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In 2012, San Francisco’s clothing store American Giant released its first ever product, a zip-up hooded sweatshirt that put the company on the map. Officially called the Classic Full Zipmost people know it as “the greatest hoodie ever made,” thanks to the title of an article in Slate which expresses its charms.
After that story, things took off for the American Giant. In the 13 years since, the company has sold 1 million hoodies. It also expanded its brand and added a range of casual tops and bottoms, all sourced and made in the US. But one thing that hasn’t changed much is the design of the Classic Full Zip hoodie. Until now.
The Classic Full Zip has just been relaunched as a softer and more breathable piece, thanks to a total refresh centered around a new cotton fleece construction. The design hallmarks remain: the double-lined hood, stretchy side panels, and the elbow patch. But put it on and zip it up, and you’ll notice that it’s not tight around the waist or the shoulders.
For me, it has big shoulders, the cotton cut on the shoulder is one of the things I drew on AG’s hoodie. I’ve always liked the piece overall, but the fit isn’t as relaxed as I’d like, and even after years of wear, it always feels a little stiff. The new design just gives you more room to move. The slightly more forgiving stretch on the cuffs around the wrists and waist is also something I consider an upgrade.
The biggest upgrade, however, is the cotton fleece itself. The fabric is softer and more breathable. This can cause a change in the cotton fibers of the hoodie.
If you have a cheap, thick cotton T-shirt in your collection—perhaps something with a heavy-metal band logo silkscreened on it—then you know that it feels a little rough, and the shirt doesn’t breathe very well. These cheaper shirts use short staple cotton fibers. The longer the fiber, the softer and more breathable the cotton. For this new fleece, AG uses the type of higher staple cotton fibers found in soft cottony items like fancy dress shirts and expensive bedsheets.
At launch, the original Classic Full Zip Hoodie cost $138. The price jumped to $168 last year due to changes in the American Giant’s supply chain, the biggest of which was the closure of its main supplier, Carolina Cotton Worksin May 2024. The good news is that there will be no further increase in the price of the new hoodie. It’s still $168, and it’s available now.
The original hoodie is currently our staff favorite and occupies the “best overall” ranking of WIRED’s Best Hoodies guide. Let’s test the new one and see if it can keep up with the top slot.
