Heated apparel specs & selection guide heating elements, batteries, fabrics, MOQ and compliance

• Carbon fiber heating pads — bundles of carbon fiber filament stitched or laminated into a flexible pad. The most widely used element in heated vests and jackets: flexible, tolerant of repeated bending and washing when properly sealed, and available in many shapes.
• Graphene heating film — a thin graphene-based conductive film or printed layer that heats across its whole area. Very thin and light, which suits hoodies, base layers and accessories; usually costs more. Graphene is often marketed with “far infrared” or health language — we make no such claims, and we advise brand owners not to.
• Alloy heating wire and conductive yarn — fine insulated alloy wire or conductive yarn routed along a path; used where heat must follow a shape, such as the fingers of heated gloves or the toes of heated socks.

Whatever the element, what matters is measured on the sample: warm-up behavior, surface temperature at each level, evenness across the zone and durability after washing and flexing. Those results — not the element type — belong on your spec sheet.

Common zone positions: vests and jackets — back (one or two zones), left and right chest, collar, hand pockets and, on jackets, upper arms; pants — thighs, knees, lower back; gloves — back of hand, fingers and thumb; socks and insoles — toes and forefoot; blankets — one defined zone; scarves and hats — back of neck, forehead and ears. Buyers commonly ask for 3 to 9 zones on upper-body garments. Most controllers are one illuminated button with three levels (often color-coded), some add a quick-heat start mode, dual control (front and back separately) or Bluetooth app control — the last adds radio documentation. More zones and higher levels draw more power, so zone layout and battery are always chosen together.

• 7.4 V lithium-ion packs — two cells in series, a DC connector and usually a dedicated charger. More heat output for vests, jackets, pants and gloves; the pack is specific to the garment platform.
• 5 V USB power banks — a single-cell power bank with USB output, cable to the garment. Lighter and cheaper, easy for end users to recharge or replace, and common on hoodies, scarves, hats, blankets and entry vests; output is lower than a 7.4 V platform.
• Smaller 3.7 V packs — used in liner gloves, socks and some insoles.
• 12 V vehicle power — motorcycle heated layers and car blankets, quoted on request with the buyer’s connector standard.

mAh and Wh: mAh alone does not compare batteries of different voltages. Energy is Wh = nominal voltage × Ah, and transport rules and airlines look at the Wh rating, which is marked on the pack. Power-bank mAh figures are normally stated at the internal cell voltage, not at 5 V. Runtime ≈ usable Wh ÷ watts drawn at the chosen level, reduced by conversion losses, cold and battery age — so it is measured on the pre-production sample, at each level, with the chosen battery, and only then written into your spec and marketing. Battery protections (over-charge, over-discharge, short-circuit and over-current protection in the pack’s BMS; over-temperature behavior of the controller) are specified per SKU and checked on samples.

• Shells: nylon and polyester (plain, ripstop, quilted), softshell laminates, waterproof-breathable laminates, cotton or poly canvas and duck for workwear.
• Insulation and linings: synthetic fill, down-alternative, polar fleece, brushed tricot, sherpa.
• Knits: cotton-poly fleece and French terry for hoodies; cotton-rich, merino-blend and acrylic yarns for socks, hats and scarves; stretch knits for base layers.
• Gloves: goatskin, cowhide, PU leather or synthetic palms; waterproof-breathable inserts; touchscreen fingertips.

Washing: most heated garments are washed with the battery removed and the connector tucked into its pocket — usually by hand or on a gentle cycle in a laundry bag, then line-dried; some hats and scarves use removable heat modules. Washability depends on how the element, wiring and connector are sealed, so it is confirmed on the sample per SKU and printed on the care label your team approves. Any waterproof or water-resistance claim needs test documentation for that fabric and SKU.

