Whether you want to pack your favorite hoodie for an overseas trip or you need to ship a hoodie you just sold on eBay, you will need to figure out how much your cozy hooded sweatshirt actually weighs
You can learn how to find out how much a hoodie weighs with examples in this handy guide
The average midweight hoodie for men and women weighs between 16 to 25 ounces
That said, the weight of a hoodie varies a lot based on the thickness of the fabric and the size of the garment
In this article, you will find out how much hoodies usually weigh
You will learn how to ship a hoodie based on its weight
Finally, you will find an overview of some popular brands and learn how to discover the weight of each one
Quick NavigationHow Much Do Hoodies Usually Weigh?How Much Does a Hoodie WeighHow Much Does a Thick Hoodie Weigh?How Do You Ship a Hoodie?Average Hoodie WeightConclusion
How Much Do Hoodies Usually Weigh?
On average, most adult-sized hoodies weigh between 16 to 25 ounces or 453 to 708 grams
Do you count any bulky outwear with a hood in this category, or only hooded shirts made out of sweatshirt fleece?
Most fashion experts agree that a hoodie is a garment made out of sweatshirt fleece with a hood and often features muff or muff-like pockets in the front
A hoodie can have a zipper or be a pull-on type garment, but it will always have a hood and a drawstring in that hood
Basically, you can think of a hoodie as any kind of sweatshirt that has a hood
Two major factors determine the weight of a hoodie
A kid-sized hooded jacket will weigh much less than a women’s medium or a men’s XL!
While most sweatshirts feature a light fleece with a smooth knit on the outside and soft fleece on the inside, some use a heavy fleece for extra warmth
The thick, heavy fabric that provides added insulation will weigh more than a light or medium-weight fleece
The material used to make this sweatshirt fleece can also play a role
Polyester, cotton, and 50/50 blends of the two will weigh different amounts, for example
Finally, you can also find much smaller differences in weight because of little things like how the hoodie style is cut or what kind of decorative elements it contains
Casual lightweight hoodies sometimes come in a fitted style these days that nips in at the waist
These will contain less fabric than the traditional baggy, bulky pullover
The addition of a zipper or other decorative elements like beads on the hood drawstring can also add to the weight
With so many different factors to consider, can you accurately predict the weight of a hoodie?
The weight of any hoodie depends on its size, style, and the type of fabric used in it
You can easily find out that the average hoodie weighs around 20 ounces, but this will not help you pinpoint the weight of your specific garment!
To pin down the exact weight of a garment, your best bet is to buy or borrow a postage scale
This flat scale will allow you to measure the exact, specific weight of any garment
Some digital scales even come with tools that can translate the weight into ounces, grams, or pounds for you
If that seems like a lot of trouble, you can almost always find weight data from the garment manufacturer or seller
For example, sellers on Amazon often post the weight of an item in the product description
Men’s vs Women’s Hoodies
In most cases, women’s-sized hoodies contain significantly less fabric than men’s sizes
Plus, a women’s large could contain just as much as a men’s small, depending on the sweatshirt type!
All the same, most of the time, you can expect a women’s hoodie to weigh a bit less than a men’s sweatshirt
However, keep in mind that some hoodie brands come in a “universal” or unisex cut, just like some t-shirts
This may mean that the brand chose to avoid gendering styles and offers a one-size-fits-all shape for everyone
In this case, you won’t have any indication as to the weight of the hoodie unless you can find specific shipping info in the product description for that garment
Child or teen sizes also typically contain less fabric and weigh much less
These smaller garments also roll or fold up into much smaller shapes, making them easier to fit in standard shipping containers
Does it matter if you weigh your hoodie using pounds, ounces, grams, or kilograms?
The United States Postal Service uses measurements of pounds and ounces, but many international sellers use the metric version comprised of grams and kilograms
If you’re flying internationally, you may need to know how many grams your hoodie weighs to ensure your luggage will get on the plane without incident
If you’re shipping a Christmas present to a friend in the States, though, you probably want to know how many ounces the shirt weighs before you head to the post office
The good news is that you can easily find weight convertors online to help you with this process
This handy calculator, for example, can quickly translate one weight system into the other for you
Weight By Size
One of the biggest factors in the weight of a hoodie is its size
It makes sense that a size L uses more fabric than a size S, after all!
The other thing you have to consider is that more fabric means more bulk as you try to roll up your sweatshirt to squeeze it into a shipping package or suitcase
If you’re wondering specifically how much does a 5XL hoodie weigh or how much does a medium hoodie weigh, you will have to find info on the particular brand of hoodie you own
On average, you can anticipate that a medium-sized unisex hoodie will weigh roughly 19 oz
A 5XL hoodie can easily weigh in at an average weight of 30 to 31 oz
Remember that those are average weights, though!
Your specific sweatshirt might have a zipper, extra-thick fleece material, or even have no sleeves!
