Gildan G185 - Unisex Heavy Blend® 50/50 Hoodie - Black

The Gildan G185, listed by Gildan as the 18500 Heavy Blend, is the highest-volume blank pullover hoodie in the US decoration market, an 8 oz 50/50 cotton-polyester fleece with a double-lined hood, front pouch pocket, set-in sleeves, and a tear-away label. It runs on Gildan's air-jet MVS spun yarn, which lays down a finer, smoother face than open-end fleece and reduces pilling, so it is the default workhorse for event, school, team, and promotional hoodie programs where the print is the product and unit cost drives the job.

The composition is the detail that decides your underbase, because the G185 is not one substrate across the colour range. Solid colours are 50/50 cotton-polyester, but Sport Grey and the heather shades (including Heather Dark Green, Heather Dark Maroon, Heather Dark Navy, Heather Deep Royal, and Heather Scarlet Red) are 60/40 polyester/cotton, so they carry more polyester and more dye migration risk than the solids. Poly-block a heather G185 even when the same artwork printed clean on a solid colour. For screen printing, the air-jet MVS face takes plastisol cleanly and the smoother yarn holds detail better than a coarse fleece; on the 50/50 solids run a low-bleed underbase on dark and reactive-dye colours and cure at the lower end of the ink manufacturer's range to control migration, and step the poly-block up on the 60/40 heathers. The 8 oz body sits flat and stable on the platen for front, back, and sleeve placements. For DTF, the 50/50 fleece bonds well with transfer adhesives and the polyester content improves adhesion over 100% cotton; the heavier 8 oz weight stays stable through the press cycle. For embroidery, the 8 oz fleece is a strong substrate for left-chest, full-front, and back placements with a cut-away backing scaled to the stitch count; the double-lined hood rules out hood-interior placements, so plan on the external hood face or body only. DTG is uncommon on heavy 50/50 fleece, so route hoodie decoration to screen print, DTF, or embroidery.

• Brand: Gildan
• Style: G185 (also listed as Gildan 18500 Heavy Blend Hooded Sweatshirt)
• Fabric: 50% cotton / 50% polyester fleece in solid colours; Sport Grey and heather colours are 60% polyester / 40% cotton. Air-jet MVS spun yarn for a smoother print face and reduced pilling
• Weight: 8 oz/yd2 (approx. 271 gsm)
• Construction: Pullover. Double-lined hood with matching drawcord. Front pouch pocket. Set-in sleeves. 1x1 rib with spandex at cuffs and waistband. Double-needle stitching. Tear-away label.
• Fit: Unisex, standard fit
• Sizes: S-5XL
• Colors available: 40+ colours (check current availability on the product page)
• Ordering: available by the case or by the piece; fleece hoodies pack fewer units per case than tees, so confirm current packing for your colour and size before a large mixed-size order
• Care: Machine wash warm. Tumble dry medium. Do not bleach.

Gildan holds consistent sizing and dye lot control across production runs, which is why high-volume shops standardise on the G185 for repeat hoodie programs where colour and fit have to match between batches. The reorder note specific to this style: confirm whether your colourway is a solid 50/50 or a 60/40 heather before a repeat run, because the underbase and ink choice differ between the two and the heathers need the heavier poly-block. The set-in sleeve construction keeps the shoulder seam in a consistent position run to run for front-body print and heat-transfer layouts. TheClothingSpace stocks the G185 at wholesale pricing with bulk discounts that increase as case and unit quantities rise, among the lowest prices online for this style, with fast US shipping on stocked colours.

Comparing blank hoodies for your decoration program? Read: Gildan 18500 vs Independent IND4000 vs Champion S700.