The weight decides
almost everything
Ask any brand what hoodie they want and most say "a good one". The specification that actually separates a $25 hoodie from a $75 one is the fabric weight, and it is the first number to settle.
280 gsm — a light hoodie. Good for layering, warm climates and summer drops, and the weight most promotional hoodies are made in. It will not feel premium on its own, and buyers notice.
320–340 gsm — the practical middle, and where most brands should start. Substantial enough to feel like a real garment, light enough to wear indoors, and the easiest weight to sell across seasons.
380–400 gsm — a proper heavyweight. This is the weight that reads as premium in the hand, and it is what streetwear brands charging a premium are usually selling. It costs more in fabric and it is warmer than some markets want.
450 gsm and above — a statement garment. Genuinely heavy, slow to dry, expensive to ship, and a small niche loves it. Sample it before committing volume.
Two things follow from the weight. Heavier fabric needs stronger seams and better ribbing or the garment sags; and shipping cost scales with it, which matters more on a hoodie than on almost anything else you will make.
Fleece-back or
French terry
The second decision, and the one most briefs skip entirely. Both look similar on a spec sheet and behave completely differently on the body.
Brushed fleece back is the classic hoodie interior: the loops on the inside are cut and brushed into a soft nap. It traps air, so it is warmer, softer against the skin, and what most people picture when they think "hoodie". The trade is that brushing loosens fibre, so a cheaply made fleece-back pills — which is why an anti-pill finish is worth specifying rather than assuming.
French terry leaves the loops uncut. It is lighter, breathes far better, drapes rather than puffs, and does not pill the same way. It is the right choice for warmer markets, for a more tailored streetwear silhouette, and for anything worn in spring and autumn rather than winter.
On fibre: cotton-rich feels better and shrinks more; polyester-rich holds shape and colour and takes print more cleanly; a blend around 80/20 is the common compromise. If you want a garment that survives commercial laundering — uniform and workwear programmes — go poly-rich and say so up front.
What makes a hoodie
feel expensive
These are the parts a buyer cannot name but immediately feels. Each is cheap to specify and invisible to leave out, which is exactly why cheap hoodies leave them out.
The hood. A two-panel hood is cheaper and sits flatter against the head; a three-panel hood has a centre gore that gives it shape and lets it stand up. Three-panel reads as premium. Also decide whether the hood is lined — a self-lined or contrast-lined hood is a visible upgrade and adds real cost.
Ribbing recovery. Cuffs and hem are where a hoodie ages. Ribbing with a low elastane content loses its shape after a dozen washes and the garment starts to look tired even though the body is fine. Specify the rib composition, not just "ribbed cuff".
The drawcord and eyelets. Flat cord reads more premium than round; metal eyelets read more premium than stitched. Both are small costs. On children's product, check your market's rules on cords at the neck — several markets restrict them.
Pocket bar-tacks. A kangaroo pocket takes the load of hands going in and out thousands of times. Bar-tacks at both top corners are the difference between a pocket that lasts and one that pulls away at the seam.
Neck tape. A taped or bound neck seam covers the shoulder seam, stops it stretching out, and is the single most reliable visual signal of a well-made hoodie. It also gives you a branding surface.
The complaint you can
prevent at spec stage
The most common hoodie return is "it shrank" — and it is a specification failure rather than a manufacturing one.
Cotton shrinks. Untreated cotton fleece can lose noticeable length through the first few washes, and because a hoodie is judged on body length and sleeve length, that shrinkage shows immediately.
Three ways to handle it, and you should pick one deliberately. Pre-shrink the fabric before cutting, which costs a little and removes most of the problem. Build the shrinkage into the pattern so the garment lands correct after the first wash — which requires knowing the actual figure rather than guessing. Or go poly-rich, which largely sidesteps it.
Whichever you choose, state a shrinkage tolerance in the tech pack and have it verified on the sample by washing it. Our checklist for approving a sample covers the wash test, which is the step almost nobody performs and the one that catches this.
What we would put
in front of you
A house starting point, not a fixed recipe. Every line is changeable — it exists so you can argue with something concrete before the first sample.
| Component | What we specify | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric | Brushed fleece back or French terry, cotton-rich or 80/20 | Decides warmth, drape, pilling and print behaviour |
| Weight | 320–340 gsm as a default; 380–400 for a premium drop | The single biggest driver of perceived quality |
| Hood | Three-panel, optional self or contrast lining | Holds shape and stands up; two-panel sits flat |
| Ribbing | Cuffs and hem with stated elastane content | Recovery after washing is what stops a hoodie ageing |
| Kangaroo with bar-tacked corners, or split zip pockets | The corners take all the load | |
| Neck | Taped or bound shoulder seam | Stops the neck stretching; a branding surface |
| Branding | Embroidery, screen print, DTF, puff print, woven label | Method changes with fabric and artwork detail |
Where we are
with this range
We do not hold finished hoodie styles in the catalogue. What we hold is twelve years of building fleece and knit outerwear — our current range includes eight fleece and quarter-zip pullovers — and the cutting, stitching, embroidery and print capability that a hoodie programme needs.
That makes us a sensible partner for a brand developing its own hoodie from a sketch, a reference garment or a tech pack, and a poor one for a buyer who wants to pick a finished style off a shelf this week. Send a reference hoodie marked up with what to change and we will quote it — that is the fastest accurate brief in this category.
Common questions.
What is the minimum order for hoodies?
What GSM should I choose for my hoodie?
What is the difference between fleece-back and French terry?
Can you stop the hoodie shrinking?
What branding methods can you apply?
Start your hoodie line.
Send a sketch, a reference hoodie or a tech pack. We reply within 24 working hours with fabric options, a weight recommendation and a per-piece quote.