Picking a hoodie for a bulk order usually comes down to a few practical questions. Will the fabric hold up to a hundred washes? Will the print sit cleanly on the surface? Will every size in the order actually match once it arrives?
The Champion S700 EcoFleece Hoodie and the Gildan 18500 Heavy Blend Hoodie answer those questions in different ways. Both are pullover hoodies in the same general weight class, and both show up constantly in team, school, and event orders. But they’re built for different priorities.
Champion leans into a softer, more athletic feel with some sustainability details built in. Gildan leans into consistency and price, which is exactly why it’s one of our best-selling garments. Here’s how they actually compare when you’re sourcing for customized bulk orders.
At a Glance
| Champion S700 | Gildan 18500 | |
| Fabric construction | 9 oz., 50/50 cotton/poly, up to 5% recycled poly | 8 oz., 50/50 cotton/poly |
| Fabric line | Powerblend | Heavy Blend |
| Sizes* | Adult S – 3XL | Adult S – 5XL, kids YXS – YXL |
| Colors | 13 colors | 32 colors |
| Price** | $28.69 each | $20.09 |
| Hood | Two-layer hood, color-matched drawstring | Two-layer hood, color-matched drawstring |
| Best for | Smaller runs, premium feel, brand-forward orders | Large mixed-size orders, budget-driven groups |
*Size availability varies by color
**When ordering 50 hoodies with one color screen printed
Fabric Weight and Construction
The Champion S700 is built on Powerblend, Champion’s cotton-poly fleece line designed to stay soft while resisting the pilling and shrinkage that make a hoodie look tired after a few washes. On the S700, that’s a 9-ounce, 50/50 cotton-poly blend that also works in up to 5% recycled polyester from plastic bottles.
Gildan takes a more straightforward approach with the 18500. It runs on Heavy Blend, an 8-ounce, 50/50 cotton-poly fleece that’s air-jet spun to cut down on pilling. It’s a touch lighter than the S700, and it reads more like a workhorse fabric than a premium one. That’s not a flaw; the Heavy Blend is built to be dependable at scale, and it does that job well.
Construction-wise, these two have a few things in common. Both hoodies include:
- A two-layer hood (Champion calls it “two-ply,” Gildan calls it “double-lined”)
- A drawstring dyed to match the garment color
- A front pouch pocket
- 1×1 rib knit cuffs
What’s unique to each hoodie:
Champion S700:
- Double Dry technology to wick moisture
- Up to 5% recycled polyester content
- Embroidered Champion “C” logo on the left sleeve
- Woven back neck label
Gildan 18500:
- Added Lycra stretch in the rib cuffs
Both are well-constructed hoodies for their price point. The S700 just carries a slightly more refined finish, which tracks with the higher price tag.
One detail worth noting: the Champion “C” logo sits on the left sleeve on the S700, not the chest, so it won’t compete with a front placement design. Gildan’s 18500 skips a visible brand mark altogether, giving you a clean canvas for custom decoration.
Print and Embroidery Compatibility
Surface quality matters more here than most buyers expect. It’s the difference between a print that looks sharp across two hundred identical hoodies and one that looks slightly different depending on the batch or color.
Both the Champion S700 and Gildan 18500 are widely used for custom apparel, and both provide dependable surfaces for screen printing and embroidery. The difference comes down to how each fabric is constructed rather than one being better suited for custom decoration.
Screen Printing
The Gildan 18500 uses air-jet spun yarn, which creates a flatter, lower-fuzz fabric face designed to provide a smooth surface for screen printing. The Champion S700 uses a denser 9-ounce Powerblend fleece with a more traditional fleece texture.
Even though the surface feels different, both hoodies produce clean, consistent screen prints when paired with proper artwork and printing techniques.
Embroidery
Embroidery goes equally well on both hoodies. Their midweight cotton-poly fleece provides enough stability to support common embroidery applications, including left-chest logos and other standard placements, without requiring any special considerations beyond normal embroidery practices.
One placement note applies to both hoodies: the front pouch pocket limits how large a centered front design can be before it overlaps the pocket. If your artwork is larger or more detailed, a full-back print offers a larger uninterrupted decoration area.
Color Options and Sizing for Group Orders
Sizing
Sizing availability is where these two really split paths, and it’s often the deciding factor for larger orders.
- Gildan 18500: Runs Adult S to 5XL, plus a full kids range from Youth XS to Youth XL. That combination makes it one of the more versatile hoodies we carry for a mixed group. A roster that spans kids and adults, or a staff list running from small frames to 5XL, is straightforward here.
