What is a heavyweight hoodie? The heavyweight guide.

GSM, in plain English

GSM stands for grams per square metre. It's the weight of a single square metre of fabric. Higher GSM means more yarn packed into the same area — heavier hand, denser knit, more structure.

• 200–280 gsm — lightweight. Summer hoodies, base layers.
• 280–350 gsm — midweight. The high-street default.
• 350–400 gsm — heavy. Premium streetwear territory.
• 400–500 gsm — heavyweight. Structured drape, built to last. HHSS hoodies sit here.
• 500+ gsm — superheavy. Niche, often stiff out of the bag.

What GSM is a heavyweight hoodie?

A heavyweight hoodie is generally 400gsm or more. Anything from 350gsm gets called "heavy", but 400gsm is where the fleece starts to feel genuinely thick and hold its shape. Above 500gsm is superheavy. A thick heavyweight hoodie, like HHSS, sits in the middle of the heavyweight range.

Why heavyweight

Heavyweight is the sweet spot. Heavy enough to drape with real structure across the shoulders and chest, light enough to wear all day without feeling like body armour. It rides the line between premium streetwear and workwear-grade durability.

Ours is built from heavyweight loopback fleece, chosen to give the hoodie structure, weight and a premium feel.

How much does a heavyweight hoodie weigh?

GSM measures the fabric, but the question most people actually ask is what the finished garment tips the scales at. A hoodie's total weight depends on its size, cut and construction. GSM alone does not tell you the finished garment weight.

• Heavyweight — a dense, structured loopback fleece.
• Finished HHSS hoodie weight — not yet confirmed.

We will only quote a finished HHSS garment weight once it has been measured. The confirmed fabric specification is heavyweight loopback fleece.

Loopback fleece, explained

HHSS hoodies use cotton loopback fleece. The inside of the fabric is knit as small unbrushed loops rather than a brushed fluffy pile. Loopback breathes better, dries faster, and ages cleanly — the surface texture sharpens with wear instead of pilling out.

Brushed fleece feels softer in the shop. Loopback feels better six months in.

Durability and drape

Density does two things. First, the garment holds its shape — heavy fleece resists the sag at the hem and cuffs that kills cheaper hoodies after a few cycles. Second, prints sit better. Dense fabric is a flatter, more stable surface for high-quality screen prints, which is why our chest and back prints stay sharp.

How to judge a hoodie before buying

1. Check the GSM on the spec sheet. If it isn't listed, assume it's light.
2. Look for cotton-dominant fleece — synthetics inflate weight without quality.
3. Loopback vs brushed: loopback ages better, brushed feels softer day one.
4. Check seam construction at the shoulder and hem — flat-locked, double-stitched.
5. Ribbed cuffs and hem should have real recovery when you stretch them.

The HHSS spec

Heavyweight loopback fleece · oversized, boxy fit · small HHSS chest design · full-back Heavy Heart Strong Soul artwork · ribbed hem and cuffs · sizes M–2XL · £5 from every hoodie to Man Down UK. Choose your usual size for the intended HHSS oversized fit. Size down for a closer fit. Drop 01 is live.