Independent Trading Co. Blanks: Premium Fleece at an Accessible Price
Independent Trading sits above Gildan and below premium streetwear blanks. The SS4500 is the hoodie brand founders default to when they want quality fleece without the AS Colour or Champion price.
The SS4500 and the styles built around it.
SS4500 midweight hoodie, PRM180PT premium tee, lightweight fleece options, and the IND50TEE lux heavyweight. Each card links to colors, sizes, and DTF press specs.
Independent Trading Co.
Unisex Midweight Hooded Sweatshirt
From $15.51
SS4500 · 9.5 oz cotton-polyester fleece
Independent Trading Co.
Unisex Premium T-Shirt
From $9.53
PRM180PT · 6.0 oz premium cotton
Independent Trading Co.
Unisex Lightweight Hooded Sweatshirt
From $25.20
AFX90UN · 7.0 oz lightweight fleece
Independent Trading Co.
Unisex Icon Lightweight Loopback Terry Hooded Sweatshirt
From $20.52
SS1000 · Loopback terry hoodie
Independent Trading Co.
Unisex Lux Heavyweight T-Shirt
From $15.53
IND50TEE · 5.0 oz lux heavyweight
Independent Trading Co.
Unisex Lightweight Full-Zip Hooded Sweatshirt
From $25.59
AFX90UNZ · Lightweight full-zip fleece
Short version, straight from the floor.
Independent Trading Co. built its reputation on the SS4500 midweight hoodie: a 9.5 oz cotton-polyester blend that sits between the Gildan 18500 (8 oz) and the heavyweight streetwear blanks (12 to 14 oz). The SS4500 has a retail-quality zipper pocket, a mid-profile hood, and a fleece texture that reads premium in hand without the price point of full-weight designer fleece.
Pressing the SS4500 only once and wondering why the transfer lifted. The 9.5 oz fleece pile on the SS4500 is deep enough that a single press does not fully bond the transfer. Two presses required: 300 F for 5 seconds first, then 305 F for 12 seconds. One press is the number one SS4500 reprint cause.
Ordering the SS4500 when the Gildan 18500 budget math works. The SS4500 earns its premium when the hoodie is a brand product at retail. For a 100-unit corporate staff gift at cost, the Gildan 18500 at lower cost per unit is the right call. The IT premium is worth paying when the end customer feels the fleece and pays for it.
Skipping the dye migration test on dark navy and forest. Most IT colorways are dye-migration safe, but the cotton-poly blend on deep navy and forest has batch variation. Test one sample at production temp before a volume run. Two minutes of testing prevents a 100-hoodie callback.
Pairing the SS4500 with a lightweight tee and calling it a capsule. A 9.5 oz hoodie paired with a 4.2 oz fashion tee creates a weight mismatch that customers feel. Pair the SS4500 with the PRM180PT (6.0 oz) for a cohesive capsule. The weights are close enough to feel intentional.
A production-floor definition, not a spec sheet.
Independent Trading Co. built its reputation on the SS4500 midweight hoodie: a 9.5 oz cotton-polyester blend that sits between the Gildan 18500 (8 oz) and the heavyweight streetwear blanks (12 to 14 oz). The SS4500 has a retail-quality zipper pocket, a mid-profile hood, and a fleece texture that reads premium in hand without the price point of full-weight designer fleece. For brand founders launching a first hoodie drop under $80 retail, it is the default recommendation on this production floor.
The SS4500 DTF behavior follows standard fleece technique: press twice. First press at 300 F for 5 seconds flattens the pile. Second press at 305 F for 12 seconds bonds the transfer. The cotton-poly blend means no dye migration issues on standard colorways, but test navy, forest, and dark maroon before a full run because some dye lots behave differently. Peel warm on the second press for best results.
The PRM180PT premium tee rounds out the Independent Trading lineup as a 6.0 oz heavyweight cotton alternative. At 6 oz it is heavier than Bella+Canvas and lighter than Comfort Colors, with a ring-spun finish and a traditional-leaning retail fit. It presses at standard cotton settings. For shops stocking one premium tee alongside the SS4500 hoodie, the PRM180PT completes the brand capsule without requiring a second supplier.
The AFX90UN and AFX90UNZ lightweight fleece options serve a different customer: lighter-weight, lower price, and better for spring programs where an 8 oz hoodie reads too heavy. Both are DTF-compatible with the standard press-twice technique, though the lighter weight means the first press does not need to be as aggressive as on the 9.5 oz SS4500.
The roles and jobs this hub actually serves.
- Apparel brand founders launching a hoodie-forward first drop at accessible price (Journey 1).
- School and sports program buyers who want more than Gildan but have a program budget cap (Journey 9).
- Streetwear brands producing capsule collections where the SS4500 fleece earns retail pricing.
- Print shops maintaining one premium hoodie blank for walk-in customers who specify quality (Journey 3).
- Corporate program buyers running staff hoodies where the fleece quality matters and budget is flexible.
- Event coordinators ordering crew hoodies for content shoots, festivals, and staff uniforms.
Every hub connects to real product decisions.
These are the specific transfers, blanks, methods, and programs we would put next to this hub in a real production conversation. Not a link farm. Every row is a pairing we actually recommend.
Best-with Independent Trading SKUs
- SS4500 Midweight Hoodie
The anchor. 9.5 oz, mid-profile, brand founder default.
- PRM180PT Premium Tee
6.0 oz ring-spun. Pairs with the SS4500 for a capsule set.
- AFX90UN Lightweight Hoodie
7.0 oz lightweight. Budget-tier hoodie with IT quality.
- IND50TEE Lux Heavyweight
5.0 oz lux heavyweight tee to round out the lineup.
Best-with decoration
Independent Trading Co. decisions that miss.
Pressing the SS4500 only once and wondering why the transfer lifted.
The 9.5 oz fleece pile on the SS4500 is deep enough that a single press does not fully bond the transfer. Two presses required: 300 F for 5 seconds first, then 305 F for 12 seconds. One press is the number one SS4500 reprint cause.
Ordering the SS4500 when the Gildan 18500 budget math works.
The SS4500 earns its premium when the hoodie is a brand product at retail. For a 100-unit corporate staff gift at cost, the Gildan 18500 at lower cost per unit is the right call. The IT premium is worth paying when the end customer feels the fleece and pays for it.
Skipping the dye migration test on dark navy and forest.
Most IT colorways are dye-migration safe, but the cotton-poly blend on deep navy and forest has batch variation. Test one sample at production temp before a volume run. Two minutes of testing prevents a 100-hoodie callback.
Pairing the SS4500 with a lightweight tee and calling it a capsule.
A 9.5 oz hoodie paired with a 4.2 oz fashion tee creates a weight mismatch that customers feel. Pair the SS4500 with the PRM180PT (6.0 oz) for a cohesive capsule. The weights are close enough to feel intentional.
The reading before you place the order.
SS4500 Buyer Guide
Why this hoodie became the brand founder default and what to expect at the press.
Premium Tee Comparison
PRM180PT vs Bella+Canvas 3001 vs Comfort Colors 1717.
Hoodie Weight Guide
When 9.5 oz is right and when to go lighter or heavier.
Press-Twice Technique
The two-press method for consistent fleece DTF results.
The SS4500 ships with your DTF transfers on one order.
Independent Trading blanks and your transfers fulfill from the same warehouse. One tracking number, one delivery.