Hoodie Weight Guide: 8 oz to 14 oz Explained

Hoodie listings love throwing numbers at you, 8 oz, 280 gsm, "midweight." Here's how to translate.

What the numbers mean

Fleece weight measures fabric density in ounces per square yard (or grams per square meter). Higher = thicker, warmer, more structured. Lower = lighter, cheaper, better for layering.

The practical ranges

8-9 oz (270-300 gsm): budget-friendly, fine for giveaways and mild climates. 10-12 oz (330-400 gsm): the sweet spot for merch people pay for, substantial without being a sleeping bag. 13-14 oz (440+ gsm): premium heavyweight; drapes beautifully, prints spectacularly, costs accordingly.

Our recommendation

For sellable merch, we steer almost everyone to 10-12 oz. It photographs well, feels like quality in hand, and holds both prints and embroidery cleanly. Going premium? The jump to 14 oz heavyweight is the single upgrade customers notice most.