What Is French Terry? A Guide to Terry Fabric and How to Choose

French terry is a knit fabric with soft, looped yarn on the inside and a smooth, flat surface on the outside, usually 100% cotton or a cotton blend. French terry fabric is midweight and breathable: the comfortable middle ground between a t-shirt and a sweatshirt.

Which is why it's everywhere: hoodies, joggers, loungewear, and basically every casual piece that actually gets worn.

But here's what most people don't know. Terry isn't one fabric...it's a family. French terry. Terry cloth. Fleece. The lighter cotton-terry knits. Each one behaves differently, and each one belongs in a different part of your closet.

This guide walks through what french terry actually is, how it stacks up against its cousins, and how to find your terry: the comfy, holds-its-shape piece you'll want to live in.

Quick Answer: French Terry at a Glance

The ten-second version.

Texture. Smooth and flat outside (like a finer t-shirt knit). Soft and gently looped inside. Cozy against skin without feeling heavy.

Weight. Midweight. Heavier than a tee, lighter than fleece. Usually 230 to 340 gsm for everyday pieces.

Fiber. Almost always cotton or a cotton blend. A touch of polyester, spandex, or modal helps it hold shape wash after wash.

Breathability. High. The looped inside wicks moisture and lets air move, which is why french terry works in warmer weather too, not just winter.

Best for. Hoodies. Sweatshirts. Joggers. Loungewear. Casual dresses. All the in-between layers that get worn the most.

What Is French Terry, Exactly?

French terry is a double-knit. Fancy way of saying it has two faces.

The outside is smooth and flat, so it reads polished. The inside is lined with soft, uncut loops of yarn, so it feels like a hug. That two-faced construction is the whole trick: sweatshirt comfort on the skin, cleaner drape to the world.

Most french terry is cotton or mostly cotton, which is where the softness and breathability come from.

Where the Name Comes From

A small fact for the curious: french terry isn't actually French.

The word terry traces back to the French verb tirer, meaning to pull. In the mid-1800s, textile makers developed a way of pulling long loops of yarn through a denser cloth, which became terry cloth. The technique later evolved into a knitted version with loops on only one side. That became french terry. The name stuck because it sounded a touch more refined than terry knit...which is what it technically is.

Today french terry is milled all over the world. The country on the care label tells you where the fabric was made, not the heritage of the cloth.

How It's Made

There's a little bit of magic in how french terry is made.

It's knit on a circular machine running two sets of yarn at once. One set forms the smooth, jersey-like face. The second feeds in extra yarn that gets pulled into loops on the inside. The two systems lock together into a stable knit that resists pilling and holds its shape.

Those inside loops can be left as-is (true french terry) or sheared into different finishes. Sheared and brushed, the fabric becomes fleece. Same family. Different finishing. Very different results.

Higher cotton means softer and more breathable. A small percentage of polyester or spandex means better shape retention over time. Most good pieces blend the two.

French Terry vs Terry Cloth

Both share the terry name. They behave very differently.

Terry cloth has loops on both sides, which is why it absorbs water the way a bath towel does. Heavier. Plusher. Built for absorbency, not a clean drape. You'll see it in towels, robes, and beach cover-ups.

French terry has loops on one side only (the inside). The outside stays smooth and reads more polished, which is why french terry shows up in actual clothing: hoodies, joggers, dresses, polos.

The simple rule? If you can dry off with it, it's terry cloth. If you can wear it to brunch, it's french terry.

French Terry vs Fleece

This is the one that trips people up, because french terry and fleece often sit on the same store shelf.

Both start from a similar knit base. The difference is what happens to the inside loops after. French terry leaves them uncut and visible, which keeps the fabric breathable and midweight. Fleece shears the loops and brushes them into a fuzzy pile that traps heat and adds bulk.

Warmer? Fleece. More versatile? French terry.

Think climate and context. Fleece is built for cold weather and cozy-at-home. French terry is built for year-round wear, especially the in-between weather (early mornings, late evenings, transitional seasons) when you want comfort without heat. It also drapes more cleanly, which is why it works for joggers and casual dresses while fleece stays in sweatshirt-and-blanket territory.

Side-by-Side: French Terry vs Fleece vs Terry Cloth

The cheat sheet, if you're deciding between the three. Same knit family. Very different jobs.

Is French Terry for Summer or Winter?

