Fleece outerwear remains a reliable category for B2B buyers—from outdoor brands to corporate merchandisers. But in 2025, sourcing high-quality yet affordable fleece jackets and vests requires more than just price-checking on Alibaba. As freight costs, labor rates, and material prices fluctuate, you need a strategy that covers fabric quality, trims, MOQ leverage, and factory reliability.
The best approach to sourcing affordable fleece jackets and vests includes using weight-optimized fabrics, consolidating trims across styles, choosing stock-supported colors, and selecting factories that specialize in mid-layer activewear.
If you’re a buyer like Ron—seeking margin without compromising function—this guide breaks down what matters most when sourcing fleece outerwear for cold-weather collections or promotional campaigns.
What Fabric Specs Keep Fleece Affordable Yet Durable?
Fabric is the biggest cost driver in fleece outerwear. By optimizing GSM, finish, and fiber content, you can reduce costs without compromising warmth or wearability.
What Are the Most Cost-Effective Fleece Types?
The two main categories we use are:
- Polar fleece (200–300 GSM): soft, brushed, thick—ideal for jackets
- Microfleece (150–200 GSM): lighter, smoother—better for vests or inner layers
Polar fleece at 260–280 GSM strikes the best balance between warmth and cost. Anything over 320 GSM often raises price significantly with minimal insulation gain.
Suppliers like Polartec or Yulong Textile offer brushed poly fleece options, including recycled yarns (rPET).
Make sure you ask for anti-pilling tests (ISO 12945) and colorfastness scores (ISO 105) to avoid complaints after the first wash.
Are Recycled Fleece Fabrics Still Affordable?
Yes—if you choose rPET yarns from GRS-certified sources. Recycled fleece used to carry a premium, but in recent years, prices have narrowed. We now produce fleece jackets using 100% recycled polyester that are only ~8% more expensive than virgin poly—but perform just as well.
Factories sourcing from mills like Unifi REPREVE® or Hangzhou Shanghe can meet sustainability standards affordably.
Always ask if the supplier can share the GRS certificate code and yarn source in the BOM.
How to Balance Style Variety and MOQ Control?
Most fleece buyers want multiple colors and both vests and jackets. But without proper planning, MOQ fragmentation drives costs up. The key is to group trims, use common base fabrics, and standardize silhouettes across styles.
Can You Use the Same Fabric Across Vests and Jackets?
Yes. This is one of the best cost-saving moves. Use a shared fabric base—like 260gsm brushed fleece—for both full-zip jackets and sleeveless vests. If the fabric is stock-supported (in black, navy, grey), you can avoid custom dyeing MOQ.
Use one fabric purchase to cover multiple styles. Ask your factory for a combined MOQ approach—e.g., 1000 pieces total, split into 3 styles and 2–3 colors.
We help clients bundle their PO this way—ensuring you meet fabric mill minimums without overstocking SKUs.
How Do You Reduce Trim and Accessory Costs?
Consolidate:
- Zippers to 2–3 universal colors (black, gunmetal, navy)
- Labels and patches across styles
- Inner lining fabrics (e.g., mesh or brushed tricot)
Use YKK or SBS Zippers standard size 5 coil zippers, which are cost-effective and available in stock colors.
Also ask if your factory can stock trims on your behalf for reorders—this avoids reorder MOQ from trim vendors and speeds up delivery.
Which Factories Offer the Best Value for Bulk Orders?
Not all factories are optimized for fleece. Look for those with flatlock, coverstitch, and anti-pilling expertise, as well as experience in exporting to colder regions like North America or Europe.
What Regions Specialize in Fleece Outerwear?
In China:
- Zhejiang (Shaoxing): access to polar fleece mills, fast sampling
- Jiangsu (Changshu): strong in outdoor sports and uniform fleece
- Guangzhou: flexible MOQs, fashion-forward factories
You’ll also find competitive suppliers in Vietnam (for lower labor costs) and Bangladesh (for very high-volume basic fleece).
Use sourcing platforms like Alibaba, Made-in-China, or visit Canton Fair in autumn to meet fleece-specific manufacturers.
What Questions Should You Ask the Factory?
Ask:
- Do you own flatlock or coverstitch machines?
- Can you meet AQL 2.5 or better for QC?
- What’s your anti-pilling test score for fleece (after 20 washes)?
- Do you offer DDP delivery to North America?
We help clients vet factories using photo walkthroughs, past PO records, and even SGS/QIMA audit reports. This ensures you’re working with a proven fleece supplier—not just a t-shirt factory trying outerwear.
What Shipping and Labeling Options Help You Stay Lean?
Shipping and logistics can eat into margin if not managed. With fleece being bulkier than other garments, smart packaging, DDP options, and barcode prep all matter—especially for eCommerce or Amazon sellers.
How Can You Optimize Packaging and Shipping Volume?
Use vacuum packing for DTC fleece brands to reduce carton size. Standard full-zip jackets take ~3x more space than tees. Choose:
- Roll-pack + band (for factory direct)
- Fold + compress poly (for warehouse drops)
Confirm carton dimensions and weight with your freight forwarder. For Amazon shipments, follow FBA packaging requirements closely.
Ask your supplier if they can use carton-size optimization software or handle palletization for full-container loads.
What Are the Best Labeling and Fulfillment Practices?
Request:
- Branded woven neck labels
- Hangtags with barcode and price
- Polybags with suffocation warning and SKU
- Outer cartons with QR or FBA box codes
If you use platforms like ShipBob or Flexport, your factory should coordinate directly with your 3PL or fulfillment center.
At Fumao Clothing, we offer labeling + pre-packing + DDP freight, making the sourcing-to-shelf process seamless for global fleece buyers.
Conclusion
Fleece jackets and vests are timeless staples—but their profitability depends on how you manage materials, trim standardization, MOQ strategy, and factory selection. By working with experienced fleece suppliers and optimizing your BOM, you can source warm, functional outerwear at competitive prices without compromising brand quality.
At Fumao Clothing, we manufacture high-quality fleece jackets and vests using optimized weights, recycled options, and brand-specific customization. With MOQ flexibility and end-to-end DDP service, we help you bring your fleece vision to market—on budget and on time.
Reach out to our Business Director Elaine at elaine@fumaoclothing.com to get a fleece quote tailored to your target market.
