Fleece sweatshirts are the most widely decorated blank in wholesale apparel. The brushed interior construction that makes them comfortable to wear is also the variable that most directly affects how they perform across decoration methods. Before placing a production run, decorators need to know the fleece weight, the cotton-to-poly ratio, and whether the exterior face is tight enough to hold fine print detail. This guide covers the three core wholesale fleece styles and the decoration-specific decisions each one requires.

Fleece Weight and Warmth: 7 oz vs 8 oz vs 9 oz

The Gildan 18000 Heavy Blend runs at 7.75 oz and is the standard reference point for wholesale fleece. The Hanes P160 EcoSmart sits at 7.8 oz, close enough to the Gildan that buyers treat both as interchangeable for budget fleece programs. The Champion S600 EcoSmart runs heavier at approximately 9 oz, with a denser loop structure that holds more warmth and provides a noticeably more substantial hand feel. For outdoor event merchandise, school programs where the garment is worn through winter, or retail-priced decorated hoodies, the extra weight of the S600 is the correct call. For volume corporate or event jobs where cost-per-unit is the primary driver, the Gildan 18000 and Hanes P160 are the workhorses.

Embroidery on Brushed Fleece: Why a Topping Sheet Is Not Optional

Brushed fleece has a raised nap on the interior. The exterior face of standard fleece sweatshirts also has a slight surface texture caused by the same brushing process. When embroidery needles penetrate that surface, the thread sinks into the fabric texture instead of sitting on top of it, causing stitch coverage to look uneven and fine details to lose definition. A water-soluble topping sheet placed over the embroidery area before hooping compresses the surface nap, forces stitches to sit above the fabric plane, and produces clean edge definition on lettering and fine line elements. Without a topping sheet on fleece, column stitches under 3mm wide will show fabric show-through and the overall registration of the design will look soft. This applies to all three core fleece styles: Gildan 18000, Hanes P160, and Champion S600.

Screen Printing on Fleece: Surface Differences Between Brands

The exterior face of a fleece sweatshirt is not as smooth as a jersey t-shirt substrate. The Gildan 18000 has the tightest exterior face of the three core styles, which is one reason it dominates screen print production volume. Ink sits on the surface with consistent squeegee contact across the platen. The Hanes P160 EcoSmart has a slightly softer face that absorbs more ink on the first pass, which can cause color shift on halftone work if ink deposit depth is not adjusted. The Champion S600 has the most open weave structure of the three, requiring printers to reduce off-contact distance slightly and increase durometer on the squeegee to maintain sharp edge definition. For multi-color screen print jobs requiring tight registration and fine detail, the Gildan 18000 is the most forgiving substrate. Browse wholesale blank crewneck sweatshirts for the full range of fleece and French terry crewneck options across all major brands.

Dye Migration Risk on 50/50 Fleece Sweatshirts

The Gildan 18000 and Hanes P160 EcoSmart are both 50/50 cotton-polyester blends. Polyester fibers carry sublimation dye that migrates upward into print layers and DTF adhesive when heat is applied above 320 degrees Fahrenheit. On dark navy, dark heather, or black colorways, this migration appears as a pink, purple, or brown halo bleeding through the finished design. Two mitigation strategies are available: use a dye-blocker barrier film between the transfer and the garment surface, or switch to a low-cure plastisol formulated to cure below 280 degrees Fahrenheit. For production runs where any dark 50/50 fleece is in the color mix, confirm your ink or transfer system compatibility before approving a production run. The Champion S600 uses the same 50/50 blend and carries the same risk. To eliminate dye migration entirely, source cotton-rich wholesale sweatshirts with an 80/20 or 100% cotton construction.

TheClothingSpace stocks Gildan 18000, Hanes P160, and Champion S600 at wholesale case pricing with bulk discounts that increase with quantity. Stocked colors ship from US warehouses with fast delivery. No minimum order is required.