Hoodie GSM: What Each Fleece Weight Actually Gives You

What GSM does and does not tell you

GSM measures mass, not quality. A poorly knitted 400 GSM fleece from short-staple cotton will pill faster and feel worse than a well-made 320 GSM from combed yarn. Weight and quality correlate loosely because heavier fabrics tend to be specified by buyers who care, not because the number itself guarantees anything.

Two other properties matter as much and are almost never asked about. Loopback versus brushed: loopback leaves the interior loops intact for a textured, breathable face that ages well; brushed fleece is sanded to raise a soft nap, which feels better immediately and flattens over time. And knit construction — a double-face or French terry at the same GSM will drape completely differently.

The four bands worth producing

These are the weights we run and what each is actually for. Anything between them is available; these are the points where the product changes character.

• 240–280 GSM, French terry, unbrushed — transitional weight. Crewnecks, lighter hoodies, summer-into-autumn pieces and layering product. Prints beautifully because the surface is smooth.
• 320 GSM, brushed fleece — the volume standard, and the right default if you are unsure. Warm, holds its shape, takes print and embroidery well, and priced where most brands can make a margin.
• 380–400 GSM, heavy brushed fleece — premium streetwear drops and winter programs. This is where a hoodie starts to feel obviously expensive in the hand.
• 450–500+ GSM, super-heavy loopback or double-face — flagship pieces. Structured, boxy, high perceived value, and priced accordingly.

On 400 GSM and 500 GSM specifically

These two get searched a lot, so here is the practical difference. A 400 GSM hoodie is heavy enough that a customer notices the moment they pick it up, while still behaving like normal clothing — it drapes, it packs, it dries in a reasonable time. It is the sweet spot for a premium drop.

A 500 GSM hoodie is a statement garment. It stands up rather than hangs, the silhouette becomes structural, and boxy patterns work far better on it than fitted ones. It also takes noticeably longer to dry, costs meaningfully more to ship because of its bulk, and is a genuinely poor choice for any market warmer than a northern autumn.

A 500 GSM fabric can be a custom knit and dye run at our factory, which adds 7 to 10 days to the schedule. Worth planning for rather than discovering.

The full weight and fabric table, with what each is suited to, sits on our hoodies and sweatshirts we produce.

An honest answer on 700 GSM

People search for 700 GSM hoodies, so it is worth addressing directly rather than pretending the question is not asked. At that weight you are no longer making a hoodie in any normal sense — you are making outerwear with a hood, at a fabric cost roughly double a 320 GSM garment, in something that will not dry properly, will not pack into luggage, and will be uncomfortable indoors.

A handful of brands produce them, and they are a marketing object more than a product: the number is the point. If that is genuinely your positioning, it can be made. If what you actually want is for the hoodie to feel substantial and expensive, 400 to 450 GSM achieves that at a price your customer will pay twice, and we will steer you there.

Matching weight to market and season

Weight should follow where the garment is sold, not where the trend is. A 450 GSM hoodie sells in a UK or Canadian winter and dies in a Gulf or Southeast Asian summer, where 240 to 280 GSM is the year-round weight and a heavy fleece is a novelty purchase.

For a first range across a mixed market, 320 GSM is the answer that fails in the fewest places. It is warm enough to read as a proper hoodie, light enough to sell outside deep winter, and it is the weight most decoration is set up to run on. Anchor a range there and let the heavier pieces be the seasonal drop rather than the core.