French terry and fleece look similar on a product page and feel completely different in a finished garment. Both are knits, both make excellent sweatshirts, and choosing wrong is the difference between a hoodie you live in and one that sits in a drawer.
The actual difference is the back
Flip both fabrics over. That is the whole story.
French terry has small unbrushed loops on the inside. The face is smooth, the back is looped, and air moves through those loops. That is why french terry breathes.
Fleece starts as the same basic construction, then the back is brushed to break the loops open into a soft napped pile. That pile traps air, which is why fleece is warm and why it feels plush against skin.
Same starting point. One extra finishing step. Completely different garment.
When to choose french terry
- Year-round wear. Breathes well enough for spring and fall without overheating.
- Anything fitted. Drapes closer to the body and does not add visible bulk.
- Warm climates. A french terry hoodie is wearable in Los Angeles in October. A fleece one is not.
- Joggers and lounge pants where you want softness without heat.
- Screen printing. The smoother face takes ink more cleanly.
When to choose fleece
- Genuine warmth. Cold-weather hoodies, winter layers, outerwear linings.
- That plush feel people associate with an expensive sweatshirt.
- Blankets and throws.
- Structured, oversized silhouettes where body is the point.
Weight still decides everything
Within both fabrics, GSM changes the garment more than the fabric type does:
- 280 to 320 GSM: lightweight, spring layering, drapey.
- 350 to 400 GSM: the classic hoodie weight. Most people want this.
- 450 GSM and up: heavyweight. Substantial, premium feel, and noticeably harder to sew.
A 450 GSM french terry is warmer than a 280 GSM fleece. Do not let the fabric name override the number.
Sewing notes
Both are knits, so use a ballpoint or jersey needle and a stretch stitch, narrow zigzag, or serger. A straight stitch will pop the first time someone pulls the hoodie over their head.
Fleece sheds lint while you cut, so clean your machine afterward. Heavyweight fleece over 450 GSM benefits from a walking foot, since the pile likes to shift under a standard presser foot.
Pre-wash both. Cotton french terry and fleece commonly shrink 5 to 8 percent on the first wash, and that is the difference between a hoodie that fits and one that does not.
Do not forget the ribbing
Cuffs, waistbands, and neckbands need rib knit, not more terry or fleece. Rib has the recovery to snap back after being stretched over a hand or head. Using self-fabric for cuffs is the most common reason a homemade hoodie looks homemade. At APC Fabrics the matching rib is sold separately, so add it to your order alongside the main yardage.
Shop both
We stock french terry and fleece in weights from 280 to 675 GSM, in cotton, cotton-modal, and poly blends, much of it milled in the USA. Everything is sold by the yard and cut to order as one continuous piece, shipped from our Los Angeles warehouse.
Not sure which weight? Read our fabric weight and GSM guide.