Hanes vs Gildan hoodie showdown: Which one’s right for you?

The Hanes vs Gildan hoodie matchup is one of the most-searched topics in custom printing. Both brands offer the perfect blend of comfort, affordability, and a premium feel. So, where’s the real gap? 

The difference shows up in fabric composition, size ranges, and color palettes. This Hanes vs Gildan guide walks through every layer of comparison that matters to help you find the best hoodie for your catalog.

What is Hanes?

Hanes is an American brand founded in 1900. They offer high-quality apparel for everyday wear, ranging from hoodies, t-shirts, sweatpants, and underwear for men, women, and kids. 

The company manufactures its apparel across multiple global facilities, including in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. 

In December 2025, Gildan Activewear completed its acquisition of HanesBrands, the group behind Hanes products. Currently, both brands offer their own hoodies, t-shirts, and other basics. 

*Hanes shirts and hoodies are currently not available at Printful.

What is Gildan? 

Gildan is a Canadian apparel manufacturer founded in 1946. They’re known for their excellent quality and affordable prices, offering t-shirts, hoodies, fleece, socks, and more for the wholesale, screen-printing, and print-on-demand (POD) markets.

Gildan sources roughly 90% of its cotton from the US, with manufacturing running in Honduras, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Bangladesh.

Gildan used to be a Hanes competitor, but it now owns the Hanes label after completing its acquisition of HanesBrands. The company also owns other popular brands, such as Comfort Colors and American Apparel.

Gildan vs Hanes hoodie comparison

We’re putting the Gildan 18500 Unisex Heavy Blend Hoodie up against the Hanes EcoSmart® Unisex Fleece Hoodie (P170). 

Many POD sellers put these two Gildan and Hanes hoodies side-by-side to see which offers the best value and is best suited for custom printing. 

Let’s explore their key differences and similarities by taking a closer look at their:

• Style

• Fabric quality, composition, and weight

• Colors

• Sizes

• Embroidery and print placements

• Price
  
  

1. Style

Both the Gildan 18500 and Hanes P170 share a classic-fit unisex pullover cut and the same core silhouette: a front kangaroo pocket, a double-lined hood with a color-matched drawstring, and ribbed cuffs and waistband. Neither is slim fit nor relaxed fit – they land in the middle.

Unisex sizing works in a seller’s favor. One product covers many customers across genders, body types, and trending hoodie designs without splitting inventory or SKUs. That keeps your catalog tighter and simplifies fulfillment as orders scale.

However, small construction details set them apart:

• The Gildan 18500 uses a quarter-turned body to prevent creasing down the middle, plus double-needle stitching at the collar, shoulders, armholes, cuffs, and hem. 

• The Hanes P170 uses coverstitched neck and armholes with double-needle seams everywhere else. 
  
  

Neither build is objectively better – it comes down to different preferences. The Gildan offers a more structured collar that keeps its shape, wear after wear. The Hanes hoodie gives more at the neckline, so it slides on and off more easily. Both hold up through multiple washes.

2. Fabric composition and weight

Both the Gildan and Hanes hoodies use a 50/50 cotton-polyester blend and land at similar fabric weights. The real differences sit in how the fabric is spun, whether it’s pre-shrunk, and where the cotton comes from.

Hanes EcoSmart® Unisex Fleece Hoodie (P170):

• 50% US-grown cotton, 50% polyester

• Up to 5% of the polyester content is made from recycled plastic bottles

• Fabric weight: 7.8 oz/yd² (264.5 g/m²)

• Patented low-pill, high-stitch density PrintPro® XP fleece
  
  

Gildan 18500 Unisex Heavy Blend Hoodie:

• 50% pre-shrunk cotton, 50% polyester (Heather Sport Dark Navy runs 40% cotton, 60% polyester)

• Fabric weight: 8.0 oz/yd² (271.25 g/m²)

• Air-jet spun yarn creates a tight weave, softness, and reduced pilling
  
  

Both hoodie fabrics are built to hold print quality through repeated washes. However, since the Gildan 18500 uses pre-shrunk fabric, it shrinks less after washing and holds a more consistent fit over time. 

For a POD seller, that translates to fewer sizing complaints and fewer returns. Just make sure to include our care instructions on your custom hoodie listing pages so customers can maintain the print and material quality. 

3. Colors

Both the Hanes vs Gildan hoodies come in 26 colors. The ranges match on core neutrals (black, white, navy, ash, sand, gray heathers) and the standard color wheel (red, maroon, royal, forest green, purple, gold). Where they differ is in the specialty colors.