A thick, heavyweight hoodie usually weighs at least 24 oz, much more than an average sweatshirt, because of the type of fabric used
Of course, larger-sized thick hoodies will weigh even more than that, and small heavyweight sweatshirts may clock in at slightly less than the average 24 oz
A 10 oz hoodie falls considerably under the average weight for a medium-sized sweatshirt and is not considered heavy
In fact, at that little weight, it probably either has no sleeves or comes in a very small size!
It may also feature a lightweight knit fabric instead of the more traditional sweatshirt fleece, making it more of a warm-weather garment than a typical hoodie
How Much Does a Midweight Hoodie Weigh?
The average weight of a midweight hoodie is 19 to 20 oz
This does vary based on the size of the garment, though
Typically a midweight hoodie has a thin knit side facing out and a soft but not too deep fleece layer on the inside of the garment
Some brands, like Carhartt, actually specify the weight of the fabric they use for a lightweight, medium-weight, and heavyweight hoodie
For example, Carhartt uses fabric that weighs 105 oz per yard for midweight sweatshirts and 13 oz per yard fabric for heavyweight hoodies
What is the Heaviest Weight Sweatshirt?
Most clothing manufacturers class any hoodie that weighs at least 24 oz as a heavyweight sweatshirt
This kind of hooded sweatshirt uses a particularly deep, thick fleece
Most of the time, this sweatshirt fleece still contains cotton, polyester, or a polycotton blend
Most manufacturers measure the thickness and weight of this fabric using a term called grams per square yard, or GSM
For example, a very heavyweight hoodie might contain fabric that weighs 400 or 500 GSM
It’s confusing that different brands and sellers use ounces per square yard or grams per square meter to describe the weight of the fabric used in these sweatshirts
Unfortunately, you may just have to use your handy online converter because international brands and sellers tend to use the metric system
The weight of the fabric used in the sweatshirt helps you know how bulky the sweatshirt is but does not tell you specifically how much the garment as a whole weighs
How Do You Ship a Hoodie?
To ship a hoodie successfully, you need to know its weight, figure out how to fold it efficiently, and place it into the right kind of shipping package
You could have a lot of different reasons to ship hoodies
In this case, you almost certainly sell customized hoodies!
The best way to avoid this calamity is to weigh the individual garment before packing it
If you do not have a digital scale, you can look up the original manufacturer of the sweatshirt and see if you can find weight info online
Secondly, you need to fold up the hoodie carefully to use as little volume as possible
Fold the right sleeve over so that it lines up along the right side of the sweatshirt, with the cuff now touching the bottom right side of the hem
Drag it over and then fold it over the fold so that it lines up with the left side of the shirt, cuff near the hem at the left side
You should now have a narrow, rectangular shape of the shirt with just the hood sticking out of the top
Fold the hem one-third of the way up the sweatshirt
If you want your hoodie as small as possible, consider using a vacuum storage bag to suck any extra air out of the fabric, too
Finally, you have to decide what kind of packaging container to use
If you only need to ship one hoodie once, you might want to consider a flat-rate post office box
This will make your life easier as you do not need to worry much about the weight of the garment
If you plan to ship a lot of hoodies, you probably want to narrow down the most cost-effective shipping method
In most cases, this means using a nice rectangular plastic bag to seal up the hoodie and then using a plastic shipping bag and paying the shipping fee for the hoodie based on its weight
Bags often work better than boxes for hoodies because of the squishy, bulky shape of these garments
In general, it costs between $4-$6 to ship one hoodie
Average Hoodie Weight
Check out this quick overview of some common brands, sizes, and weights of hoodies!
Many brands do not provide the specific weight of a hoodie in each size but instead tell you how much the fabric weighs per yard or meter
As you saw earlier in this article, Carhartt uses this weight system
For example, all Hanes medium-weight hoodies use a fleece that weighs 78 oz per yard, while a heavyweight Hanes hoodie uses fabric that weighs 97 oz per square yard
Most hoodie brands feature cotton, polyester, or a blend of those fibers
For example, a heavyweight Scuba Hoodie will weigh around 26 oz, quite a bit more than the average heavyweight hoodie weight of 24 oz!
The average weight for a midweight hoodie is roughly 19 oz, while the average weight for hoodies generally falls between 16 and 24 ounces
Heavyweight hoodies featuring thick, fuzzy fleece on the inside of the fabric will weigh over 24 ounces
All hoodies will vary in weight depending on the size of the garment, the style of the garment, and the kind of fabric used
Lightweight, medium-weight, or heavyweight fabric all impact the weight
The kind of fibers in the fabric can also add or subtract weight, as will the addition of pockets, zippers, or decorative elements
What is your favorite technique for weighing a hoodie?
Have you ever successfully shipped a hoodie?
