Choosing a Hoodie: Weight, Fit and Fabric

Most hoodies look the same on the rack. Cotton blend, drawstring, kangaroo pocket, done. But pick two off the same shelf and you can feel the difference the moment you put them on. One sits clean across the shoulders and holds its shape. The other slumps after a wash, pills around the cuffs and feels like a souvenir tee with extra fabric.

The gap between those two hoodies comes down to three things you can actually check before you buy: weight, fit and fabric. Get those right and the rest (colour, branding, drawstring tips) is just personal taste. This guide walks you through each one, in the order that matters most.

1. Weight: read the GSM number

GSM stands for grams per square metre. It's the single most useful number on a hoodie spec sheet, and most cheap-end brands hide it for a reason.

Here's the rough map you can carry in your head:

• 240 to 280 GSM is a light hoodie. Sits closer to a long-sleeve tee with a hood. Fine for spring layering, warm-weather walks, or wearing under a jacket. Tends to wrinkle and lose shape faster.
• 280 to 320 GSM is the everyday weight. Substantial enough to wear on its own in cool weather, light enough that you won't overheat the moment you step inside. This is where most quality blanks sit.
• 320 to 400 GSM is heavy fleece territory. Thick, structured, holds its shape through years of washing. Better for outdoor work, cold mornings, or anyone who likes a hoodie that feels like a piece of kit rather than loungewear. The trade-off: longer drying time and a bit more weight to lug around.
• 400 GSM and up is the gym-rat / streetwear heavy end. Almost coat-like. Niche.

If a product page doesn't list GSM at all, that's a yellow flag. It usually means the brand is buying whatever's cheapest that month and the weight changes between batches. On Blank Fashion we list GSM on every hoodie because the number tells you more than the marketing copy ever will. The Mens Brushed Heavy Fleece Hoodie is a good reference point if you want to feel what 320 GSM with brushed-back fleece actually wears like.

2. Fit: it's not just your usual size

Hoodies are cut three ways, and your usual tee size doesn't always carry across.

Regular fit is the safe middle. Straight body, a touch of room through the chest, sleeves that finish at your wrist bone. This is what most people want and what most brands actually deliver, even when they call it something else.

Slim or tailored fit sits closer to the body, tapers slightly at the waist, and has narrower sleeves. Looks tidier under a jacket. Less forgiving if you're between sizes, and definitely not what you want if you like a relaxed kangaroo pocket.

Boxy or oversized fit is shorter in the body, wider through the chest, and the shoulder seam usually sits below your actual shoulder. Streetwear cut. Worth knowing because some brands now ship "boxy" as their default, so if you ordered your normal size and got something that looked cropped, that's why.

Two checks that matter more than the size label:

1. Body length. Stand straight, arms relaxed. The hem should sit somewhere between the top of your hip bone and mid-pocket on your jeans. Anything shorter rides up when you raise your arms. Anything longer starts looking sloppy.

2. Sleeve length. Cuff should hit your wrist bone with arms hanging. Add a centimetre or two if you want some slouch over your hand in winter.

Tall and short frames usually need to look past the label entirely. We've got a full size guide that maps body measurements (not size letters) to each cut we stock, so you can match by numbers instead of guessing.

3. Fabric: the bit that decides how it ages

Two hoodies at the same GSM can still feel and wear completely differently. Fabric is why.

Cotton-rich blends (80% cotton or higher) feel soft straight out of the bag, breathe well, and take dye cleanly so the colour stays true. The trade-off is they wrinkle, can shrink on the first wash if you cook them in a hot cycle, and pill faster than synthetics around high-friction areas (under the arms, inside the kangaroo pocket).

Poly-cotton blends (usually 50/50 or 65/35) are the workhorse. More shape retention, faster drying, less wrinkling, and they handle high-volume laundry without falling apart. Slightly less soft on day one, but they age better over two or three years.

Brushed-back fleece is what gives a hoodie that fuzzy, warm feel on the inside. It's not a different material on its own; it's a finish applied to the inner surface of the fabric. A 320 GSM hoodie with brushed back will feel warmer than a 320 GSM hoodie without it.

Recycled blends and organic cotton are becoming common. The construction quality varies wildly. Don't pay a premium for the label alone. Check the GSM and the stitching before you trust the certification.

A small thing that matters: look at the rib cuffs and hem. Are they thick and tightly knitted? Or thin and floppy? That's usually the first thing to give out, and it's a fast tell for overall build quality.

Putting it together: a quick decision matrix

If you only want the short version, here's how to match the three levers to what you'll actually use the hoodie for.

• Daily wear, mild AU climate: 280 to 320 GSM, regular fit, cotton-rich blend.
• Outdoor work or cold mornings: 320 to 400 GSM, regular fit, poly-cotton with brushed-back fleece.
• Layering under a jacket: 240 to 280 GSM, slim or regular fit, cotton-rich.
• Streetwear / lounge: 320 GSM or heavier, boxy fit, brushed back, whatever fabric feels best.
• Tall frame: prioritise body length over GSM. Use the size guide, not the size letter.

Browse the full hoodies range or jump straight into mens hoodies to compare GSM and fit side by side.

One last thing: how you wash it matters too

You can pick the perfect hoodie and still kill it in the first month with the wrong wash. Cold cycle, inside out, never the dryer if you can help it. Full walkthrough in the next post: how to wash and care for your hoodie so it lasts.

If you're also weighing up a tee or polo while you're here, the same logic applies. Cotton vs polyester vs CoolDry covers fabric for daily wear, and what makes a quality plain t-shirt walks through the buyer's checklist version of this guide.

That's the whole game. Weight first, fit second, fabric third. Get those three right and a hoodie will outlast every cheaper one you've owned.