Fleece & Hoodies

Who makes what

Gildan's Heavy Blend collection is the default for schools, events, and any job quoted on price. Independent Trading is the decorator's fleece house, built around heavier bodies and cleaner construction, while Lane Seven pushes into pigment-dyed and streetwear-weight territory. Bella + Canvas and Next Level cover the lighter retail-fit fleece built for resale.

The styles that matter

The Gildan G185 is the volume hooded sweatshirt of the industry: an 8 oz How dense a knit fabric is, measured in oz/yd². Typical ranges: under 4.5 oz is lightweight fashion; 4.5–5.5 oz is the midweight band most everyday tees fall into; 5.5–6 oz is heavy everyday and fleece; 6 oz and up is the heavyweight range, with 7 oz and up the streetwear max-weight class. Heavier fabric drapes more substantially, holds prints flatter, and costs more per blank. 50/50 Heavy Blend that prints reliably, resists pilling, and behaves the same every reorder. The Independent Trading IND4000 is the heavier choice, a 10 oz How dense a knit fabric is, measured in oz/yd². Typical ranges: under 4.5 oz is lightweight fashion; 4.5–5.5 oz is the midweight band most everyday tees fall into; 5.5–6 oz is heavy everyday and fleece; 6 oz and up is the heavyweight range, with 7 oz and up the streetwear max-weight class. Heavier fabric drapes more substantially, holds prints flatter, and costs more per blank. heavyweight with a 100% cotton face whose thicker fleece supports large designs and heavy ink coverage.

Don't sleep on crewnecks: the same fleece comes in crew cuts, and crews have ridden the retro wave back into retail merch lines.

Decoration & buying notes

Fleece loft fights the squeegee. Plan on a higher ink deposit and an underbase A first layer of (usually white) ink printed under the design on dark garments. It stops the dark fabric from showing through and keeps colors bright. on darks, and flatten the nap rather than printing over it. On 50/50 and poly-heavy fleece, cure low to avoid dye migration On polyester, fabric dye can bleed up into an ink layer after heat is applied, especially with light inks on dark poly. Results in a washed-out or discolored print over time. and scorch; a 100% cotton face like the IND4000's (in solid colors; its heathers are blended through) sidesteps the problem for the print area.

Hoods, pockets, and zippers constrain placement, so confirm art size against the pocket gap before quoting. Embroidered left-chest plus printed back is the program standard.