How to Tell If a Hoodie Is Actually High Quality (Or Just Pretending)

We’ve all been there. You buy a “premium” hoodie online that claims to be buttery soft and streetwear grade, only to open the package and find something that feels like recycled napkins.

So let’s get blunt about it. If you’re going to spend your coin on a hoodie (especially one you’ll inevitably fall asleep in, spill bong water on, and still call your “going out hoodie”), you deserve to know what separates the real ones from the wannabes.

Here’s your no-BS, queer-approved guide to spotting quality before you get duped again.

1. The Fabric Tells the Truth

If it’s 50% polyester, 50% sadness — RUN!!
Look for high cotton content (ideally 80% or higher) with the rest made from recycled polyester, not virgin plastic. Cotton gives you softness, breathability, and structure. Recycled polyester adds strength, durability, and a smaller environmental footprint. Together, they make the hoodie equivalent of a power couple: soft, strong, and good for the planet.

2. GSM Is the Hoodie’s GPA

GSM stands for grams per square meter, which is just fashion-speak for “how dense and beefy the fabric is.”

Lightweight (250–320 GSM)

Soft, airy, and easy to layer. Perfect for warmer weather, lounging, or pairing under a jacket. Think of it as your “high but still going out” hoodie.

Midweight (330–360 GSM)

Balanced and versatile. Thick enough to feel substantial, light enough to wear year-round. The ideal everyday hoodie that doesn’t suffocate or flop.

Heavyweight (370–480+ GSM)

Dense, structured, and luxuriously cozy. Built for chillier weather and serious comfort seekers. The kind of hoodie that doubles as a weighted blanket and statement piece.

Heavier hoodies don’t just feel better — they look better. They hang, they drape, they say “I’ve got my life together” even when you definitely don’t.

3. The Inside Matters (Like Therapy)

The interior tells you how much the brand actually cares.

Brushed fleece: Soft and fluffy, like being hugged by a golden retriever.
French terry: Loopback texture, lighter, more breathable — ideal for elevated crewnecks.

If the inside feels rough or patchy, that’s not “rugged craftsmanship.” That’s “someone forgot to finish the fabric.”

4. Stitching Doesn’t Lie

Check the seams. Premium hoodies use double stitching or flatlock seams to keep their shape. If you see loose threads or crooked seams, that’s your sign...this thing is going to fall apart faster than your situationship.

5. Ribbing: The Unsung Hero

Those cuffs and waistbands should have bounce, not flop. A good rib cuff snaps back after you stretch it, like a solid comeback. Cheap ribbing loses shape faster than a bad perm.

6. Fit Is a Dead Giveaway

High quality hoodies have structure. The shoulders drop cleanly, the body hangs evenly, and the fabric feels intentional. If one sleeve twists after washing, congratulations — you’ve just adopted a new dishrag.

7. The Print Test

A hoodie can look cool online and still feel like sandpaper in person.

Screen prints: Durable, bold, slightly raised.
DTG prints: Smooth, detailed, ideal for softer cotton faces.
Embroidery: Flat, even, clean backs — not lumpy chaos.

Good brands test their print methods so the design doesn’t crack, fade, or peel off mid-hug.

8. Shrinkage and Pre-Wash

If a brand doesn’t mention “pre-shrunk” or “enzyme-washed,” assume it’s going to come out of the dryer two sizes smaller and ready for your cat.

9. The Feel Test (a.k.a. The Gay Science of Vibes)

You’ll know it when you touch it. The perfect hoodie feels dense but soft, cozy but structured. It shouldn’t feel like a paper towel or a tarp. If you pick it up and think, “I could live in this,” you’ve found the one.

How We Build Ours

At Chronically Gay, we make hoodies and sweatshirts that pass every one of these tests.

Our hoodie is 80% cotton and 20% recycled polyester heavyweight fleece; while our crewneck is 100% organic cotton
370–450 GSM depending on the style
Brushed or loopback interiors that feel like emotional support fabric
Double stitching and elastic ribbing that actually bounces back
Screen printed and DTG logos that stay sharp long after the munchies fade

Because queer comfort deserves real craftsmanship. Not empty marketing fluff.

So next time you see a “premium” hoodie online, ask the hard questions. And when in doubt, just buy one from us. We’ve already done the homework, the wear tests, and the existential overthinking.

Stay soft. Stay loud. Stay Chronically Gay.

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