Custom Softshell Jackets
Stretch · Breathability · Wind Resistance

What To Look For In A Customisable Softshell For Workwear

For workwear the three specs that decide whether a softshell survives daily wear are stretch, layer count and face-fabric construction. Ask any manufacturer to state all three in writing before you compare quotes, because a 2-layer softshell and a 3-layer bonded softshell are often quoted as the same product.

• check_small Stretch: 4-way mechanical stretch from an elastane or PBT blend, not 2-way. Workwear involves overhead reach and repeated squatting, and 2-way stretch fails at the shoulder and knee first.
• check_small Layers: 3-layer bonded — outer face, PU membrane, brushed fleece backer laminated into one sheet. A 2-layer softshell with a loose liner shifts inside the shell and pills after a season of washing.
• check_small Ripstop: a ripstop grid in the face fabric stops a snag from becoming a tear. Worth the small cost premium on any jacket issued to trades, logistics or field crews.
• check_small Face weight: 240-360gsm. Below 240gsm the jacket reads cheap in the hand; above 360gsm it becomes too warm for active work.
• check_small Hardware: genuine YKK reverse-coil zippers. Zipper failure is the most common warranty complaint on corporate softshell programs.

2-Layer Or 3-Layer Bonded Softshell — Which To Order

A 3-layer bonded softshell laminates the face fabric, membrane and fleece backer into a single composite sheet, so the jacket holds its shape, blocks roughly 95% of wind and does not separate at the seams. A 2-layer softshell attaches the backer loosely, which is cheaper and slightly more breathable but shifts inside the shell and pills where it rubs. We build both, and we recommend 3-layer bonded for any program where the jacket carries your logo and is expected to last more than one season.

How Face-Fabric GSM Changes The Jacket

GSM is grams per square metre of the face fabric, and it is the number most quotes leave out. A 240gsm face gives a light, packable softshell suited to spring and autumn layering. A 320gsm matte polyester face — our default — gives a dense hand-feel with no cheap sheen and blocks wind well without becoming stiff. A 360gsm face is warm enough to wear as an outer layer in cold, dry conditions but too warm for high-output activity. Specify your target GSM in the tech pack rather than accepting a factory default, or two quotes cannot be compared fairly.

Softshell Or Hardshell For Your End Use

Softshell is water-resistant at roughly 5,000-10,000mm, breathable at 8,000-12,000 g/m2 and flexible, which suits high-output activity and everyday wear where rain is intermittent. Hardshell adds fully taped seams and a 10,000-20,000mm waterproof membrane, which is what sustained rain and snow require, at the cost of stretch and comfort. If your brief says waterproof but the end use is commuting, dry-climate hiking or corporate uniform, softshell is the correct category and costs less to produce.

What A Softshell Manufacturer Needs To Quote You Accurately

Vague briefs produce vague prices and three rounds of re-quoting. Send these six items and you get a firm number in one pass. Our MOQ is 30 pieces per style, with 1-piece sampling at $100 refunded against your bulk order.

• check_small Fabric type and target GSM, or a physical reference swatch.
• check_small Layer construction: 2-layer, or 3-layer bonded.
• check_small Water-resistance and breathability targets in mm and g/m2.
• check_small Pantone colours per panel, and whether you need colour matching or stock colours.
• check_small Logo placement, method and artwork — embroidery for chest and sleeve marks, screen print or heat transfer for large full-colour graphics.
• check_small Quantity per style and per size, plus target delivery date and Incoterm. Standard lead time is 4 weeks (25-35 days after deposit); rush runs up to 1,000 pieces can ship in 2 weeks with a 25% expedite fee.