Fleece apparel, hoodies, sweatpants, and crewneck sweatshirts represent one of the most profitable categories in wholesale apparel, particularly for screen printers, schools, sports teams, and streetwear brands. Unlike lightweight T-shirts, fleece commands a higher retail price point while still moving in consistent volume, especially during fall and winter months. Buying wholesale hoodies and wholesale sweatpants strategically means understanding fabric weight, construction style, and brand positioning so you can serve everything from budget bulk orders to premium streetwear lines.
This guide breaks down the full fleece category so you can stock with confidence regardless of which market segment you serve.
Why Fleece Is a High-Value Wholesale Category
Fleece products typically carry a higher average order value than t-shirts, both because the garments themselves cost more and because customers expect to pay a premium for a heavier, more substantial piece of clothing. For decorators, this means fleece orders often deliver stronger margins per unit, even before accounting for the additional decoration real estate a hoodie or sweatshirt offers compared to a t-shirt.
Fleece also benefits from:
- Strong seasonal demand in fall and winter, with relatively predictable ordering cycles for schools, sports teams, and corporate gifting programs.
- High customization appeal, since hoodies in particular are popular for both screen printing and embroidery across front, back, and sleeve placements.
- Streetwear and fashion crossover demand, especially for garment-dyed and heavyweight styles that have become popular well beyond athletic and promotional use.
Wholesale Hoodies: Styles and Construction
Hoodies in pullover style remain the most commonly ordered fleece silhouette, offering a large front pouch pocket and clean back panel ideal for printing.
Wholesale full zip hoodies appeal to buyers wanting a more versatile, layerable option, popular in corporate and outdoor retail settings.
6 pack hoodies and 6 pack full zip hoodies offer efficient bulk packaging for buyers placing larger recurring orders.
Youth hoodies, youth hooded zippers, and 6 pack youth hoodies round out a full size offering for school and youth sports buyers.
For buyers serving the outdoor and hunting market, camouflage hoodies prepack offer a ready-made themed assortment.
Fashion-forward retailers should look at tie dye sweatshirts and tie dye hooded pullovers and zippers to capture ongoing demand for pattern-driven streetwear styling.
Wholesale Sweatpants and Joggers
Adult sweatpants and joggers are an essential complement to any hoodie or crewneck order, allowing buyers to offer complete matching sets.
6 pack adult sweatpants provide efficient bulk packaging for high-volume orders, while youth sweatpants and 12 pack youth sweatpants extend the category into school and youth sports markets.
For buyers wanting a more cost-conscious entry point, irregular sweatpants and joggers and toddler sweatpants round out a fuller size and price range.
If your customers are looking for a complete coordinated set, sweatsuits and tracksuits and hooded tracksuits combine top and bottom into a single, ready-to-sell unit.
Crewneck Sweatshirts: The Classic Alternative
For buyers who want fleece warmth without a hood, crewneck sweatshirts remain a category staple, particularly favored for screen printing large chest and back graphics. 6 pack crewneck sweatshirts and youth crewneck sweatshirts extend this style across bulk and youth markets, while garment dyed crewneck sweatshirts and garment dyed hoodies offer the soft, slightly faded look that has become a defining trend in modern streetwear.
Understanding Fleece Weight and Fabric Blends
Fleece is typically measured similarly to t-shirt fabric, in ounces per square yard, and the weight you choose significantly affects both cost and customer experience:
- Lightweight fleece (around 7 to 8 oz) works well in warmer climates or for layering pieces, and tends to be more budget-friendly.
- Midweight fleece (around 8 to 9 oz) represents the most common, versatile choice for general retail and team apparel.
- Heavyweight fleece (9.5 oz and above) delivers a premium feel favored in streetwear and higher-end branded merchandise, often commanding a higher retail price point.
Cotton-poly blends are the most common fleece composition, balancing softness, durability, and reasonable cost, while higher cotton-content fleece offers a softer hand feel at a typically higher price point.
Choosing the Right Fleece Brand
- Gildan offers dependable, budget-conscious fleece suited to bulk screen printing programs.
- Jerzees is well regarded for soft-hand fleece at a competitive price point.
- Champion carries strong brand recognition in both athletic and streetwear-adjacent fleece, making it a popular choice for resale-focused buyers.
- Comfort Colors and Comfort Wash lead the garment-dyed fleece trend, appealing to buyers targeting a premium streetwear customer base.
For a complete comparison of these and other brands across the full wholesale catalog, see our wholesale apparel brands guide.
Seasonal Buying Strategy for Fleece
Fleece sales typically build through late summer and peak through the fall and winter months, making early ordering important for buyers who want stock in hand before demand picks up. A practical approach:
- Place core hoodie and sweatpant orders in core colors (black, navy, grey, maroon) ahead of the fall season.
- Add a smaller quantity of trend colors or garment-dyed styles to capture fashion-driven demand.
- Reserve a portion of budget for mid-season reorders once you see which sizes and colors are selling fastest.
Final Thoughts
Wholesale hoodies and wholesale sweatpants offer some of the strongest margins and most reliable seasonal demand in the entire apparel wholesale category. By understanding fleece weight, matching styles to your customer base, and choosing the right brand mix, you can build a fleece program that performs well from early fall through the end of winter.
Browse the full wholesale fleece category to compare hoodies, sweatpants, and sweatshirts in one place, or revisit our wholesale t-shirts guide to build a complete year-round apparel program.
Decoration Considerations for Hoodies and Sweatpants
Fleece offers more decoration real estate than a standard t-shirt, which opens up additional branding opportunities worth planning for before placing a bulk order. Hoodies in particular support front chest, full back, and sleeve placements, making them well suited to layered branding such as a small logo on the chest paired with a larger graphic across the back. For screen printing, a slightly heavier ink deposit is often needed on fleece compared to lighter knit t-shirts, since the textured surface of fleece can otherwise cause printed graphics to look less crisp. Embroidery on fleece performs especially well on the chest and upper sleeve, where the denser fabric provides a stable base for detailed stitching. If you plan to decorate sweatpants as well, the most common placement is a small logo along the lower leg or hip, mirroring the branding found on many name-brand athletic joggers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wholesale Hoodies & Sweatpants
What fleece weight is best for screen printing logos? Midweight fleece, generally in the 8 to 9 oz range, offers a good balance of print stability and overall comfort, making it the most common choice for branded hoodie and sweatshirt orders.
Are pullover or full-zip hoodies more popular for bulk orders? Pullover hoodies are generally the more commonly ordered style due to their larger uninterrupted print area and slightly lower cost, though full-zip styles are favored for layering and corporate uniform use.
What is garment-dyed fleece? Garment-dyed fleece is dyed after the garment is fully constructed rather than before, producing a softer texture and a slightly muted, lived-in color appearance that has become popular in streetwear.
Should I order matching sweatpants with every hoodie order? Not necessarily, but offering matching sweatpants or joggers alongside hoodies allows you to sell complete sets, which can increase average order value for retail-focused buyers.
How far in advance should I order fleece for the fall season? Ordering core fleece colors in late summer is generally recommended, since demand and lead times both increase as the season approaches.