French Terry vs Fleece: Differences, Weights and Which to Specify

French terry and fleece start as the same fabric. Both are sweatshirt knits with a smooth jersey face and extra yarn floated across the back. French terry leaves those back loops as they come off the machine. Fleece has them brushed after knitting, which raises the fibre into a soft pile. Everything else that separates the two, from warmth and drape to pilling and price, follows from that one finishing decision.

That is why the two are so often confused on a brief. The swatch that settles it is the inside of the garment, and the specification has to describe the inside as carefully as the face.

What is the difference between French terry and fleece?

The difference is the back. French terry has a looped, unbrushed back and is sometimes described as un-napped fleece. Fleece has the same loops raised by brushing into a fuzzy pile. Both keep a jersey face, so from the outside a French terry hoodie and a fleece hoodie in the same colour and weight can look almost identical.

	French terry	Brushed fleece
Back surface	Visible loops, left as knitted	Loops raised into a soft pile
Hand on the inside	Drier, flatter, slightly textured	Soft, lofty, warm to the touch
Warmth at the same weight	Lower; breathes more freely	Higher; the pile holds still air
Drape	Falls closer to the body, moves more freely	Fuller and bulkier, holds more volume
Pilling tendency	Lower, though loops can snag	Higher, because brushing frees loose fibre
Season	Year-round, transitional, warm climates	Autumn and winter, colder markets
Extra process	None beyond standard finishing	Brushing, sometimes followed by shearing

Warmth needs one qualification. At the same fibre content, yarns and finished weight, brushed fleece usually feels warmer, because the raised pile traps air against the body. A heavy French terry will still be warmer than a light fleece. Compare the two on matched swatches before deciding on warmth alone.

Neither name says anything about fibre. Both are commonly knitted in cotton and cotton-polyester blends, so the fibre is a separate line on the brief.

How are French terry and fleece knitted and finished?

Both are weft knits made on circular machines, in what the trade calls loopback or sweatshirt construction. One yarn knits a single jersey face. A second yarn is tucked into that jersey at intervals and floats across the reverse between the tucks, forming the loops. The knit vs woven guide covers the loop structure that sits underneath both.

Two constructions are in common use:

• Two-end (two-thread). A face yarn and a loop yarn. Lighter and more economical, and the usual base for lighter French terry and lighter fleece.
• Three-end (three-thread). A third yarn is added, and on brushed qualities it is this back yarn that is raised after knitting while the jersey face is kept. Three-end is the usual base for heavier sweatshirt weights and gives the back more bulk to brush.

The back yarn is often coarser than the face yarn. A fine combed cotton face prints and feels clean; a heavier back yarn builds weight and, on fleece, gives the brushing wires something to raise. The cotton yarn count guide shows where those counts sit.

From there the routes split. French terry is dyed, compacted and finished with its loops intact. Fleece goes through a brushing or raising machine, where wire-covered rollers pull fibre out of the back loops. Some qualities are then sheared to an even pile height, and some receive an anti-pill finish. Brushing changes the fabric's weight and width, so the figures that matter are the ones measured after it.

Polar fleece is a different product. It is usually polyester, brushed on both sides and often sheared, and it is used for jackets and outer layers. When a brief says "fleece hoodie", it nearly always means brushed sweatshirt fleece with a jersey face.

What GSM should French terry and fleece be?

French terry commonly runs from about 200 to 350 GSM, and sweatshirt fleece from about 260 to 450 GSM, with heavyweight streetwear qualities going higher.

Finished weight	French terry use	Fleece use
200 to 260 GSM	Summer sweatshirts, shorts, lightweight tops, loungewear	Light linings, kidswear layers (less common)
260 to 320 GSM	The core sweatshirt and jogger band	Light to midweight hoodies and joggers
320 to 380 GSM	Heavier crews and hoodies with more structure	The standard winter hoodie and sweatshirt
380 to 450 GSM and above	Heavyweight, boxy streetwear cuts	Heavyweight hoodies with a dense, structured hand

These are trade ranges, not targets. A 300 GSM fleece will feel loftier and warmer than a 300 GSM French terry, and a 300 GSM three-end quality will feel different from a 300 GSM two-end one. The fabric GSM guide explains why weight has to sit beside construction to mean anything.

