Gildan G188 - Unisex Heavy Blend™ Vintage Cadet Collar Sweatshirt - Navy

The Gildan G188 is the Unisex Heavy Blend Vintage Cadet Collar Sweatshirt, the quarter-zip cadet-collar style in the Heavy Blend fleece line, an 8 oz 50/50 cotton/polyester fleece built on an air-jet spun yarn that prints smoother and pills less than a basic fleece. A decorator picks this style when a corporate, club or retail order wants a heavier zip pullover with a vintage cross-dyed finish rather than a plain crew, since the cadet collar and quarter-zip give a more finished look while taking a clean print on the same dependable Heavy Blend ground. The body runs a unisex classic fit in S-3XL with a YKK brass zipper, contrast dark grey trim, a fleece-lined collar, 1x1 rib cuffs and waistband set with spandex for recovery, and double-needle stitching throughout. The solid shades run a 50/50 blend; Sport Gray and Graphite Heather run a 60/40 cotton/polyester blend.

The quarter-zip placket and the 50% polyester set the decoration plan, since the centre zip splits the chest and the methods that suit a heavy fleece are not the same as a tee. Screen printing is a strong fit on the air-jet smooth face: lay a white underbase on the coloured grounds, run a low cure to stop the 50% polyester migrating dye into the print, favour bold and mid-detail art, and place a full-front design clear of the zip placket or run it above or below the zipper, since the centre seam will break a continuous image. A left-chest opposite the zip and a full-back are the cleanest placements on a quarter-zip body. Embroidery is the natural method on an 8 oz cadet-collar pullover: the dense fleece holds a left-chest logo cleanly with a cut-away backing, and the air-jet face reduces pilling around the stitches. DTF presses cleanly on the smooth face and stays consistent across the whole vintage colour card, a reliable single method for one artwork. Vinyl and HTV bond with a firm press for names, numbers and letters. DTG is not a practical fit here, since the 50% polyester mutes the ink, the thick fleece body fights the platen, and the zip placket blocks a flat chest print; route those jobs to screen or DTF. Discharge does not work, because the 50% polyester will not strip. Sublimation does not apply, since the cotton-majority ground will not hold the dye for a clean result; route to a 100% polyester fleece for dye-sub.

• Brand: Gildan
• Style: G188 (Unisex Heavy Blend Vintage Cadet Collar Sweatshirt)
• Weight: 8 oz
• Fabric: solids 50/50 cotton/polyester fleece, air-jet spun smooth low-pill face; Sport Gray and Graphite Heather 60/40 cotton/poly
• Construction: quarter-zip YKK brass zipper with contrast dark grey trim, fleece-lined cadet collar, 1x1 rib cuffs and waistband with spandex, double-needle stitching throughout, tear-away label
• Fit: unisex classic fit
• Sizes: S-3XL
• Colors available: 13 vintage shades including Black, Navy, Red, Royal, Maroon, Blackberry, Russet, Moss, Meadow, Orange, Tweed, Sport Gray and Graphite Heather (check current availability on the product page)
• Ordering: available by the piece or by the case; confirm current packing per case for your colour before a large order
• Care: Machine wash cold, inside out. Tumble dry low. Do not iron decoration or zipper.

The reorder note specific to this style: the G188 runs a 50/50 Heavy Blend on the solids and a 60/40 blend on Sport Gray and Graphite Heather, so a print or stitch recipe carries cleanly across the vintage card, but always underbase the coloured grounds, keep the cure low to hold colour, and place artwork clear of the centre zip. The G188 shares its 8 oz Heavy Blend fleece with the Gildan G180 crew, the G185 pullover hoodie and the G186 full-zip hoodie, so a crew, hoodie, full-zip and quarter-zip program can layer as one matched set on the same fabric and the same print recipe. The air-jet face holds its print across reorders. TheClothingSpace stocks the G188 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.

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