The Hanes hoodie leans into workwear and outdoor use:

• Safety Orange and Safety Green meet the high-visibility requirements for construction crews, road workers, and hunters during rifle season. 

• Army Brown, Fatigue Green, and Spanish Moss fit tactical gear, hunting camps, and hiking club merch. 
  
  

Gildan offers more heathered tones and mid-bright colors:

• Dark Heather, Graphite Heather, and Heather Sport Dark Navy photograph well against all skin tones and pair with almost any print color, making it popular for hoodie businesses that sell casual wear.  

• Heliconia (hot pink), Irish Green, and Orange are well-suited to streetwear brands, festival merch, and college fan gear. They stand out in a crowd, pop on social feeds, and match team or event branding without going neon.
  
  

Whichever brand you pick, match your palette to your audience. Gildan gives lifestyle and streetwear sellers more heathers and brights to build a lineup around. Hanes offers more options for workwear, safety, and outdoor stores. 

4. Sizes

Both the Gildan and Hanes hoodies use the same body width across sizes S through 3XL. At those sizes, the two garments fit almost identically in the chest and torso.

Where they differ:

• Size range. The Gildan 18500 goes up to 5XL, while the Hanes P170 tops out at 3XL. If your audience skews toward plus sizes, Gildan gives you more room to build a size-inclusive lineup.

• Torso length above XL. Gildan adds a full inch of length for each size up, while Hanes stays closer to 30-31”. Taller wearers in larger sizes may find Gildan more comfortable.
  
  

Gildan 18500’s size chart:

Hanes P170’s size chart:

5. Embroidery and print placements

Print and embroidery placement options depend on your Print Provider, not the hoodie itself. 

Both the Hanes and Gildan hoodies have the same key surfaces to work with – front, back, sleeves, and the inside label spot – so what changes between suppliers is which placements and printing techniques they support. 

At Printful, the Gildan 18500 supports direct-to-garment (DTG), DTFlex (Printful’s take on direct-to-film), and embroidery with these hoodie design placements: 

• DTG print placements. Front, back, left sleeve, right sleeve, and outside label. 

• DTFlex print placements. Front, back, left sleeve, right sleeve, and inside label. 

• Embroidery placements. Left chest, center chest, large center, left wrist, and right wrist.
  
  

For file setup, our guides on creating print files and embroidery files go over file formats, resolution, and common mistakes to avoid. 

If you’re sourcing the Hanes P170, make sure to verify your Print Provider’s placements and decoration methods before finalizing your designs.

Read also: Hoodie design ideas: Creative looks to try

6. Price

Both brands offer high-quality apparel that sellers can stock as affordable options without cutting into their margins. The difference is in what each price actually covers.

The Gildan 18500 through Printful starts from $22.19, with one DTG print placement included. That covers the hoodie, the print, and the fulfillment. 

The Gildan hoodie is also eligible for bulk order discounts of up to 38%, offering great value for events, merch drops, and company swag orders. 

The Hanes P170 sells for $27 on their website as a blank hoodie, with no customization options or fulfillment included.

That said, wholesale suppliers may sell the P170 blank at a price below retail. Add decoration and fulfillment, though, and the total per-unit cost usually lands around what you’d pay for the Gildan 18500 through Printful.

Quick tip: For more product recommendations, check out our guide to the best quality hoodies for printing. 

Are Hanes or Gildan sweatshirts better?

Both Hanes and Gildan offer solid choices for sellers who want to prioritize affordability while still delivering superior comfort and high-quality fabrics to their customers. The right hoodie comes down to what fits your audience.

Choose Gildan 18500 if:

• You want a bundled workflow – hoodie, print, and fulfillment through Printful in one order.

• Your audience skews toward athleisure, streetwear, or lifestyle brands that need heather and mid-bright colors.

• You need larger sizes (S-5XL) to build a size-inclusive lineup.
  
  

Choose Hanes P170 if:

• You want US-grown cotton and recycled polyester content in the EcoSmart® fabric.

• Your audience skews toward workwear, safety, hunting, or outdoor brands, where Hanes’s color range fits better.

• Sizes S-3XL cover your customer base.
  
  

Ready to build your hoodie lineup? 

Final thoughts

The Hanes vs Gildan hoodie decision comes down to the best fit for your business. 

The Gildan 18500 offers a bundled workflow through Printful, larger sizes, and a color range that fits lifestyle and streetwear brands. The Hanes P170 offers unique selling points like US-grown cotton and recycled polyester for workwear and outdoor audiences.

With Printful, you can start a clothing brand selling Gildan hoodies with no monthly fees or upfront costs. Only pay when a customer orders. Design and sell custom tees, hoodies, hats, and more while we handle the printing and shipping.