Fleece Fabric Guide: Polar, French Terry & Brushed Fleece for Buyers

Quick Answer: Sweatshirt and hoodie fleece comes in four distinct constructions: French terry (200–320 GSM, smooth face with looped reverse, premium brand positioning), brushed cotton fleece (280–380 GSM, soft napped interior, mass retail), polar fleece (polyester knit, lightweight warmth, outdoor applications), and waffle knit (structured all-over texture, lifestyle fashion positioning). French terry and brushed cotton fleece are the standard constructions from Pakistan's knitwear mills. Sweatshirts and hoodies from Pakistan are produced in all four fleece constructions at certified mills.

Why Fleece Fabric Selection Matters at Specification Stage

The word "fleece" in a product brief is not a specification — it is a category. There are at least four structurally distinct knit constructions that a buyer or designer might call "fleece", and each produces a different hand-feel, weight, thermal performance and aesthetic. For procurement managers sourcing sweatshirts and hoodies from Pakistan, specifying the correct construction at RFQ stage prevents the most common sweatshirt sampling failure: the factory selecting a different fleece construction from what the buyer imagined.

Pakistan's knitwear mills in Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad produce all four primary fleece constructions. Each requires different knitting and finishing equipment — confirming mill capability for the specified construction before sample development is standard practice.

French Terry (Loop-Back Fleece)

French terry is a knit fabric with a smooth, flat face and uncut loops on the reverse side. The loops face inward against the body in a finished garment. The face is clean and smooth — often used as the exterior of premium sweatshirts where print quality and appearance are priorities.

GSM: 260–380 GSM. A typical retail French terry sweatshirt runs at 300–340 GSM.

Face: Smooth, flat — similar to jersey. Excellent for screen print, embroidery and DTG decoration.

Back: Exposed loops — slightly textured against skin, breathable, moderate warmth retention.

Best for:

• Premium retail sweatshirts (USA, UK, EU)
• Branded fashion programmes where print quality on the face is the primary brief
• Athleisure sweatshirts where the clean exterior matches lifestyle positioning
• Coordinated sets with sweatpants and joggers in matching French terry

Not ideal for: Maximum warmth programmes where a napped interior is required.

Brushed Fleece (Standard Fleece / Sweatshirt Fleece)

Brushed fleece starts as a French terry structure but undergoes a mechanical brushing process that breaks the loops on the reverse, creating a soft, napped pile interior — the classic "soft fleece" hand-feel.

GSM: 280–400 GSM. Standard retail brushed fleece sweatshirts typically run 300–360 GSM.

Face: Smooth or lightly textured. Some brushed fleece programmes brush both sides (double-face fleece) for premium softness.

Back: Soft, dense nap — the warmth layer. The nap traps body heat more effectively than unbroken loops.

Best for:

• Standard retail sweatshirts and hoodies (global)
• Workwear and uniform fleece layers (USA, EU, Australia)
• Programmes where warmth and softness are both prioritised
• The highest-volume production tier in Pakistan's sweatshirt category

Note on pilling: Lower-twist yarns in cheap brushed fleece pill more quickly than ring-spun or combed constructions. Specify "anti-pill fleece" or request ISO 12945-2 pilling resistance test data (Grade 4 minimum after 5 cycles) if programme lifetime is a brief requirement.

Polar Fleece (Microfibre Fleece)

Polar fleece is typically made from 100% polyester or polyester-cotton blends, using very fine microfibre yarns. The surface is sheared rather than brushed, creating a consistent, even pile on both faces.

GSM: 200–400 GSM. Ultra-lightweight polar fleece starts at 100–150 GSM for technical liners; typical retail outerwear runs 200–300 GSM.

Fibre: Predominantly 100% polyester. Recycled polyester (rPET) polar fleece is widely available and GRS-certifiable — increasingly required by European and UK retail sustainability programmes.

Best for:

• Outerwear fleece jackets and gilets (USA, Canada, Northern EU)
• Technical and outdoor layers
• Sustainability-positioned programmes where GRS-certified recycled polyester is the brief
• Price-efficient warmth — better warmth-to-weight ratio than cotton fleece at equivalent GSM

Certification note: GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certification is available from Pakistan mills for polyester fleece from recycled content. Verify the chain-of-custody documentation before making a recycled content claim.

Sherpa Fleece

Sherpa is a premium fleece construction with a curly, dense pile on one face that mimics the texture of sheep's fleece. Typically, a smooth (often knit) face forms the exterior and the sherpa pile is the interior.

GSM: 300–500 GSM. Heavy — sherpa is the maximum warmth tier in knit fleece.

Appearance: The exterior face is smooth; the interior is visibly texturally distinctive — a selling point in premium retail where the interior is shown as a feature.

Best for:

• Premium outerwear liners (USA, Canada, Northern EU, Russia/CIS)
• Sherpa-lined hoodies and jackets where the interior detail is a brand visual
• Gift and premium branded merchandise
• Sherpa-lined overalls and workwear for cold-climate industrial programmes

Fleece Construction Reference

Cotton vs Poly-Cotton vs Polyester

100% cotton: GOTS-certifiable for organic programmes. Naturally breathable. Higher wash shrinkage than synthetic blends — specify pre-shrink finish. Cannot claim GRS recycled content.

Poly-cotton (typically 80/20 or 60/40): Industry workhorse. Better dimensional stability than pure cotton, lower cost than full cotton, partial GOTS eligibility. Most standard brushed fleece retail production.

100% polyester: Lightweight warmth, moisture-wicking, GRS-certifiable for recycled content programmes. Required for sublimation print fleece (full-colour all-over print requires 100% polyester base).

GSM Selection Guide

260–300 GSM (light fleece): Spring layering, athleisure, mild-climate retail. French terry or light brushed fleece.

300–380 GSM (mid-weight — the volume range): Standard retail sweatshirts and hoodies globally. Brushed fleece or French terry. The majority of sweatshirt and hoodie programmes from Pakistan run here.

380–500 GSM (heavyweight premium): Cold-climate retail, premium branded merchandise, sherpa-lined outerwear. Higher material cost and longer knitting time — confirm capacity before committing to volumes.

Certification for Fleece Products

OEKO-TEX Standard 100: Baseline requirement for retail fleece in USA, UK and EU. Applies to both cotton and polyester constructions.

GOTS: Required for any organic cotton claim. Cotton (or cotton component in blends) must be GOTS-certified through the chain.

GRS (Global Recycled Standard): Available for recycled polyester fleece. Required for any verified recycled content claim to EU/UK buyers.

Sourcing Sweatshirts and Hoodies from Pakistan

MZ Global Trading sources sweatshirts and hoodies in all four fleece constructions from Pakistan's knitwear cluster. Coordinated programmes combining sweatshirts with sweatpants and joggers in matching fabric families are available through a single consolidated RFQ.

Submit an RFQ with your fleece construction, GSM target, fibre preference, certification requirements, annual volume and target market — factory match and indicative FOB pricing within 3–5 business days.