Hoodie Manufacturers: 7 Blank Makers vs Custom Cut-and-Sew

Hoodie manufacturers fall into two groups. Blank makers sell finished hoodies that printers and brands decorate with their own artwork. Cut-and-sew factories make a hoodie from your own pattern, fabric and trims. This guide profiles seven well-known blank makers, says what each one states on its own website, and explains when a brand outgrows blanks and needs custom production.

It is an editorial list, not a ranking and not a list of our partners. If you already know you want a custom hoodie made in Europe, our page on custom hoodie manufacturing in Portugal covers minimums, lead times and costs. For the cost comparison between the two options, read cut-and-sew vs blanks.

How Did We Choose These Hoodie Manufacturers?

We picked companies whose hoodie blanks are widely sold to printers, embroiderers and brands, then checked each one on its own website in October 2026: where it is based, what it says about its fleece and where it makes or stocks its garments. We did not rank them, because the right maker depends on your price point, market and how much control you need over the garment. Treat the list as a starting point and check the current spec sheet of the exact style before you order.

Who Are the Leading Hoodie Blank Makers?

All seven sell stock hoodies built to be decorated. Each profile says what the company states about itself and the kind of brand it tends to suit.

Los Angeles Apparel (USA)

Los Angeles Apparel sells its HF09 Heavy Fleece hoodie in a 14 oz fleece, in garment-dyed and piece-dyed versions. Its product page says the hoodie is knitted, cut, sewn and dyed in Los Angeles, California, and it runs a wholesale channel alongside retail. Best for brands that want a heavy, US-made blank and accept a higher price per piece.

Cotton Heritage (USA)

Cotton Heritage sells premium blanks to the US market, with a fleece range of pullover and zip hoodies, crewnecks and bottoms. On its website it describes itself as a mill-direct, WRAP-certified company focused on printability. Best for printers and emerging brands that want fleece blanks with a decoration-friendly surface.

AS Colour (New Zealand)

AS Colour was established in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2005. Its about page says it now runs thirty-one retail locations and six distribution facilities across Europe, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Its range includes sweats and hoodies with a clean, minimal look. Best for design-led brands that want a consistent premium blank in several markets.

Independent Trading Co (USA)

Independent Trading Company describes itself as a manufacturer and supplier of blank and custom apparel for screen printers and brands since 1987, with stock in California and Pennsylvania. Its fleece is grouped into 10 oz heavyweight and 12 oz super heavyweight collections, alongside midweight and lightweight styles. Best for print shops and brands that want a well-known fleece blank with US stock.

Gildan (Canada)

Gildan describes itself as a leading apparel company with vertically integrated manufacturing, and it has acquired HanesBrands. Its US wholesale site groups the Gildan, Hanes Printwear, Comfort Colors, American Apparel and Champion brands. Best for high-volume decoration programmes where price per piece and stock depth matter more than a distinctive garment.

Champion Printwear (USA)

Champion Printwear is the wholesale blank line of the Champion brand, sold to decorators through Gildan's product locator. Its featured collections include Reverse Weave and Powerblend fleece. Best for brands and teams that want a recognisable heritage fleece as the base for their own decoration.

Stanley/Stella (Europe)

Stanley/Stella presents itself as a European brand for premium and sustainable blank apparel, founded in 2012, made from organic cotton and recycled materials and designed to be printed and embroidered. Its sustainability FAQ says its t-shirts, sweatshirts and polos are made in Bangladesh, where it works with eleven partner factories. Best for European brands that want organic-cotton blanks for print or embroidery.

Here is how the seven compare at a glance.

Source: each company's own website, checked October 2026.

How Do You Choose the Right Hoodie Manufacturer?

Decide whether you need a blank or a custom garment before you shortlist anyone. If you want your artwork on a proven fit, a blank is faster and needs less money up front: choose the maker by price, weight and where it stocks, then send the garments to a decorator. Our guide to screen printing vs DTG compares the two main print methods.

If you want a hoodie that is genuinely yours (your fleece weight, your pattern, your rib, drawcord and hardware), you need custom cut-and-sew. That is a different process: a tech pack, a sample, fabric that may be knitted and dyed for your order, and a factory sized for your quantity. Whichever option you choose, ask for the exact fabric weight and composition in writing rather than a word like heavyweight. Our guide to fleece fabric explains how fleece and French terry differ.

What Minimums Should You Expect?

Blank makers sell finished garments, so the minimum you meet is usually the decorator's, not a factory's: printers and embroiderers set their own order minimums and set-up fees. Ask your decorator before you buy the blanks.

Custom cut-and-sew works differently. The factory needs enough pieces per style to make cutting and sewing worthwhile, and the fleece often sets the real floor, because a mill may only knit or dye a colour in a minimum quantity. Hoodies use far more fabric than t-shirts, so a fabric minimum that suits a t-shirt order can mean a large hoodie order. Ask for the minimum per style and per colour, not one total. In our partner factories in Portugal, production starts from 100 units per style, and sometimes 50 for basics, decided with the factory for your product.

How Do You Work With a Hoodie Factory?

Start with a complete tech pack, especially for custom cut-and-sew. Factories quote and sample faster when they receive a spec sheet with a bill of materials, graded measurements, construction and stitch details, and the fabric weight and composition. For hoodies, the fleece, the hood shape, the rib and the drawcord and hardware carry most of the risk, so name them precisely. If you don't have one, our tech pack service is €79 per style.

Then agree the timeline and the payment terms in writing before you pay a deposit. Sampling comes before bulk, and a custom fleece that has to be knitted and dyed adds time. Pay the factory's own company, in its own country, and arrange a final inspection before you release the balance. For blanks, the equivalent step is a decorated sample approved before the full run.

Where Does Portugal Fit for Hoodie Production?

Fleece is a northern Portuguese strength

The northern cluster around Porto, Guimarães, Braga, Barcelos and Famalicão is known for knitted fabric, and fleece and French terry sit inside that. Knitting, dyeing, finishing and cut-and-sew are close together, so a hoodie can be developed, sampled and produced in the region. Style guides such as our drop shoulder hoodie guide and acid wash hoodies guide show the kind of detail that goes into a brief.

Minimums from 100 units per style

Production in our partner factories starts from 100 units per style, and sometimes 50 for basics, decided with the factory. Working from fabric the mills already run keeps the commitment proportionate for a growing brand.

Close to European customers

Portugal is inside the EU single market, so goods reach EU customers by road with no customs entry. For a brand whose losses come from unsold stock rather than unit cost, reordering a selling colour quickly can be worth more than a lower unit price.

The cost position

Portuguese production costs more per hoodie than high-volume production in Asia. What it offers is shorter transit into Europe, moderate minimums and production you can visit. A brand competing purely on retail price will usually find a blank or a high-volume factory a better fit. Our hoodie manufacturer in Portugal page lists the minimums, lead times and cost ranges for custom hoodies.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hoodie Manufacturers

Sources used in this article

1. Los Angeles Apparel, HF09 Heavy Fleece Hoodie (Garment Dye): 14 oz fleece; knitted, cut, sewn and dyed in Los Angeles.
2. Cotton Heritage: mill-direct, WRAP-certified premium blanks; fleece range.
3. AS Colour, About us: established 2005 in Auckland; retail locations and distribution facilities.
4. Independent Trading Co, About us: since 1987; stock in California and Pennsylvania.
5. Gildan, Gildan acquires HanesBrands: acquisition and vertically integrated manufacturing.
6. Champion Printwear: Reverse Weave and Powerblend wholesale collections.
7. Stanley/Stella, Sustainability FAQ: sweatshirts made in Bangladesh with eleven partner factories.