French Terry vs Fleece: Which Fabric for Your Hoodies & Sweatshirts?

"Should I use French Terry or fleece?"

We hear this from nearly every brand developing a hoodie or sweatshirt for the first time. It is the most consequential fabric decision for this category, and it is often misunderstood.

Both fabrics are knitted from cotton (or cotton blends). Both are used for hoodies, sweatshirts, joggers, and crewnecks. From the outside, they can look identical. The difference is on the inside — and that interior finish changes everything about how the garment feels, performs, and is perceived by the customer.

French Terry is a knitted fabric with a smooth exterior and a looped interior. The interior loops are the defining characteristic — they create a textured, slightly terry-cloth-like surface that sits against the skin.

Key Characteristics

When to Choose French Terry

Brushed Fleece (also called Felpa Italiana in the European textile industry) starts as a similar knitted construction to French Terry. The difference is in the finishing: the interior loops are mechanically brushed to create a soft, velvety pile.

Key Characteristics

When to Choose Brushed Fleece

| Factor | French Terry | Brushed Fleece |

|--------|-------------|----------------|

| Interior finish | Looped | Brushed pile |

| Warmth | Moderate | High |

| Breathability | High | Moderate |

| GSM range | 280–500 | 260–580+ |

| Seasonality | Year-round | Autumn/winter |

| Print quality | Excellent | Good (exterior slightly fuzzier) |

| Embroidery | Excellent | Excellent |

| Shrinkage | 1–3% | 2–4% |

| Price | Mid-range | Mid to premium |

| Pilling tendency | Low | Moderate (interior can pill with wear) |

| Wash durability | Very good | Good (interior can lose softness over repeated washing) |

The GSM you choose within each fabric type creates dramatically different products.

French Terry by GSM

Brushed Fleece by GSM

For more on how GSM affects garments across all categories, read our guide to fabric weights.

Cutting

Both fabrics cut similarly, though heavier GSM fleece requires more blade maintenance. The key consideration is fabric direction — both are knitted fabrics with a grain, and cutting against the grain causes the garment to twist after washing.

Sewing

Brushed fleece generates more lint during sewing, which requires more frequent machine cleaning. The brushed fibres can also make it slightly harder to achieve crisp seam lines on the interior. Experienced operators adjust tension and speed accordingly.

French Terry sews cleanly with less lint and more predictable seam behaviour.

Printing

French Terry's smoother exterior produces better print results, particularly for:

Brushed fleece is not bad for printing — but brands with print-heavy designs should lean towards French Terry.

Embroidery

Both fabrics accept embroidery equally well. The fabric weight provides excellent stability for the embroidery frame, and the results are virtually identical on both. This is one of the reasons embroidery is the most popular decoration method for hoodies and sweatshirts.

Washing and Finishing

Brushed fleece requires more careful washing to maintain the interior softness. Over-washing or high-temperature washing can flatten the pile. For garment-dyed products, French Terry is generally easier to work with because the looped interior handles the washing process more predictably.

Choose French Terry If:

Choose Brushed Fleece If:

Use Both

Many of our clients produce both: French Terry for their spring/summer line and core year-round pieces, and brushed fleece for their autumn/winter collection. The exterior appearance can be kept consistent while the interior finish changes with the season.

We work with both French Terry and brushed fleece across our full product range:

All fabrics are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified. Custom fabric development is available for brands with specific weight, composition, or finish requirements.

Browse our full fabric library or get in touch to request swatches. We always recommend feeling both fabrics before making a final decision — the difference is immediately apparent in hand.