- Champion S700: Runs Adult S to 3XL only, with no kids sizing offered. That covers most adult-only groups comfortably but rules this style out the moment youth sizes enter the picture.
If your order is entirely adults and stays within that range, the S700’s size ceiling won’t feel like a limitation. If you’re outfitting a youth program alongside adult staff, or you need sizes above 3XL, the Gildan 18500 is the one.
Size availability, especially for kids’ sizes, varies by color. Make sure to check on our website or contact us directly to confirm availability before finalizing your numbers.
Colors
Color selection tracks the same pattern. The 18500 comes in 32 colors including different shades of pink, green, and bright blue, giving you room to match a specific school, team, or brand color closely. The S700 offers 13 colors, mostly basic tones like black, navy, and grey. That’s plenty for most logo-driven designs, but it leaves less room if your order depends on hitting an exact shade.
Durability After Repeated Washing
This is the category where both fabrics shine. Neither the Gildan 18500 nor the Champion S700 is a hoodie that’ll look worn out after a couple of washes.
- Champion’s Powerblend fleece is built specifically to resist shrinkage and pilling over repeated washing, which keeps the fit and surface looking close to new well past the first few wears. Combined with the two-ply hood and rib knit cuffs, the S700 tends to hold its shape over a longer stretch of regular use.
- Gildan’s Heavy Blend fleece uses air-jet spun yarn for the same reason: less pilling, more durability over time. In practice, the 18500 is genuinely built for repeat wear. It’s a shrink-resistant, no-pill blend meant to handle washes and regular use without falling apart, which is exactly why it’s a go-to for teams and organizations that plan to wear their hoodies constantly, not just once for an event.
That construction quality also protects your decoration. A screen print or embroidered logo only looks as good as the fabric underneath it. Since both fabrics were built with long-term use in mind, you’re not sacrificing print longevity by choosing either one.
Both hoodies are legitimately durable. The S700 holds a slightly softer hand through that durability, while the 18500 trades a little softness for a more utilitarian, built-to-last feel.
Although both hoodies are built to withstand repeated wear and washing, it’s still a good idea to wash them inside out, air dry them, and avoid high heat to help keep them looking fresh longer.
Bulk Pricing
Once you’ve compared the fabrics, fit, and decoration options, price is often what separates these two. That’s where the Gildan 18500 shines.
At a 50-piece order with a one-color front screen print, the numbers land like this:
- Champion S700: $28.69 per piece
- Gildan 18500: $20.09 per piece
At about an $8 difference per piece, the amount can add up into the hundreds pretty quickly when you’re ordering for a group. This is why the Gildan 18500 remains one of our top-selling hoodies for large group orders.
To see the exact price for your order quantity, run it through our Quick Price tool on the product page.
Which Hoodie Should You Order?
The Champion S700 and Gildan 18500 tend to shine in different types of orders.
The Gildan 18500 is a popular choice for schools, sports teams, fundraisers, volunteer organizations, and large company orders where keeping costs under control is a priority. Its broad size range, including youth sizes and adult sizes up to 5XL, also makes it easier to outfit an entire group with a single style.
The Champion S700 is more commonly chosen for smaller adult-only orders, company apparel, branded merchandise, and retail-style giveaways where the Champion name and a slightly more premium feel add value to the finished garment.
Go with the Champion S700 if:
- You want a hoodie with stronger brand recognition.
- Your order is for adults only.
- You’re willing to spend more for a garment with a slightly more premium feel.
- Your group is likely to wear the hoodie regularly beyond the event or workplace.
Go with the Gildan 18500 if:
- You’re ordering for a school, team, fundraiser, or other large group.
- You need youth sizes or adult sizes above 3XL.
- You’re trying to maximize your budget without sacrificing reliability.
- You want a wider selection of colors to match your organization or event.
A quick gut check that tends to make this call easier: if you’re already picturing exactly which soft-hand hoodie you want a small group of coworkers or teammates to wear on repeat, that’s usually the Champion S700.
If you’re picturing a spreadsheet of fifty names across six different sizes, a few youth sizes mixed in, and a budget you need to hit, that’s the 18500 every time.
Both hoodies are reliable choices for custom printing and embroidery. The final decision usually comes down to your group’s size requirements, budget, and the overall feel you’re looking for.
Ready to see how your design looks on either one? Head over to our Design Studio to get started, or run your exact quantity through Quick Price to compare the real cost side by side.