State the finished GSM with a tolerance, commonly around plus or minus 5 per cent, and measure it the same way at both ends; the GSM calculator does the arithmetic for a weighed sample.

Cotton or cotton-polyester: what changes with the blend?

Fibre changes shrinkage, pilling, print behaviour and hand more than the French terry or fleece label does. 100 per cent cotton gives the driest, most natural hand and the best base for soft water-based prints. Cotton-polyester blends add stability and resilience, and on fleece they help the pile stay lofty through washing.

Blend	What it does well	What to watch
100% cotton	Natural hand, breathability, takes reactive dye and water-based print well	Higher shrinkage risk, pile flattens faster on fleece
Cotton-rich blend (roughly 80/20)	Cotton face and feel with more stability	Dye has to match on two fibres
Balanced blend (roughly 60/40 to 50/50)	Lower shrinkage, lofty brushing, holds shape	Pills that stay attached, dye migration under print
Polyester-rich	Very stable, quick drying, strong colour on polyester dyes	Synthetic hand, static, poor fit for soft cotton prints

Many blended qualities place the fibres by yarn system: a cotton face for hand and print, with a polyester or blended back yarn for loft. That arrangement should be written into the spec, because two fabrics with the same overall percentage can have very different faces.

Shrinkage in cotton-rich loopback is mostly length shrinkage, as the loops relax after knitting and finishing. Compacting at the finishing stage controls it, and garment-washed styles are cut with the wash allowance built into the pattern. A common commercial limit for cotton-rich sweatshirt fabric sits around 3 to 5 per cent in length after the agreed wash, set by the buyer's own standard and test method.

Pilling is the bigger fleece issue. Brushing frees fibre ends from the yarn, and free fibre is what pills. On cotton-rich fleece, pills tend to break off in wear; on polyester-rich fleece the stronger fibre holds them on the surface, which is why a blended fleece can look tired sooner. A tighter knit, a better yarn, shearing and an anti-pill finish all help, and the pilling grade belongs on the specification with its test method. French terry pills less, though its open loops can snag on velcro or jewellery.

Which suits hoodies, joggers, sweatshirts and loungewear?

Fleece suits cold-weather hoodies and sweatshirts. French terry suits joggers, loungewear, shorts and year-round sweatshirts. Most sweatshirt programmes use both, split by season and by garment.

Garment	Usual choice	Why
Winter pullover or zip hoodie	Fleece, 320 GSM and above	Warmth and a soft inside against the skin
Year-round or transitional hoodie	French terry, 280 to 340 GSM	Breathes, layers well, less bulk
Crew sweatshirt	Either, by season	Same pattern works in both with a weight check
Joggers	French terry, or a lighter fleece for winter	Drapes better through the leg, less bulk at the knee
Shorts	French terry	Brushed pile is too warm and bulky in a short
Loungewear and co-ord sets	French terry	Softer fall, cooler against the skin
Kidswear layers	Fleece for warmth, French terry for movement	Children run hot; the climate decides
Heavyweight streetwear	Heavy fleece or heavy French terry	Structure comes from weight and three-end build

Both garments need rib at the cuffs, hem and waistband, usually 1×1 or 2×2, often with a little elastane for recovery. The rib is a different construction and takes dye differently from the body, so it is dyed and approved as its own shade against the body fabric. A body-and-rib shade mismatch is one of the most common rejects on a sweatshirt line. The full range sits under hoodies and sweatshirts.

How do French terry and fleece take print and embroidery?

Both print and embroider on the jersey face, so the decoration methods are the same. What changes is how the back behaves under heat, pressure and needle.