• Embroidery — vests, jackets, hoodies, hats; positioned clear of heating elements and wiring.
• Heat transfer (TPU / silicone) and reflective print — shells, softshells and gloves.
• Screen print and sublimation — hoodies, fleece blankets, scarves.
• Woven labels, rubber / silicone and leather patches — workwear, hats, gloves.
• Knitted-in logos — socks, beanies, knit scarves.
• Controller ring, battery label and zipper pulls — brand details on the hardware.

Polybag + hangtag (vests, jackets, pants), garment bags, window or printed retail boxes (gloves, socks, insoles), gift boxes and bundles (hat + scarf, vest + gloves), and bulk packing for procurement programs. Manuals with charging, washing and warning sections in your languages, barcodes and marketplace (e.g. FBA) labels are applied per SKU. Batteries are packed installed, packed with the garment or shipped separately, and each choice has its own transport classification, labels and documents; marketplaces commonly review lithium-battery products as dangerous goods and ask for the SDS and UN 38.3 test summary.

What drives MOQ:

• Platform — an existing garment and heating layout with your logo starts lower than your own pattern or a new zone layout.
• Fabric and color — custom-dyed shells, knits and linings have minimums per color.
• Size run — wide size runs (and men’s + women’s patterns) spread the quantity per size.
• Battery — an existing pack or power bank starts lower than a custom capacity, connector or printed battery housing.
• Logo and packaging — embroidery and labels start low; custom zipper pulls, controller rings and printed boxes have their own minimums.
• Documentation — battery and electrical testing for your market adds time and may set a practical minimum per SKU.
• Season — late-season briefs compress sampling and documentation time.

MOQ and lead time are quoted per SKU on every quotation; no prices are published. Send your RFQ via the inquiry form.

We do not hold out certifications, listings or test results on this site. Heated apparel combines textiles, a heating circuit, a controller and a lithium-ion battery, so documentation is handled per SKU and per order, and the buyer must confirm each step for their market:

1. Brief. You tell us the destination markets, sales channels (retail, marketplace, PPE procurement), whether batteries ship installed, packed with the garment or as spares, the transport mode, and any retailer, marketplace or procurement requirements.
2. Battery transport. Each battery model needs a UN 38.3 test summary and an SDS; shipments are classified (for example UN 3481 for batteries packed with or contained in equipment, UN 3480 for batteries shipped alone), packed, marked and labeled as dangerous goods for the chosen mode, with the Wh rating on the pack. Air freight carries additional limits and carrier approvals; confirm acceptance with your forwarder.
3. Battery safety. Many markets and channels ask for battery-safety test reports or listings for the pack or power bank — for example IEC 62133-2 reports, or UL-based listings that some US retailers and marketplaces request — and the EU battery regulation sets labeling, information and take-back duties.
4. Electrical safety, EMC and radio. The heated garment and controller are checked against the market’s rules — for example FCC rules for digital electronics in the US (and an FCC authorization for Bluetooth models), or CE marking in the EU with EMC, RoHS, radio (for Bluetooth) and general product-safety documentation. Whether a flexible-heating-appliance standard (for example IEC 60335-2-17) applies to a given low-voltage design is confirmed with the laboratory.
5. Textiles, chemicals and special categories. Fiber-content, origin and care labeling (for example the FTC textile and care-labeling rules in the US), chemical declarations (for example Prop 65 or REACH), children’s-product rules where kids’ sizes are sold, and PPE or high-visibility standards (for example ANSI/ISEA 107, EN ISO 20471, EN 388, EN 13594) only where those claims will be made.
6. Confirm before production. What can be provided — existing reports for a platform, or testing arranged with an accredited third-party laboratory — is confirmed on the quotation for your market, before mass production. Reports must match the exact battery, controller and garment SKU.
7. Labels, manuals and warnings. Battery labels, charging and washing instructions, burn and heat warnings (including for children, people who cannot feel heat properly and use while sleeping) and packaging claims are approved by your team and must match the documentation for that SKU.

Labeling and claims are the brand owner’s responsibility. Rules change; confirm current requirements with your compliance advisor, laboratory and freight forwarder.