Choosing Fabric for Wholesale Joggers
By The Velocity Wear Team
Most jogger orders come down to brushed fleece or loopback. Brushed fleece has a napped inside, feels warm and soft and hides marks; loopback leaves the knit loops exposed, weighs less and breathes far better. Then you choose a hem: cuffed for a tapered athletic line, open for a straighter trouser shape that can be altered.
What is the actual difference between brushed fleece and loopback?
Both start as the same family of knit. In brushed fleece, the inside face is mechanically raised so the loops are broken open into a soft nap. That nap traps air, which is why the same weight of fabric feels warmer brushed than unbrushed, and it gives the fabric a slightly fuller hand.
Loopback skips the brushing. The inside keeps its loop structure, visible as neat rows, and air moves through it rather than being held. The result is lighter on the leg and much less prone to overheating, which is why loopback is the default for warmer climates, indoor work and anything worn through a summer. Both bodies are offered on the wholesale joggers page.
How does weight change the way a jogger wears?
Lighter fabric drapes closer to the leg and moves more. Heavier fabric holds its own shape, so a pleat at the knee falls out and the silhouette stays clean through the day. Heavier also means slower drying, which matters for a team washing kit between shifts, and it means the pair reads as a more substantial garment on a shop floor.
Neither is better in the abstract. A retail drop aimed at winter wants weight; staff kit for a warm kitchen wants the opposite. The practical test is to name the worst day the garment will have and pick for that day, because a jogger that is wrong in the heat gets left in a drawer and one that is slightly heavy than needed simply gets worn less in August.
Which hem should you specify?
A cuffed hem uses a ribbed band that grips the ankle. It keeps the leg clear of the ground, holds the taper, and is what most people picture when they think of a jogger. It also fixes the length in a way that suits a wide range of heights, because the cuff simply sits higher or lower on the ankle.
An open hem hangs straight and stops at the shoe. It reads closer to a casual trouser, works better under a smarter top, and can be shortened by a tailor without destroying the line, which an elasticated cuff cannot. The trade-off is that length becomes a real sizing question rather than something the cuff absorbs. Our broader guide to custom joggers and sweatpants walks through both constructions in more depth.
Does the fabric change what you can print on it?
Yes, more than most buyers expect. A napped brushed surface lifts slightly through a thin ink film, which softens fine edges, so hairline type and delicate line work behave better on loopback. Embroidery goes the other way: thread sits above the nap, and the pile forgives minor puckering, so heavier brushed bodies embroider beautifully.
Fibre content matters alongside construction, because cotton and polyester take colour differently and shrink differently after washing. That comparison is set out in cotton against poly blend on joggers, and the quantity tiers that apply whichever body you pick are on the pricing page.
