French Terry vs Brushed-Back Fleece Hoodies: Which Fabric Wins?
By The Velocity Wear Team
French terry and brushed-back fleece are the two dominant fabrics in the custom hoodie market — french terry is a lighter, loop-back knit that breathes well and drapes cleanly across three seasons, while brushed fleece is heavier, warmer and the standard choice for winter-weight hoodies and cold-weather outerwear.
Both fabrics look similar on the outside but feel completely different on the inside, and that inside surface is what defines how the garment performs in wear, how it holds a screen print, and how the finished piece photographs for your brand.
French Terry — Loops, Lightness and Year-Round Versatility
French terry is a knit fabric with a smooth or slightly textured face and a loop-back interior. The loops are left uncut, giving the inside of the fabric a distinctive loop-pile texture. These loops trap some air for warmth without adding significant weight — a typical french terry hoodie runs between 240 GSM and 320 GSM.
This weight range makes french terry the ideal fabric for spring, summer and early-autumn hoodies. It is light enough not to overheat in mild weather but substantial enough to act as a standalone outer layer on cool evenings. The drape is soft and slightly fluid, which gives french terry hoodies a relaxed, modern silhouette that photographs particularly well for flat-lay and lifestyle content.
The smooth external face of french terry is an excellent print surface. Screen printing, DTF and sublimation all perform well on the face side. The slight texture adds visual interest to large-format prints without disrupting print clarity. French terry also tends to pill less than brushed fleece, which matters for garments that see frequent washing.
Brushed-Back Fleece — Warmth, Weight and Winter Performance
Brushed-back fleece starts as a similar loop-back construction to french terry, but after knitting the interior loops are mechanically brushed out into a soft, dense pile — the same process used to make the fabric in sweatshirts and winter sportswear. This brushing dramatically increases the fabric's thermal properties by creating a thick air-trapping layer.
Typical weights for brushed fleece hoodies run from 300 GSM to 500 GSM. The heavier the fleece, the warmer the garment and the more substantial it feels when held. Heavyweight brushed fleece at 400 GSM and above is increasingly popular in the premium streetwear market, where garment weight has become a quality signal in its own right.
The external face of a brushed fleece hoodie is usually smooth or very slightly napped, making it a reliable print surface for screen printing and DTF. However, very heavy fleece can cause slight ink cracking on large solid-colour prints if the ink layer is not flexible enough — always use a soft-hand or stretch additive in the ink system for heavyweight fleece.
Decoration and Brand Considerations
- French terry: ideal for full-front screen prints, DTF graphics and sublimation (on poly-blend variants); the smooth face maximises ink adhesion.
- French terry: embroidery sits cleanly due to the stable knit construction; avoid extremely dense fill stitching on lighter-weight terry.
- Brushed fleece: screen printing works well with flexible ink formulations; DTF is particularly reliable as the hot-press step bonds the transfer firmly.
- Brushed fleece: 3D puff embroidery reads brilliantly against the soft, napped surface — the contrast between hard foam stitching and soft fleece is visually striking.
- Both fabrics: pre-wash garments before decoration to prevent post-decoration shrinkage affecting print or embroidery placement.
Which Should You Choose?
- Choose french terry for spring/summer product drops, transitional-season staples, or markets where lightweight layering is valued.
- Choose french terry when garment drape and photography aesthetics are priorities — the fluid silhouette performs well on models and flat-lays.
- Choose brushed fleece for autumn/winter drops, cold-climate markets, or any programme where warmth is a primary product feature.
- Choose brushed fleece for heavyweight premium streetwear lines where the heft of the garment is a deliberate quality signal.
“"French terry is the hoodie you reach for on a cool September morning. Brushed fleece is the one you live in from November to February. Design for when the customer will actually wear it."”
Velocity Wear produces custom hoodies in both french terry and brushed-back fleece from a minimum order of 20 pieces, with screen printing, DTF, embroidery and 3D puff all available. Use the free Design Studio to visualise your artwork on your chosen fabric, get an instant quote with the price calculator, and benefit from bulk discounts up to 40%. Tracked delivery to the UK, USA, Europe and worldwide.