For print, the face fibre decides the ink. A cotton-rich face takes water-based, discharge and direct-to-garment printing well; plastisol and puff printing work on most bases and are common on hoodies. On polyester blends, the curing heat can draw disperse dye out of the polyester and into the ink, so a white print on a dark blended fleece turns pink or grey. Low-bleed inks and controlled curing temperatures prevent it, and the strike-off should be on the bulk fabric. The printing methods comparison covers each method in detail.

Fleece needs one extra care at the press. High heat-press pressure can crush the brushed pile and leave a visible press mark around a transfer or print, so the platen pressure and cover sheet are set for the fabric.

Embroidery suits both, and heavier weights carry dense chest and back designs without puckering. Lighter French terry needs a cut-away backing and controlled stitch density, or the fabric draws in around the design. On both fabrics the backing stays on the inside, where it can be felt, so a soft cover or a fused facing over the reverse is worth specifying on premium styles. The embroidery and appliqué guide covers backings and density.

What should the spec say so bulk matches the sample?

It should describe the construction, both yarn systems, the back finish and the finished figures, each with a tolerance and a test method. Most bulk-to-sample mismatches on sweatshirts trace to a line that was left as "French terry, 320 GSM" and then quoted three ways.

Line on the spec	What to state
Construction	Two-end or three-end, with a sealed swatch reference
Yarns	Count and type for the face yarn and the back yarn separately
Fibre content	Each fibre and percentage, and which yarn carries which fibre
Back finish	Unbrushed loops, brushed, or brushed and sheared, against the swatch
Finished GSM	Target and tolerance, measured after brushing and finishing
Width	Usable relaxed width, so the marker and yield are costed correctly
Dimensional stability	Length and width limits after the agreed wash, with the method
Spirality and skew	Limits after washing, since sweatshirt bodies can twist
Pilling	Required grade and method, plus any anti-pill finish
Rib	Rib construction, fibre, weight and shade reference for each trim
Shade	Body and rib colour references, and the light source for approval

Lab methods commonly used for these lines include AATCC TM135 for dimensional change after home laundering, AATCC TM179 for skew and ISO 12945-2 for pilling. The mill test report guide explains how to read the results against the limits. Record all of it in the tech pack, so the bulk fabric is bought to the sample and not to its name.

Cost follows the same lines. Yarn is the largest share: a finer, combed or organic face yarn costs more than a carded one, and a heavier fabric uses more of it. Three-end construction adds a yarn. Fleece adds a brushing pass and loses some fibre in it, and shearing and anti-pill finishes add further passes. Garment dyeing, enzyme washes and a narrow usable width that raises fabric consumption per piece all move the price. A low quote is usually missing one of these; why garment quotes differ shows the pattern.

Short FAQ

Is French terry the same as fleece?

No. Both share the same looped sweatshirt knit, but fleece has its back loops brushed into a pile and French terry does not.

Which is warmer, French terry or fleece?

Fleece, at the same fibre and weight. The brushed pile holds air against the body. A heavy French terry can still be warmer than a light fleece.

Is French terry good for summer?

Yes. Lighter French terry, around 200 to 260 GSM, breathes well and is widely used for summer sweatshirts, shorts and loungewear.

Does fleece pill more than French terry?

Yes, usually. Brushing frees fibre ends that can form pills. A tighter knit, a better yarn and an anti-pill finish reduce it, and the grade should be tested.

Can the same pattern be made in French terry and fleece?

Yes, with a fit check. Fleece is bulkier and may shrink differently, so grade and wash allowances are confirmed on a sample in each fabric.

Is French terry the same as terry towelling?

No. French terry is knitted with loops on the back only. Towelling terry is woven, with uncut pile loops usually on both sides.

Decide the inside first

The face of a sweatshirt is jersey whichever fabric is chosen. The real choice is the inside: loops that breathe and drape, or a brushed pile that warms and fills out the garment. Choose that by season and garment, then pick the weight within the band.

After that, the work is specification. Name the construction, both yarns, the back finish and the finished weight after brushing, with tolerances and test methods. A French terry or fleece programme bought to those lines arrives matching its sample. One bought to the fabric's name alone usually does not.