal the edges with some sort of bric-brac or edging. Paint markers typically work well, too.
Cartoon jackets make great gifts for kids and adults, and they often become treasured items of winter clothing that are passed down from one generation to the next. After all, cartoon characters never really lose their appeal.