Weight is an essential factor in the quality and comfort of a T-shirt, yet many people overlook it
In this guide, we’ll take you through what you should know about T-shirt weight in 2022
The weight of a T-shirt depends on several factors, such as its size and cut, but most notably on the weight of the fabric used
Fabric weight is measured either in ounces (ounces per square yard) or GSM (grams per square meter)
There’s a lot to understand about the suitability of different weights of T-shirt fabric for different styles of T-shirts
Because some manufacturers quote the weight of a shirt rather than the weight of the material, it can get confusing fast
The Effect Of Fabric Material On T-Shirt WeightHow T-Shirt Fabric Weight Is MeasuredThe Suitability Of Different Weights Of T-Shirt FabricHow Much Does A T-Shirt Weigh?What are T-shirt Singles?Conclusion
The Effect Of Fabric Material On T-Shirt Weight
Manufacturers make T-shirt fabric from fibers spun into yarn and woven or knitted into fabric
Manufacturers identify the material by weight (in grams per square meter or ounces per square yard) or thread count
How T-Shirt Fabric Weight Is Measured
The industry generally measures the weight of T-shirt fabric in metric units, grams per square meter (GSM)
Higher GSM values indicate thicker fabric, provided one is dealing with the same material
Do not compare polyester to cotton in weight, and expect to be able to infer differences in thickness
Sometimes the fabric is still measured in ounces per square yard, sometimes simply called ounces
A rough equivalence guide between ounces per square yard and grams per square meter is as follows:
Lightweight T-shirt fabric: 4 ounces per square yard/135 GSM
Medium weight fabric 5 ounces per square yard/170 GSM
Heavyweight (thick) fabric: 6 ounces per square yard (or more)/200 GSM (or more)
The Suitability Of Different Weights Of T-Shirt Fabric
The different weights of T-shirt fabric are suitable for different types of T-shirts
Lightweight T-Shirt Fabric Is For Summer
Lightweight T-shirt fabric is thinner and lighter and is preferable for summer because it is often more breathable in hot weather
Fabrics such as lyocell or rayon are less transparent than cotton in lightweights
A lightweight summer T-shirt will be made of 130-150 GSM fabric
Two popular lightweight cotton t-shirts are Bella Canvas 3001 which is 42 oz/yd², and Next Level 3600 which is 43 oz/yd²
Medium Weight T-Shirt Fabric Is For Mid-Season
Medium weight T-shirt fabric is generally warmer than lightweight material, offering more protection from the wind and being less transparent, even when damp
It makes for a good mid-season or year-round shirt and will be made of 160-180 GSM fabric
The Gildan 5000 “Heavyweight” shirt is actually only a mid-weight 53 oz/yd² shirt
Heavyweight T-Shirt Fabric Is For Winter
Heavyweight T-shirt fabric can vary in texture from soft and brushed to coarse
Heavier shirts typically have sturdier stitching
They can go as high as 225 GSM in fabric weight
The Gildan G200 Ultra Cotton T-shirt is a 60 oz/yd² heavyweight shirt
Premium Weight T-shirts
Because higher GSM fabric takes more fiber to make, it costs more and is used for premium T-shirts
This trend only holds good up to a point, with 160-180 GSM being the sweet spot for premium T-shirt fabric weight
Other factors such as fiber length will also play a role in determining whether or not a T-shirt is considered premium or not
Cheap promotional shirts designed to be worn only a few times will be around 100-110 GSM
In ounces, a standard hoodie weighs 16 oz
In lbs, a standard hoodie weights 12 to 15 lbs
Manufacturers make hoodies and sweatshirts of much heavier, fleecy material, which weighs 200-250 GSM for a summer weight, 250-300 GSM for an all-year weight, and 300-400 GSM for a heavy, snug winter fabric
How Much Does A T-Shirt Weigh?
The weight of T-shirt fabric plays a significant role in determining the overall weight of the shirt, although other factors also play a role
Larger shirts will weigh more for the same fabric weight; so will long-sleeved shirts, in both cases because they use more material
Pockets will also add to the weight of the shirt
Men’s shirts also typically weigh slightly more than lady’s shirts
The typical T-shirt weighs between 3 ounces (85 grams) and 7 ounces (200 grams)
When determining the thickness of a shirt, remember that GSM or ounces per square yard are an actual weight of the fabric, whereas if you get a weight quoted for the shirt as a whole, the size and style will determine whether it is lightweight or heavyweight shirt
When ordering, try to get hold of information on the GSM of the shirts
If you can only get information on the total weight of the shirts, you will have to figure out yourself from the size and style of the shirt, whether it is lightweight or heavyweight or somewhere in between
The following table gives the weights of shirts from some popular T-shirt manufacturers in various sizes:
When shipping shirts to customers, bear in mind that the packaging will also weigh, and depending on the printing method you have used, the image on the shirt may also have added slightly to the weight
What are T-shirt Singles?
T-shirt singles refers to the thread count of a t-shirt’s fabric
A higher t-shirt singles count typically equates to a “premium” t-shirt, which is less likely to wear or fade after washes
As you can see, there is a lot to T-shirt weight, and knowing the difference between a cheap and cheerful throwaway weight and a high-quality weight that will last for years will help you to deliver quality to your customers
Understand how ounces per square yard or grams per square meter work, and you will have a good handle on T-shirt weight
The best way to get the best idea of shirt weight is to order 1-2 shirts that are light, medium, and heavyweight
Besides t-shirts, Bryan has 18 years of experience in online marketing with eCommerce, B2B SaaS, B2C products, and more