Custom Hoodie Manufacturer

Custom hoodie manufacturing: blocks, fabrics, decoration and process

SLSPOLO is a knitwear factory in Dongguan, China, producing OEM and ODM hoodies for brands, uniform programmes and wholesale buyers. We cut and sew pullover, zip-up, oversized and cropped blocks in 240–550 gsm loop-back French terry and brushed fleece, with screen print, embroidery, heat transfer and private label handled in-house. Minimum order is 100 pieces per style per colour. Samples take 3–7 days and bulk production takes 15–25 days. Production runs across four lines in Dongguan and Hunan, inspected to AQL 2.5 under ISO 9001 certification held since 2009.

Hoodie blocks we build: pullover, zip-up, oversized and cropped

Four blocks cover most of the hoodie programmes we run: pullover, full zip-up, oversized drop-shoulder and cropped. Each one is built from the same set of construction decisions, and every decision is written into your spec sheet before a sample is cut. Hoods are cut in two or three panels so the crown sits flat against the back neck, and are lined in self fabric, contrast jersey or a printed lining. Drawcords run flat or round, with dipped, knotted or metal tips, set through bar-tacked eyelets. Kangaroo pockets are bar-tacked at both openings, and zipped pockets can be added. Cuffs and hem are ribbed with elastane and dyed in the same lot as the shell, so the rib does not read as a different colour after washing. Seams are twin-needle topstitched or coverstitched as your spec sets out.

If you already have a tech pack, we quote from it directly. If you only have a sample garment, we take it apart, record the seams and stitch types, measure the pattern pieces, weigh the fabric and identify the yarn, then send you a written spec with a size chart and construction notes for approval. Blocks are graded for men, women and unisex size runs from your base size, and we make a full graded size set rather than only the sample size, so you can check the fit at both ends of the range before bulk starts.

Fabric and weight: choosing between 250 and 550 gsm

Two fabric families cover the range. Loop-back French terry keeps the unbrushed loop side next to the skin, so it stays dry and cool, and it prints cleanly because the face is flat. Brushed fleece is brushed on the back to raise a soft nap, which traps air and adds warmth without adding much weight. Weight runs from 250 to 550 gsm, and the choice is mostly about the season and the silhouette you want.

Three checks happen before fabric reaches the cutting table. We weigh the finished cloth with a round cutter and a gram scale and record the result on the fabric inspection sheet. We compare each roll with your approved swatch under a light box and sort rolls into shade groups, so one garment is cut from one group. We also make up a sample garment in the chosen fabric, run it through a domestic wash cycle, and re-measure chest, body length and sleeve length, then send you the before and after numbers so you can write your own tolerances into the spec. Pilling starts at the yarn, not at the finish: we specify combed ring-spun face yarn for printed hoodies, because a longer fibre and a smoother face leave less surface fuzz and hold print edges sharp.

Print, embroidery and dye: what runs in-house

Decoration is handled in the same facility as cutting and sewing, so artwork decisions do not turn into handoffs between suppliers. Screen printing covers plastisol, water-based and discharge inks, with one screen made per colour per placement, plus puff and high-density finishes where you want a raised surface. Water-based ink sits softer on loop-back; plastisol gives a heavier hand and higher opacity on dark fleece. Embroidery runs flat satin, 3D puff over foam, chenille, appliqué and chain stitch, with the backing chosen to match the fabric weight so the panel stays flat under a dense fill. Heat transfer prints full-colour and photographic artwork without screens, which suits individual names and numbers.

Tie-dye and garment dye happen after the garment is made up, so every piece comes out individual. Colour is approved on a strike-off before the run, and the pattern is cut with the dye process in mind. To keep sampling inside the 3–7 day window, send artwork as vector files with Pantone TCX references, and give placement as a measurement from the high point of the shoulder or the centre front. We digitise embroidery files, expose screens and press strike-offs inside the same sample round.

Trims, private label and packing

A hoodie programme is usually recognised by its trims more than by its body, so we treat trims as a separate approval round. Woven labels and hangtags start at 1,000 pieces, jacquard labels and silicone patches at 300, and those minimums sit alongside the 100 piece garment minimum rather than on top of it. Drawcords are dyed to match or to contrast, tipped in rubber or metal, and set through eyelets that are bar-tacked on the hood. Zips run in number 3 and number 5 gauges in metal, moulded or coil tape, with the tape dyed to the shell; if your brand names a zip supplier, put it in the tech pack and we will quote it.

Care labels are printed with fibre composition, wash symbols, country of origin and your RN or CA number. Packing is specified per order: individual polybag, size and barcode sticker, size ratio per carton, carton dimensions and carton marking, and a recycled polybag option where your programme calls for it. Every trim is approved on a physical sample and signed off before bulk fabric is booked, so nothing arrives at the line unconfirmed.

From tech pack to shipment: the steps

1. Send the tech pack: spec sheet, size chart with grade rules, bill of materials, artwork and target price. A physical sample works if you do not have files.
2. We confirm fabric, trims and decoration, then return a quote with price breaks, minimums and a sampling date.
3. Approvals: lab dips or strike-offs, hand-feel swatches and physical trim samples, sent to you before sampling starts.
4. Sampling in 3–7 days: a fit sample and, for a new block, a graded size set, returned with a measurement sheet and photographs.
5. Revisions if you need them, then the confirmed sample is sealed.
6. Pre-production sample made in bulk fabric and bulk trims, sealed as the reference for the line and for final inspection.
7. Bulk production in 15–25 days across four lines, with in-line checks at the hood, pocket, rib and zip operations.
8. Final inspection to AQL 2.5, packing to the carton marking you approved, then handover.

Trade terms are EXW, FOB Shenzhen Yantian or DDP. Payment is T/T with a deposit and the balance before shipment, or L/C at sight for full container loads. Production times above cover the factory only.

How a hoodie run is checked and controlled

• Incoming fabric: every roll is weighed, width-checked and shade-sorted under a light box, and the readings go on the fabric inspection sheet.
• Sealed reference: the pre-production sample is signed off and kept at the line, so inspectors compare against a physical standard rather than against memory.
• In-line checks: hood centring, pocket placement and symmetry, rib match at cuff and hem, and zip alignment are checked at the station where each operation happens.
• Measurement: tolerances are agreed with you and written into the spec before cutting. Each size is measured flat at chest, body length, sleeve length and hood, and the readings are recorded per carton.
• Wash testing: sample garments are washed and re-measured, and the numbers are shared with you so wash-care wording and packing specs are set from real data.
• Final inspection: finished cartons are randomly sampled to AQL 2.5, and packing is checked against the carton marking and size ratio you approved.
• Documentation: we have worked to documented ISO 9001 procedures since 2009, and needle detection is part of the packing routine. Your own inspector or a third-party agency is welcome at final inspection.

Frequently asked questions