Fleece blankets look identical on a spec sheet and behave completely differently after a winter. Four questions separate them.

Ask for the pilling rating, not the claim

Every fleece is advertised as anti-pill. Ask what it scores on a standard pilling test, graded one to five.

If nobody can give you a number, nobody has specified the finish and you are buying the word. The difference becomes obvious at about the third wash, which is far too late.

Weight in gsm, weighed against freight

Heavier fleece is warmer, drapes better and feels more expensive in the hand. Lighter fleece packs smaller and ships cheaper.

On three thousand units the freight difference can exceed the fabric difference, so ask for both numbers on the quote and make the trade deliberately.

The edge finish is the part that fails first

Raw cut is cheapest and it is where cheap blankets start looking tired. Serged, hemmed or blanket-stitched edges cost little and change how long the blanket looks new.

It is also the most visible sign of care, because it runs around the entire product.

Decoration: print or embroidery, chosen for the surface

Sublimation dyes the polyester fibre itself, so it cannot crack, peel or wash off, and it covers edge to edge. It is the most durable option by a distance.

Embroidery reads as more premium but needs a cut-away backing and a water-soluble topping, or the pile swallows the stitches. Both add pennies; neither is optional.

What to send when you ask for a quote

Artwork, quantity, and where the blankets will actually be used — indoors, on cold seating, on grass. That last answer changes the weight, the backing and the edge.