Bear Grips Pro ShopsGildan 18500 Hoodie: What the Model Number Means for Custom Printing
- Style number 18500 is Gildan's classic Heavy Blend pullover hooded sweatshirt, the single most searched Gildan hoodie style number online.
- The number itself just identifies the style and fabric in Gildan's catalog system, it is not a separate product tier or quality grade.
- Bear Grips Pro Shops carries the Gildan classic zip-up hoodie ($41.88 VIP) rather than the 18500 pullover, plus two comparable adult pullover options.
- For custom logo printing, what matters is fabric weight and fit, not memorizing a specific style number.
Searches for gildan 18500 hoodie bulk, gildan 18500 hoodie wholesale, and gildan unisex hoodie 18500 are all pointing at the same product: Gildan's widely known Heavy Blend pullover hooded sweatshirt, identified in Gildan's own catalog by the style number 18500. It shows up constantly in screen printer price lists and decorator forums, which is why the number itself gets searched almost as often as the word hoodie. This post explains what the number actually refers to, and what the closest options look like for anyone printing a logo on a hoodie rather than buying wholesale by the case.
What "18500" Actually Refers To
Gildan assigns a style number to every garment in its lineup, and 18500 identifies a specific cut, weight, and fabric blend: a pullover hooded sweatshirt in the Heavy Blend line. It is not a grading system, a quality tier, or a size code. Decorators and distributors use the number as shorthand in price sheets because it is faster to type than the full product name, and it removes ambiguity between similar styles (for example the zip-up version carries a different number entirely).
Why 18500 Is the Most Searched Gildan Hoodie Style
- Volume and history. It has been a mainstay wholesale blank for years, so it shows up in more supplier catalogs, forum threads, and comparison posts than newer styles.
- Price point. It sits at an accessible price among Heavy Blend hoodies, which makes it the default reference point for anyone pricing out a bulk order.
- Decorator familiarity. Screen printers and embroiderers know how it takes ink and thread, so it gets recommended by habit as much as by spec.
What Bear Grips Pro Shops Carries Instead
| Piece | Brand | Style | VIP base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic zip-up hoodie | Gildan | Zip-up, not the 18500 pullover | $41.88 |
| Comfort soft hoodie | Bear Grips | Pullover, mid-weight | $36.88 |
| Unisex performance hoodie | Champion | Pullover, heavier weight | $45.88 |
The current catalog does not list the Gildan 18500 pullover specifically. For a pullover-style hoodie, the comfort soft hoodie and Champion performance hoodie cover the lighter and heavier ends of that range, detailed further in pullover vs zip-up hoodie and the full Gildan hoodie lineup at Bear Grips.
What Actually Matters When Printing on Any Hoodie Style
Style numbers matter for ordering from a wholesale distributor, but for custom printing the two things that affect the finished result are fabric weight and the print method used. A mid-weight cotton-poly blend takes a direct print evenly and resists show-through, while a heavier structured fleece supports a bolder, more premium-feeling result. Neither depends on knowing a specific SKU. For a breakdown of weight terms like DryBlend, Heavy Blend, and 50/50, see the Gildan hoodie fabric and weight guide.
Skip the Style Number Guesswork
Print your logo on a comparable hoodie at VIP base pricing. No case minimum, no wholesale account needed.
Start FreeFrequently Asked Questions
What is a Gildan 18500 hoodie?
It is Gildan's style number for its classic Heavy Blend pullover hooded sweatshirt, one of the most widely stocked wholesale hoodie blanks in the decorated apparel industry.
Does Bear Grips carry the Gildan 18500 hoodie?
The current catalog carries the Gildan classic zip-up hoodie at $41.88 VIP base rather than the 18500 pullover. Two pullover alternatives, the comfort soft hoodie and the Champion performance hoodie, cover a similar weight range.
Is 18500 a quality grade or just a style number?
Just a style number. It identifies the cut and fabric blend in Gildan's catalog, it does not indicate a separate quality tier from other Gildan hoodie styles.
Do I need to order the 18500 in bulk to get a logo on it?
No wholesale style requires a bulk minimum for custom printing through Bear Grips. Single-piece ordering applies across the catalog, one hoodie or a hundred at the same base price.
