Fleece Jacket Manufacturing: Weight, Fabric & MOQ Explained

The fleece jacket is the volume backbone of most outerwear brands — easy to spec, forgiving in fit, and sellable across three seasons. But "fleece" is not one fabric; it is a family, and quoting it wrong is the most common way new buyers overpay. This guide covers weight, fabric types, and MOQ so you can brief a blank jacket manufacturer correctly on the first message.

Fleece weight explained

Fleece is measured in grams per square meter (gsm). The three working tiers:

• 180-220 gsm: lightweight, spring/summer layering, travel fleece. Pairs with a lightweight jacket manufacturer for summer programs.
• 260-300 gsm: the standard midweight fleece jacket most brands sell. Best margin-to-risk ratio.
• 320-380 gsm: heavy winter weight, often sherpa-lined. High retail but slow in warm markets.

If your supplier quotes "fleece" without a gsm number, stop and ask. The price difference between 220 and 300 gsm can be 25% on FOB.

Fabric types

• Polar fleece: the classic, brushed both sides, most cost-effective.
• Microfleece: finer, lighter, softer hand — used in premium blank jackets.
• Sherpa fleece: long pile, heavy, used as lining in a functional jacket.
• Recycled polyester (rPET) fleece: 5-15% premium but increasingly required by EU/US buyers.

MOQ reality

A standard wholesale blank jackets order starts at 100 pcs/color, 300 pcs/style. For custom blank jackets with your own label and color dye, expect 500 pcs/color. A blank jacket manufacturer running reactive dyeing can push color MOQ to 300, but only if you accept a longer lead time.

How fleece fits the wider line

A fleece jacket is rarely sold alone. The common bundle: a fleece mid-layer plus a functional jacket shell as a "3-in-1" system. If you source both from the same factory, the zipper specification can be matched so the two pieces mate — a detail buyers notice and a reason to consolidate suppliers.

Lining and finish options

Most buyers forget the finish. Anti-pill treatment is standard on midweight and up; skip it only on price-driven promotional goods. For a premium feel, ask for a bonded fleece (fleece laminated to a thin jersey) — it adds $1.50-2.50 FOB but lets you retail 20% higher.

Cost benchmark (FOB China, 2026)

• 220 gsm microfleece blank: $4.20-$6.50
• 280 gsm polar fleece blank: $5.50-$8.00
• 300 gsm custom with woven label: $7.80-$11.00
• Bonded premium custom: $10.50-$15.00

Briefing template for your manufacturer

• State gsm and fabric type explicitly.
• Confirm anti-pill treatment is included.
• Specify if the fleece must zip into a functional jacket shell.
• Split MOQ: how many pure blanks vs custom.
• Ask for recycled polyester option even if you do not buy it now — it signals you are a serious buyer.

Bottom line: spec the gsm, choose the fabric family, and split your MOQ between blanks and custom. A fleece jacket briefed this way quotes 15% lower on the first round than a vague "I need some fleece.