Guide · Softshell Construction
"Softshell" names a family of fabrics, not a fabric. Two jackets can both be honestly labelled softshell and differ by a membrane, 120 grams of finished weight and a third of their price. The structural question underneath every softshell inquiry is simple: two layers or three? This guide explains how both builds are made in our program, what the membrane actually does, and how to choose without overbuying.
The two-layer build: shell bonded to fleece
A two-layer softshell bonds the outer face directly to the inner fleece. In our program the face is a woven 96% polyester / 4% spandex — the spandex gives the garment its mechanical stretch and the weave gives abrasion resistance — and the inside is 100% micro fleece, brushed for warmth. The bonding replaces sewing two fabrics together: the result is one fabric with a weather-shedding face and a warm back.
Finished weights run 280, 300, 330 and 400 GSM. Two-layer is the right build for most staff programs: it resists wind far better than a plain fleece, shrugs off light moisture on the face, breathes freely because there is no membrane in the way, and costs meaningfully less than the three-layer equivalent. For teams whose "weather exposure" is a car park, a loading bay and a walk between buildings, two-layer is not the budget compromise — it is the correct spec.
The three-layer build: the membrane in the middle
A three-layer softshell inserts a breathable membrane film between the same woven face and the same micro fleece lining. Our three-layer builds finish at 300, 320 and 350 GSM. The membrane can change two things. First, weather resistance may increase, depending on the film, face fabric, seams, closures and exposure; it should not be described as stopping wind completely or holding out water indefinitely. Second, breathability becomes a specification instead of a general property — the film passes water vapour at a graded rate, and in our program that rate comes in three tiers:
| Breathability tier | MVTR | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 500–1,000 g/m²/24h | Low-activity outdoor issue: security, supervision, site management |
| Mid | 3,000–5,000 g/m²/24h | Mixed activity: logistics, field service, delivery |
| High | 7,000–10,000 g/m²/24h | High-activity work and resale performance ranges |
The tier matters because breathability and weather protection trade against each other inside a membrane: a film tuned for maximum vapour transfer is not the film tuned for maximum water hold-out. Specifying the top tier "to be safe" on a low-activity program buys a more expensive jacket that can actually feel clamminess sooner in drizzle — match the tier to the work rate, not to the brochure.
Side-by-side: the decision factors
| Factor | 2-layer | 3-layer |
|---|---|---|
| Wind resistance | High (bonded woven face) | Higher potential resistance (membrane); actual result depends on the complete garment |
| Rain behaviour | May shed light moisture; wets through in sustained rain | May resist rain longer under comparable conditions; not a hard-shell substitute |
| Breathability | Free-breathing, no film barrier | Graded by tier: 500–10,000 g/m²/24h |
| Finished weights | 280 / 300 / 330 / 400 GSM | 300 / 320 / 350 GSM |
| Hand feel | Softer, more fleece-like drape | Firmer, more structured |
| Relative cost | Lower | Higher (film + extra bonding pass) |
Choose by working environment
Choose two-layer when the jacket is a staff uniform layer: mixed indoor/outdoor duties, vehicle-based work, dry or cool-but-not-wet climates, and any program where the garment will be worn all shift and comfort drives acceptance. It is also a practical build to evaluate for a first program. Its minimum is confirmed per style at quotation; the 5,000-piece figure recorded for the listed Three Layer Softshell Jacket SKU does not automatically apply to two-layer styles.
Choose three-layer when staff are outdoors for hours in changeable weather: utilities, construction supervision, outdoor logistics, events and any resale range that will be compared against retail softshells on a rack. Pick the breathability tier by activity level from the table above, and remember that a three-layer jacket is still a softshell — for sustained heavy rain, the program answer is a waterproof outer layer, not a thicker softshell.
Choose neither when the job is indoors and the real requirement is warmth at a desk, a till or a ward round: a polar fleece jacket does that job for less money and less weight. Our fleece vs softshell comparison works through that three-way decision from the buyer's side.
How bonding quality shows up later
The build decision is visible on day one; the bonding decision is visible in month twelve. Bonding is the adhesive process that marries shell to fleece — or shell, membrane and fleece — and it is where softshell quality is actually decided. Poorly bonded fabric develops the failure modes buyers describe as "the jacket went papery": local delamination bubbles at elbows and shoulders, a crackling hand feel, and a face that wrinkles instead of flexing. Well-bonded fabric flexes as one material and keeps doing so through washing.
You cannot see adhesive quality in a photograph, but you can screen for it at sample stage. Flex the sample's elbow and cuff areas repeatedly and look for separation blisters; wash the sample on your program's real laundry cycle before approving bulk, not after; and check that the sample's finished weight matches the build you specified — a "three-layer" sample that weighs like a two-layer is telling you something. Because our shells, membranes and fleece linings are bonded inside the same factory group that weaves and knits them, the bonding line works to the fabric's own specification rather than to a subcontractor's habits — one less hand-off between you and the finished jacket.
Common specification mistakes
- Copying a retail spec sheet. Retail softshells are specced for shelf appeal — maximum waterproof claims, fashion cuts. Staff programs need durability, layering room and re-order stability. Start from the job, not from a competitor's hangtag.
- Specifying the top breathability tier by default. Covered above, and worth repeating: tier follows activity level. A sedentary outdoor team in a high-tier membrane gets cost without benefit.
- Forgetting the lining in two-tone programs. Shell and lining are different fabrics; a program color must be confirmed for both, on physical samples, before bulk bonding.
- Treating softshell as the rain answer. If the job is sustained rain, budget a waterproof layer and let the softshell do what it is good at underneath or instead on dry days.
- Skipping the wash test. Approve bulk on a washed sample. Bonding, color and dimension all declare themselves after laundering, not before.
Specifying your build
A softshell inquiry that quotes cleanly names five things: build (2-layer or 3-layer), finished weight in GSM, breathability tier if 3-layer, color set, and branding. Everything else — collar, pockets, cuff and hem details — adjusts on the pattern. The softshell jackets page lists the standard builds and weights, and custom softshell programs cover pattern-led orders. Send the five elements through the inquiry form and the sample — ready in 7 days — will be the exact build you specified, ready for your own wear trial before bulk.