From loopback fleece to retail-ready hoodie

The 6-step hoodie production process

1. 01

   Tech pack, fabric & fit

   Every order starts with your tech pack — fabric composition, GSM, fit block (regular, oversized, boxy, cropped, zip-up), hood construction (2-panel vs 3-panel), pocket type, and decoration. We recommend fabric grade against target retail price and market — mid-weight 320 GSM for volume, heavyweight 400–500 GSM for premium streetwear.

2. 02

   Pattern making & fit sampling

   Approved specs become a CAD pattern (Gerber / Optitex), graded across XS–4XL. A fit sample in your base size is built in 10–14 days and couriered for physical approval — body length, sleeve, drop shoulder, hood depth and pocket placement all checked before bulk.

3. 03

   CAD cutting & panel decoration

   Panels are marker-nested to cut fabric waste, spread in multi-layer plies and cut on straight-knife or auto-cutter. Front-panel decoration — screen print, DTF, embroidery, 3D puff, appliqué, or chenille patch — happens on flat panels before the garment is assembled.

4. 04

   Cut & sew assembly

   Sewing lines combine overlock (4-thread body seams), coverstitch (hem, cuff and neckline finishes), lockstitch (label, drawcord eyelet, zipper) and bar-tack (pocket corners). Hood is either 2-panel or 3-panel with a self-fabric lining. A mid-weight hoodie takes 20–30 minutes of skilled labour on the line.

5. 05

   Trims, drawcord & finishing

   Metal or plastic drawcord tips (aglets), matched flat or round cord, metal or embroidered drawcord eyelets, main and care labels, side-seam woven label. Zip-up hoodies get YKK or SBS full-length zipper with reinforced bottom stop. Bar-tack reinforcement at kangaroo pocket corners and hood junction.

6. 06

   QC, packing & export

   Every unit is measured against the size chart, checked for print register, colour match, seam skips and open needles, then passed through a needle detector. Poly-bag with silica gel, printed hangtag, size sticker, master carton with barcode and country-of-origin per market.

Hoodie styles we manufacture

From volume basics to premium heavyweight streetwear — every silhouette is available as OEM or private label against your artwork, fabric and fit.

• Pullover hoodie

  Classic over-the-head hoodie with kangaroo pocket, ribbed cuffs and hem. The volume workhorse for streetwear and merch drops.

• Zip-up hoodie

  Full-length YKK or SBS zipper with split kangaroo or hand pockets. Versatile layering piece — great for teamwear and lifestyle ranges.

• Oversized / boxy

  Dropped shoulder, wider body, cropped length. The streetwear silhouette — heavier GSM (400–500) with pigment or garment dye for a lived-in finish.

• Cropped / women's fit

  Shorter body length, tailored sleeve, contoured side seams. Popular in athleisure and lifestyle ranges.

• Performance / tech fleece

  Poly-cotton or 100% poly technical fleece with brushed inside. Moisture-wicking, quick-dry — for training and on-field warm-ups.

• Heavyweight streetwear

  500+ GSM garment-dyed loopback with reinforced pocket seams and self-fabric lined hood. Premium retail price band.

• Half-zip / quarter-zip

  Short zipper at neckline with funnel or hood collar. Classic sports and outdoor silhouette.

• Sherpa & flannel lined

  Fleece body with sherpa-lined hood or full sherpa lining for winter ranges. Warm, premium hand-feel.

Fabric & GSM — the decision that defines the hoodie

GSM (grams per square metre) is the hoodie's most-quoted spec. Composition (cotton, polyester, blend) drives hand-feel, shrinkage and how decoration behaves in wash.

• French terry 260–320 GSM cotton or poly-cotton

  Loop-back terry knit — soft, breathable, holds print and embroidery cleanly. Standard for mid-weight hoodies and spring/autumn ranges.

• Brushed fleece 300–380 GSM

  Terry with the inside brushed for warmth and softness. The everyday hoodie fabric — poly-cotton blends resist shrinkage and pilling.

• Heavyweight loopback 400–500 GSM

  Dense cotton loopback for premium streetwear. Deep colour saturation, garment-dye friendly, ages beautifully.

• 100% cotton fleece 320–400 GSM

  Natural fibre, breathable, best for pigment and reactive dye. Slight shrinkage — accounted for in the pattern.

• Poly-cotton 50/50 or 65/35 blend

  Balanced blend — durability of polyester with the hand-feel of cotton. Standard for teamwear and school hoodies.

• Tech fleece / performance poly

  100% polyester or poly-elastane with moisture-wicking finish. For training, warm-up and on-field ranges.

• Recycled RPET & organic cotton

  GRS-eligible recycled polyester and GOTS-eligible organic cotton for sustainability-led ranges — same construction, greener fibre.

Decoration & branding methods

• Screen print (plastisol / water-based)

  Best price at volume — up to 8 colours per placement. Water-based inks soak into the fabric for a soft hand-feel; plastisol sits on top for punch.

• DTF (direct-to-film) transfer

  Full-colour transfer with soft hand-feel, no colour limit, no minimum. Great for small runs and mixed artwork.

• Embroidery — flat, 3D puff, appliqué

  Premium finish for chest, sleeve and hood logos. 3D puff adds raised detail; appliqué layers fabric for large-area coverage.

• Chenille patch

  Fuzzy varsity-style patch stitched to the chest. The signature collegiate hoodie finish.

• Rubber / silicone / PVC patch

  Moulded 3D patch with sharp edges and deep undercuts. Stitched or heat-transferred.

• All-over sublimation

  Infinite colours across the entire garment on white polyester fleece — no hand-feel, permanent. For teamwear and drop merch.

• Garment dye & pigment wash

  Dye the finished garment for a lived-in, faded look. Popular on heavyweight streetwear.

• Reflective print & heat transfer

  Silver reflective print for running and safety-conscious ranges — visible in low light, machine-washable.

Specification matrix

Every parameter below is set by your tech pack. If a field is blank in your brief, we recommend a value against target retail price, fit block and market.

Quality control checklist

Every hoodie is checked against the approved golden sample. Third-party pre-shipment inspection (SGS, BV, Intertek) is welcome — buyers coordinate directly.

• Measurement audit — every point vs approved size chart, ±1–2 cm tolerance
• Colour match — Pantone check against approved lab dip under D65 lighting
• Print quality — screen register, DTF adhesion (peel test), embroidery density
• Seam strength — pull test on shoulder, armhole, side seam and hood attach
• Wash test — colour fastness, shrinkage (≤5%), pilling to ISO 105 / 12945
• Needle detection — every finished piece passed through metal detector
• Zipper cycle test (zip-up) — 500 open/close cycles without failure
• Drawcord eyelet pull test — cord and eyelet hold under stress
• Trims & labels — care label content and placement to buyer market law

Labelling, trims & packaging

• Woven main label at neck · care label at side seam
• Tagless heat-transfer neck print (premium, next-to-skin)
• Custom hangtag with barcode, size sticker and price ticket
• Custom drawcord tips (aglets) — metal, plastic or rubber
• Custom zipper puller — moulded, metal or webbing loop (zip-up)
• Pantone colour match with in-house lab dip
• Individual polybag with size sticker · retail folder or box
• Master carton labelling and export documentation to buyer spec
• Compliance: EU care symbols, US fibre law, UKCA / CPSIA on request

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