Wholesale Hoodies Buying Guide 2025: What Every Brand Needs to Know Before Ordering
Look, ordering wholesale hoodies isn't rocket science, but it's also not as simple as "give me 100 black hoodies." I've seen too many brands – especially first-timers – drop $2,000-3,000 on their first hoodie order only to realize they ordered the wrong weight, wrong decoration method, or sizes nobody wants.
This guide breaks down exactly what you need to know before placing that order. No fluff, just practical information from 18+ years manufacturing hoodies for brands, screen printers, and retailers across USA, UK, Canada, and Australia.
Why Wholesale Hoodies? The Business Case
Simple economics: Retail hoodies cost $25-45 each. Wholesale? You're looking at $9.80-17.80 per hoodie depending on specs and quantity.
Real example: Streetwear brand orders 100 custom oversized hoodies:
- Wholesale cost: $15.20 × 100 = $1,520
- Retail price: $65 each
- Gross revenue: $6,500
- Profit margin: $4,980 (76% margin before marketing/ops costs)
That margin funds your brand building, inventory expansion, and actual profit. Can't build a sustainable apparel business on 20-30% retail markups.
The 3 Critical Decisions Before Ordering
1. Hoodie Weight (GSM) – This Determines Everything
GSM (Grams per Square Meter) measures fabric weight. Here's what actually matters:
280-320 GSM (Standard Weight):
- Best for: Year-round wear, screen printing inventory, e-commerce brands
- Price range: $12.80-14.50 per hoodie (100 units)
- Customer expectation: Medium thickness, comfortable layering piece
- Use case: 60% of wholesale hoodie market sits here
350-400 GSM (Heavyweight):
- Best for: Winter collections, outdoor brands, construction companies
- Price range: $19.20-21.50 per hoodie (100 units)
- Customer expectation: Serious warmth, premium quality feel
- Use case: Northern climates, cold-weather work apparel
220-260 GSM (Tech Fleece/Lightweight):
- Best for: Athletic brands, activewear, spring/fall collections
- Price range: $16.20-17.80 per hoodie (100 units)
- Customer expectation: Performance features, lighter weight
- Use case: Gym wear, athleisure, athletic brands
Common mistake: Ordering 280 GSM for a "premium winter collection." Customers feel the difference. If you're positioning as premium cold-weather apparel, you need 350+ GSM minimum.
Pro tip: Order samples in different weights before committing bulk production. That $20-30 sample investment prevents $1,500 of wrong inventory.
2. Decoration Method – Affects Both Cost and Perception
Your branding method changes your entire cost structure and customer perception.
Screen Printing:
- Cost: $2.50-4.80 per hoodie depending on colors and placement
- Best for: Simple logos, large quantities, blank hoodie inventory
- Durability: Very good (cracks after 30-40 washes if done poorly)
- Perception: Standard, professional
Embroidery:
- Cost: $3.80-5.80 per location depending on stitch count
- Best for: Corporate branding, premium positioning, left chest logos
- Durability: Outlasts garment life
- Perception: Premium, professional, quality
Heat Transfer:
- Cost: $2.60-3.40 per hoodie
- Best for: Complex graphics, photo-realistic designs, small batches
- Durability: Good (edges can lift after heavy washing)
- Perception: Modern, detailed designs
Real scenario: Premium streetwear brand positioning hoodies at $75 retail should use embroidery ($3.80 extra cost) not screen printing. That dimensional quality justifies premium pricing. Budget brands retailing at $35-45 can use screen printing maintaining margins.
Critical: Tell your supplier decoration method BEFORE finalizing hoodie specs. Heavy embroidery on lightweight 240 GSM fleece creates puckering. Need 300+ GSM supporting embroidery weight.
3. MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) – The Real Barrier
Standard wholesale MOQs:
- Blank hoodies: 100 units minimum
- Custom decorated: 50 units minimum
- Private label: 250+ units typically
Why MOQ exists: Fabric cutting efficiency, production line setup costs, decoration equipment setup. Not arbitrary numbers – actual manufacturing economics.
Negotiation reality: Some suppliers (like us) offer flexibility:
- 50 units standard minimum (most buyers)
- 25-50 units possible with 15-20% surcharge
- Under 25 units? You're in sampling territory, not wholesale
First order strategy for new brands:
Start with 50-100 units across 2-3 colorways:
- 40 units black (always safe)
- 30 units heather grey/charcoal
- 30 units one trending color (sand, olive, burgundy)
Mix sizes within that 100 total. Don't order all Medium thinking "most common size." Reality: M and L combined = 55% of sales, but you need S, XL, XXL inventory too.