Both. It depends on the weight.

Lightweight french terry (around 230 gsm or below) works for cool summer mornings, evening porch sits, and the transitional weeks between seasons. Breathable enough for a little warmth in the air. Cozy enough once the sun goes down.

Mediumweight to heavyweight (240 to 340+ gsm) leans fall, winter, and early spring. Still more breathable than fleece, but warm enough for a cold morning walk, a freezing coffee shop, or a long flight where the cabin runs cold.

For full summer heat, the lighter cotton-terry knits are the better pick. Not technically french terry, but same family. The soft hand of terry, without the warmth.

What Makes French Terry Special

Most knit fabrics make you choose between comfort and structure. French terry is one of the few that delivers both.

It feels like a sweatshirt against your skin (the looped inside is genuinely soft) but drapes like a more polished piece, because the outside stays clean. It breathes better than fleece. Holds its shape better than a basic tee. And it survives wash after wash, far longer than the cheap stuff.

The same french terry pullover works at the grocery store and at a dinner where you want to look pulled-together. That range is why it became the default fabric of considered athleisure and the wardrobe staples that get worn more than anything else in the closet.

The Terry Family: A Quick Tour

Terry shows up in more places than people realize. Here's who's who.

French terry: smooth out, looped in. Lightweight to midweight. Sweatshirts, joggers, hoodies, casual dresses.

Terry cloth: looped on both sides. Heavy. Towels, robes, beach pieces.

Fleece: french terry with the loops sheared and brushed into a soft pile. Plush, warm, less breathable.

Velour: french terry with the loops sheared into a velvety pile. Tracksuits and home pieces.

Cotton-terry knits: lighter, summer-weight blends that borrow terry's soft hand without the weight. The right pick when you want the comfort of terry but the season is warm. That's our lane, and we'll get to it.

Understanding French Terry Weight (A GSM Guide)

Fabric weight is measured in grams per square meter, or gsm. Higher gsm, heavier and warmer. French terry fabric spans the full range, and the weight is the single most useful thing to check before you buy.

Lightweight (170 to 230 gsm). Cool-weather tees and light layering. Early-morning dog walks, a porch coffee in April, a flight where the cabin runs cold.

Mediumweight (230 to 280 gsm). The workhorse. Most of the comfy hoodies and joggers you reach for again and again live here. Year-round in most climates.

Medium-heavy (280 to 340 gsm). Built for the cozy months. Premium sweatshirts and structured loungewear that hold their shape. Earns its keep October through March.

Heavyweight (340+ gsm). Cold-weather territory. Oversized hoodies and pieces that can stand in for a light jacket on a milder winter day.

What to Look For When You're Buying French Terry

Once you know what to check, you can spot a well-made piece in about ten seconds.

Cotton content. Higher percentages feel softer and breathe better. Pure 100% cotton is the most luxurious but shrinks and loses shape faster. A small percentage of polyester, spandex, or modal (5 to 15 percent) is the sweet spot for everyday pieces that hold up.

Weight. Check the gsm or just feel it. Lighter for spring and layering. Medium as the versatile default. Heavier for the cold.

Drape. Pick it up and let it hang. If it falls cleanly, the knit is built well. If it looks boxy on the hanger, it'll look boxy on you.

Loop quality. Check the inside. Tight, even loops mean a well-constructed knit. Loose or uneven loops mean pilling, snagging, and lost shape down the road.

Pre-washing. Some french terry is garment-washed before it ships, which cuts shrinkage and softens the hand. Worth asking about for pieces that need to fit precisely.

How to Care for a French Terry Piece

French terry rewards a little attention in the laundry room. A well-cared-for piece stays soft for years instead of months.

1. Wash inside out, on cold, gentle cycle. Cold water protects the cotton fibers and the looped knit.
2. Use a mild detergent and skip the fabric softener. Sounds counterintuitive on a cozy fabric, but softener coats the cotton and dulls the breathability that makes french terry feel the way it does.
3. Tumble dry low or lay flat. High heat shrinks cotton and breaks down any stretch in the blend.
4. Pull pieces out of the dryer a touch damp. Over-drying stiffens the hand.
5. Store folded, not hung. Cotton knits stretch on hangers over time.
6. If a piece starts feeling less soft, add a small splash of distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle. It pulls out detergent buildup. Once or twice a year is plenty.

