Your Next Fav Hoodie

What is Spacer Modal fabric?

Our Spacer fabric — used across Nelo's hoodies, half-zips, sweatpants, and shorts — is a 330 GSM knit blend of 40% modal, 52% recycled polyester, and 8% spandex. Each fiber plays a different role:

• Modal — a semi-synthetic fiber derived from responsibly managed wood-based sources — gives the fabric its soft, brushed hand-feel and natural breathability
• Recycled polyester adds structure, durability, and quick-drying performance, while putting existing plastic back to work instead of using virgin material
• Spandex brings four-way stretch, so the fabric moves with you instead of restricting movement

The result is a heavier, weightier knit than a typical tee fabric — brushed soft on the outside, smooth on the inside — built with enough substance to feel like a real piece of outerwear, not just a thin layer.

Why does it feel so premium?

Brushed Softness

The exterior of Spacer fabric is brushed during finishing, which raises and softens the surface fibers — this is what gives it that plush, cozy hand-feel rather than a flat, papery knit texture.

Weighty drape

At 330 GSM, this is a genuinely substantial fabric — heavier than a standard t-shirt knit — so it skims the body with real drape and structure instead of clinging or feeling flimsy.

Breathability 

Modal is naturally more breathable and moisture-managing than 100% polyester alone, which is part of why Spacer pieces don't trap heat the way a purely synthetic fleece can.

Shape retention & quick-drying

The recycled polyester content holds the garment's shape wash after wash, and dries noticeably faster than heavier cotton fleece — useful whether you're doing laundry on a schedule or just don't want a hoodie sitting damp for hours.

What season should I wear this in?

Spacer Modal is built as a fall-through-spring fabric — here's how to think about it:

• Fall & Winter: Its natural habitat. Substantial enough to wear on its own in cool weather, and layers cleanly under a jacket in colder temperatures.
• Spring: Still a great choice for cooler mornings and evenings, or as a layer that can come off as the day warms up.
• Summer: At 330 GSM, this is a heavier fabric than what you'd want in direct summer heat — better saved for air-conditioned indoor wear, evenings, or travel days with unpredictable weather than for peak-summer outdoor wear.

If you want something in the same soft, everyday-wear philosophy for warm weather, our CloudFlex viscose-poly tees are the better seasonal match.

How do I care for it?

• Machine wash cold, inside out, with like colors
• Do not bleach — bleach breaks down both modal and spandex fibers
• Tumble dry low — this fabric dries quickly, so high heat isn't necessary and will shorten spandex life over time
• Do not iron — brushed fabric surfaces can flatten and lose their soft texture under direct heat

Shop Spacer Modal

Spacer Pullover Hoodie · Half-Zip Sweat · Spacer Sweatpants · Spacer Shorts

FAQ

Is recycled polyester lower quality than regular polyester? No — recycled polyester performs the same as virgin polyester in terms of durability and shape retention. The difference is in the sourcing, not the performance.

Why does this feel heavier than my t-shirts? Spacer fabric is knit at 330 GSM, compared to 210 GSM for our CloudFlex tees — nearly 60% heavier, which is what gives it that substantial, structured feel suited to hoodies and sweats rather than lightweight tees.

Will it pill over time? All brushed fabrics are more prone to pilling than smooth knits, since brushing raises the surface fibers. Every NELO production run is tested for anti-pilling performance before bulk manufacturing to help minimize this.