French terry and 2-thread fleece

French terry is a knit with a smooth face, like jersey, and a back with small, unbrushed loops formed by an additional yarn. It is knitted on a single needle bed with a ground yarn and a loop yarn. The looped back is soft, breathable and absorbs moisture.

It is the classic fabric for lightweight hoodies, joggers and mid-season clothing. Because it is not brushed, it is lighter and less warm than fleece. You can recognise it easily by the visible loops on the back.

The face looks the same, smooth, but the back differs. French terry has small visible loops on the back because it has not been brushed. In fleece the loop has been brushed, so the back is fluffy with no visible loops, thicker and warmer. The same looped knit can become fleece after brushing.

For a summer or spring hoodie, french terry is enough and more breathable. For winter or warm layers, fleece is more suitable. Ask to see the back of the fabric before ordering rather than relying on the name.

Izmana is a term used in the Turkish textile industry and in the Romanian trade for a knit in the french terry family, with a smooth face and a looped back. The exact meaning varies between mills: some use it for a heavier fabric, others for a slightly textured or brushed variant. So the name alone does not guarantee what you receive.

When ordering, describe the structure (2-thread or 3-thread, looped or brushed), the weight and the composition, and ask for a swatch. If you already have a garment, send a sample so the fabric can be identified correctly.

For medium and heavy sweatshirts and french terry, thicker yarns are used than for T-shirts: usually Ne 16/1 to 30/1 for the outer face, and for the brushed or looped inside a thicker yarn, for example Ne 10/1 to 16/1. The exact figure depends on weight and machine gauge.

Thicker yarn gives a more voluminous, warmer and cheaper fabric but with a rougher surface. For better quality, carded or combed ring yarn at finer counts gives a softer sweatshirt. Ask for the yarn count together with the weight.

An adult hoodie with a hood, pocket and long sleeves usually uses 0.6 to 0.9 kg of fabric, plus 0.05 to 0.1 kg of rib for cuffs and hem. So a 25 kg roll makes about 28 to 38 hoodies, depending on GSM and cut.

A 280 GSM french terry hoodie is around 0.65 to 0.75 kg, while an oversized 380 GSM one can pass 1 kg. If you produce several sizes, consumption rises by about 5 to 8% per step from S to XL. The exact figure comes from the marker with your cutter's real efficiency, not from averages.

A macro silicone softener has large particles, forms a film on the fibre surface and gives a full, slippery, almost oily hand, but it can leave stains and reduce absorbency. A micro (or nano) silicone penetrates better between the fibres, gives a soft, dry and even hand, and affects hydrophilicity less. For cotton tees that need good absorbency, micro silicone is usually chosen; macro is used where bulk and strong softness are wanted, such as sweatshirts. Ask the supplier which type is used, not just for a soft hand.