Our Take on Terry: A Lighter Summer Knit

Here's where we want to be honest with you: our Terry Polo is not french terry. We'd rather tell you that upfront than market around it.

The Terry Polo is a soft cotton-terry knit, 80% cotton and 20% polyester. The way we describe it: our signature softness, reimagined in a lightweight, breathable fabric designed for warmer weather. Same Terry family. Built lighter. Made for the months when you want the cozy hand of Terry without sweating through a sweatshirt.

That signature softness matters to us. The by Jill Martin line was built around comfort first, born from Jill's own breast cancer journey and a belief that what you wear in the hard moments should hold you...the way a good friend would. The Terry Polo carries that ethos into summer.

So if you came here looking for a classic french terry sweatshirt, the Terry Polo is a different piece for a different season. But if you want that same soft, holds-its-shape, comfortable-but-pulled-together feel in a warm-weather cut? That's exactly what it was made for.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's french terry made of?

Mostly cotton. Either 100% cotton, or cotton blended with a small percentage of polyester or spandex. Cotton drives the softness. The synthetic helps the piece hold its shape over time.

What does french terry feel like?

Smooth and soft on the outside, gently textured on the inside where the loops sit against your skin. Cozy without being heavy. Most pieces feel a little broken-in from day one.

Is french terry warm?

Warmer than a t-shirt, cooler than fleece. A three-season fabric for most climates. Lightweight french terry works for cool summer mornings; heavier weights are built for winter.

Is french terry good for winter?

Yes, especially in heavier weights (280 gsm and above). Not as warm as fleece, but the looped interior traps a layer of air against the skin that adds real warmth. Layered under a jacket, it carries through most winter days.

Is french terry for summer or winter?

Both, depending on the weight. Lightweight french terry (170 to 230 gsm) works for cool summer mornings and evenings. Mediumweight to heavy (230 to 340+ gsm) belongs in fall through early spring. For full summer heat, look at cotton-terry knits, which are lighter.

What's the difference between terry and french terry?

Terry is the broader fabric family. Terry cloth (the bath-towel version) has loops on both sides. French terry fabric is a knit variant with loops on one side only, leaving the other side smooth so it works in clothing.

Is french terry as warm as fleece?

No. Fleece is warmer because its inside loops have been sheared and brushed into a thick pile that traps body heat. French terry keeps its loops uncut, which makes it lighter, more breathable, and less insulating.

Can french terry be 100% cotton?

Yes. Many premium pieces are. The trade-off is that pure cotton shrinks more and stretches out faster than blends. A small percentage of polyester or spandex helps the piece hold its shape across washes.

Is french terry the same as polyester?

No. French terry is a knit construction (how the fabric is made). Polyester is a fiber (what it's made from). French terry can be made from cotton, polyester, blends, or fibers like modal and bamboo. The category and the content are two separate things.

Does french terry shrink when washed?

Yes, especially 100% cotton french terry on the first few washes. Expect 3 to 7 percent. Washing cold and drying low (or air drying) minimizes it. Pre-washed pieces have most of the shrinkage taken out before they ship.

Is french terry more expensive than cotton?

French terry usually IS cotton. Price reflects the construction (a double-knit takes more yarn and machine time) and the finish. Premium french terry costs more than a basic tee, but less than a true fleece of equal quality.

Is french terry good for sweat?

Yes. The looped interior wicks moisture away from the skin, which is why it shows up in so many athletic and lounge pieces. Not as wicking as performance synthetics, but far more comfortable than them. A trade most people are happy to make.

How do you wash french terry?

Cold water, gentle cycle, mild detergent, tumble dry low or lay flat. Turn it inside out to protect the loops. Skip the fabric softener, which coats the cotton and dulls breathability. Pull pieces out of the dryer a touch damp to keep the hand soft.

Find Your Terry

Now that you know your terry, see how it dresses for summer. Shop the Terry Polo collection.

The Terry Polo is a soft cotton-terry knit (80% cotton, 20% polyester), cut for both men and women in three clean colorways: white, soft pink, and royal blue. Every piece can be personalized with a single initial on the left chest. The kind of detail that turns a generic shirt into one you actually reach for. 

Shop the Terry Polo Collection →      Personalize Yours →

Looking for cooler-weather comfort instead? Explore our signature Loungers  and the  Hoodie Hub for the heavier sherpa pieces built to handle the cold.