Gildan 18500 vs Champion S700: Budget vs Brand
Gildan 18500 vs Champion S700 for POD: the 8oz budget default vs the heavier woven-logo Champion. When the brand label is worth the higher base.
Picking between the Gildan 18500 and the Champion S700 comes down to one question: does a recognized brand label on the chest sell enough extra units to justify a higher base cost? The 18500 is the POD industry’s cheap, reliable, 8 oz default hoodie. The Champion S700 is heavier, carries the woven Champion “C” logo, and costs noticeably more — but that logo does marketing the Gildan can’t. Here’s how the two stack up on specs, price, and the kind of buyer each one wins.
Quick verdict: Gildan 18500 or Champion S700?
| If you… | Pick |
|---|---|
| Need the lowest base cost on a hoodie | Gildan 18500 |
| Sell to event/team/giveaway or value buyers | Gildan 18500 |
| Want maximum stock reliability across suppliers | Gildan 18500 |
| Sell where a brand name boosts conversion | Champion S700 |
| Want a heavier, more substantial hoodie | Champion S700 |
| Lean on the woven Champion “C” as a selling point | Champion S700 |
Gildan 18500 vs Champion S700: spec comparison
| Spec | Gildan 18500 | Champion S700 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 8.0 oz / 271 g/m² | 9.0 oz |
| Material | 50% cotton / 50% polyester | 50/50 cotton/poly Powerblend (eco, recycled poly) |
| Fit | Classic / boxy | Classic / relaxed |
| Logo | None | Woven Champion “C” on left sleeve |
| Construction | Tubular, double-lined hood | Coverstitched, two-ply hood |
| Sizes | XS–3XL | XS–2XL |
| Price tier (CSV) | $19.99–$21.25 (avg $20.62) | ~$26.99 base |
| Best for | Budget volume, broad niches | Brand-led drops, premium-feel value |
The two specs that drive the decision: the woven Champion logo (a literal brand stamp the Gildan doesn’t have) and base cost — the S700 runs roughly $6 more per unit in our directory.
When Gildan 18500 is the better pick
Base cost discipline. Across our supplier directory, the Gildan 18500 sits around $19.99–$21.25 base, averaging $20.62. The Champion S700 lands closer to $27. That ~$6 gap per unit is the whole argument: if your retail is $35–$45 and the buyer is paying for your design, not a logo, the 18500 protects margin without the customer noticing.
Stock reliability. Gildan is the most-stocked apparel brand in North American POD distribution. The 18500 is carried by nearly every supplier, in nearly every size and color, all year. Champion stock is thinner and can tighten in Q4 — a real risk for high-volume drops.
Size range. The 18500 goes XS–3XL; the S700 in our data tops out at 2XL. If you sell plus sizes, that 3XL matters.
Sublimation accents. Both are 50/50 blends, so both handle sublimated panels and all-over print better than a cotton-heavy hoodie. No advantage to paying up for the Champion here.
When Champion S700 is the better pick
The logo sells. This is the entire reason to choose the S700. The woven Champion “C” on the sleeve is brand recognition you don’t have to earn — buyers already trust it, and it lets you list at a higher retail with a straight face. On Etsy, Amazon, or any storefront where “Champion blank” is a search term, the label does conversion work the Gildan can’t.
Heavier, more substantial feel. At 9.0 oz vs the Gildan’s 8.0 oz, the S700 reads as a thicker, more premium hoodie in hand. For buyers who associate weight with quality, that extra ounce supports the higher price.
Eco angle. The S700’s Powerblend fleece uses recycled polyester, so you can add a light sustainability note to the listing — useful for brands where that matters but who still want a 50/50 price-friendly blend.
Premium-value positioning. The S700 hits a sweet spot: it feels and brands like a premium hoodie but on a 50/50 blend, so it’s cheaper than a heavyweight ringspun premium hoodie like the Lane Seven LS14001 while still carrying a name.
Fit, fleece, and print
Both hoodies share a 50/50 cotton/poly fleece build, so print behavior is similar — and that keeps the decision focused on price and brand rather than print quality.
- Print on darks. Neither is a cotton-heavy hoodie, so both can show a faint haze on detailed designs at high DTG ink density on dark colors. DTF and embroidery look identical on both. If you embroider, the choice is purely cost vs logo.
- Fit. Both run classic/relaxed — neither is a slim streetwear cut. If your audience wants a current, side-seamed streetwear silhouette, look at a premium ringspun hoodie instead; that’s not what either of these is.
- The brand math. The honest question isn’t “which hoodie is better” — at this blend they’re close. It’s “does the Champion logo lift my conversion or retail price by more than the ~$6 base difference?” For brand-conscious niches, often yes. For value niches, no.
What both hoodies share
It’s easy to overstate the gap. On paper these two have more in common than the price suggests:
- Same fabric family. Both are 50/50 cotton/poly fleece, so the base feel, stretch, and wash behavior are in the same ballpark — the S700’s extra ounce is the main tactile difference.
- Both take embroidery well. If your premium product is embroidered rather than printed, the result is effectively identical, which makes the Champion’s higher base harder to justify on print quality alone.
- Both are classic-fit pullovers. Neither is a slim or cropped streetwear silhouette, and neither has side seams. For a current fashion fit, you’d want a ringspun premium hoodie instead.
- Both run pouch-pocket, drawcord-hood builds. The construction differences are minor; the logo and weight are what you’re actually paying for.
This is why the decision is a pure positioning call rather than a quality call. If your buyer recognizes and values the Champion name, the S700 earns its premium. If they don’t, you’re paying ~$6 for a label they’ll never search for.
The bottom line
The Gildan 18500 wins on cost, stock reliability, and size range — it’s the right default when the buyer is paying for your design and every dollar of base cost counts. The Champion S700 wins when a recognized brand name on the chest lifts conversion or lets you charge more; the woven “C” and the heavier 9 oz feel are doing marketing the Gildan simply can’t.
If you’ve been defaulting to Gildan, test the S700 on a brand-led design and watch whether the logo moves your numbers. Compare current base prices for the Gildan 18500 and the Champion S700 across every supplier in our product catalog, or browse the supplier directory to see who stocks each.