The Gildan 18000 and 18500 are the most widely distributed wholesale fleece blanks in North America. They share the same fabric, the same weight, and the same price range. The only meaningful difference is the garment construction. Choosing between them for a given order is straightforward once you understand what the customer needs the finished product to do.
The Shared Fabric
Both the 18000 (crewneck) and 18500 (pullover hoodie) use an 8 oz/yd² preshrunk 50/50 cotton-polyester fleece. The face side is a smooth cotton-poly blend; the interior is a soft brushed fleece lining. The 50/50 blend makes both styles more resistant to shrinkage and pilling than 100% cotton fleece, while keeping a natural hand feel from the cotton content.
Preshrinking during manufacturing limits post-wash shrinkage to under 3% for most colorways with cold washing and low-heat drying. This matters for decorated garments: the design placement on a preshrunk blank stays consistent through standard washing cycles.
Both styles come in 30+ colors, run true to size with a classic unisex cut, and are available from S through 2XL (3XL and 5XL depending on color). The core colorways (white, black, sport gray, navy, royal, red) are reliably in stock across distributors year-round.
18000: Crewneck Sweatshirt
The 18000 has a ribbed crew neck opening, ribbed cuffs, and a ribbed waistband. No hood, no pocket, no drawcord. The front chest panel is completely flat and unobstructed from collar to hem, giving maximum usable print area.
For large full-front or full-back DTF designs, the 18000 is the cleaner canvas. A 14 x 16-inch transfer can be positioned on the front chest without interference from a pocket seam or hood bulk. For screen printing, the flat surface simplifies platen setup.
The 18000 is the correct choice for: corporate gifting where a professional, non-casual look is required, uniform programs where hoods are a safety or policy concern, team apparel where the decoration is the primary feature rather than the garment style, and any order where the customer specifically asks for a crewneck.
18500: Pullover Hoodie
The 18500 adds a jersey-lined hood with a matching drawcord, a front kangaroo pocket, and the same ribbed cuffs and waistband as the 18000. The added elements increase material cost slightly, which is reflected in a marginally higher wholesale price than the 18000.
The kangaroo pocket seam sits approximately 7 to 8 inches below the collar on adult sizes. This limits front design placement: a full-front design must either end above the pocket seam or extend over the pocket, which changes the aesthetic. Left-chest placements (2.5 to 4 inches wide, positioned above the pocket) are unaffected by the pocket seam.
For DTF pressing on the 18500: the kangaroo pocket creates a double-layer of fabric on the lower front panel. When pressing a design that extends below the pocket opening, the extra layer affects heat distribution. Address this by pressing designs that end above the pocket seam, or by stuffing a heat-resistant pad into the kangaroo pocket to equalize the surface before pressing.
The 18500 is the correct choice for: casual and streetwear adjacent apparel programs, event merch, campus bookstore inventory, any order where the customer's end consumer expects a hoodie as a garment style, and corporate gifting programs where the hoodie format adds perceived value.
Decoration Specs: Same Settings for Both
DTF transfer settings apply equally to both styles: 325 to 330°F, 7 to 10 seconds, medium-firm pressure. The 50/50 cotton-polyester blend reduces (but does not eliminate) dye migration risk on dark colorways. Test press before full production runs on dark navy, black, or red 18000/18500 blanks with white or light-colored transfers.
Screen printing: both styles work on standard sweatshirt platens. The 18000 is simpler to platen due to the flat crew neck opening. The 18500 hood can be tucked inside the garment before platening for standard chest prints.
Shop Gildan 18000 and 18500 wholesale at TheClothingSpace. No minimums on sweatshirt and hoodie blanks.