Size distribution that actually works:
- S: 15%
- M: 25%
- L: 30%
- XL: 20%
- XXL: 10%
Hoodie Styles: Which One for Your Market?
Pullover Hoodies
- Wholesale cost: $12.80-15.20 (100 units, 300 GSM)
- Best for: Streetwear, casual brands, screen printing inventory
- Customer preference: Dominates streetwear and youth markets
- Decoration: Large back graphics work best, small front chest logo
Zip-Up Hoodies
- Wholesale cost: $14.50-16.80 (100 units, 300 GSM)
- Best for: Corporate merchandise, layering pieces, older demographics
- Customer preference: 35+ age groups prefer zip-ups for versatility
- Decoration: Left chest embroidery standard, full back optional
Oversized Hoodies
- Wholesale cost: $15.20-17.80 (100 units, 320 GSM)
- Best for: Streetwear brands, Gen-Z market, fashion retailers
- Customer preference: Trending heavily 2024-2025, drop shoulder construction
- Decoration: Large back prints (12x16"), minimal front branding
Tech Fleece Hoodies
- Wholesale cost: $16.20-17.80 (100 units, 240 GSM)
- Best for: Athletic brands, activewear lines, performance positioning
- Customer preference: Gym-goers, active lifestyle consumers
- Decoration: Heat transfer, small logos, reflective details
Market reality: Pullover hoodies = 60% of wholesale volume. Zip-ups = 25%. Oversized/Tech fleece = 15% combined. Start where the volume is unless you're specifically targeting niche markets.
Pricing Tiers: What You Actually Pay
Real wholesale pricing (MAVYQ, Pakistan manufacturing):
| Quantity | Standard 300 GSM | Heavyweight 400 GSM | Tech Fleece |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 units | $15.20 | $21.50 | $17.80 |
| 100 units | $13.80 | $19.20 | $16.20 |
| 250 units | $12.40 | $17.80 | $14.80 |
| 500 units | $11.20 | $16.40 | $13.60 |
| 1000+ units | $9.80 | $14.80 | $12.40 |
Add decoration costs:
- Screen print: +$2.50-4.80
- Embroidery: +$3.80-5.80
- Heat transfer: +$2.60-3.40
Margins that work:
- Wholesale cost $13.80 + decoration $3.50 = $17.30 total cost
- Retail at $55-65 = 68-73% gross margin
- Covers marketing, ops, profit
5 Mistakes That Cost New Buyers Money
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Ordering wrong sizes: All Medium/Large sounds safe. Reality: you need full size run. Customers come in all sizes.
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Choosing cheapest option: $9.80 hoodie at 1000 units sounds great until customers complain it's too thin. Quality matching price positioning matters.
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Skipping samples: $20 sample saves $2,000 wrong order. Always sample.
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Ignoring lead times: 14-16 day production + 5-30 day shipping depending on method. Plan 6-8 weeks total for sea freight, 3-4 weeks air freight.
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Wrong color selection: Ordering 50 bright orange hoodies for "variety." Black, grey, navy = 70% of sales. Order heavy on safe colors, light on brights.
Next Steps: Your First Wholesale Hoodie Order
Week 1: Decide hoodie style and weight for your market
Week 2: Order samples (2-3 different weights/styles)
Week 3: Test samples, finalize specs and decoration
Week 4: Place bulk order with confirmed timeline
Week 8-10: Receive inventory and launch
Questions before ordering?
- What GSM for your climate and positioning?
- Which decoration method for your brand aesthetic?
- How to split 100 units across sizes and colors?
We manufacture 8 different hoodie styles covering every wholesale application – from blank hoodies for screen printers to custom embroidered corporate merchandise to oversized streetwear.
Explore specific hoodie types:
- Custom Hoodies Wholesale
- Blank Hoodies for Screen Printing
- Heavyweight Winter Hoodies
- Oversized Streetwear Hoodies
- Tech Fleece Performance Hoodies
Or contact us directly for wholesale quotes.
Manufacturing from Sialkot, Pakistan. Shipping worldwide. MOQ 50 units.
