Fleece Fabric Guide: French Terry vs Sherpa vs Anti-Pill Polar vs Sweatshirt Fleece

"Fleece" gets used as if it's one fabric. It isn't. French Terry, Sherpa, Anti-Pill Polar and Sweatshirt Fleece are all sold under the same word and they behave completely differently on the machine and in the finished garment. Picking the wrong one is the most common reason a loungewear or outerwear project doesn't turn out the way it looked in your head. Here's what actually separates them.

Sweatshirt Fleece

A smooth, flat knit face with a soft brushed underside — this is the classic hoodie and jogger fabric. It's mid-weight, usually has some stretch (cotton/poly/elastane blends give it 2-way or occasionally 4-way stretch), and behaves a lot like a heavier jersey. It's the easiest of the four to sew and the most forgiving for fitted-ish loungewear, sweatshirts, joggers and casual dresses.

French Terry

French Terry is knit, not brushed — the reverse side is made of small uncut loops rather than a brushed nap. That construction makes it lighter and more breathable than sweatshirt fleece, with a similar stretch. It's the right call for warmer-weather loungewear, casual tees with more body than jersey, and layering pieces that shouldn't feel too heavy.

Sherpa Fleece

This is the thick, high-pile fabric that mimics shearling or sheepskin — dense loops on the face, a stable knit or woven backing. It's genuinely warm, has little to no stretch, and it's bulky to sew: seams need a walking foot, more seam allowance, and trimming to reduce bulk at corners. Sherpa is built for jacket linings, cosy outerwear and blankets, not fitted clothing.

Anti-Pill Polar Fleece

Brushed on both sides and finished to resist pilling, polar fleece is warm, doesn't fray, and generally has little to no stretch. Because raw edges don't unravel, it's the fabric that lets you skip hemming altogether — genuinely useful for no-sew blankets and beginner projects. It's also a solid choice for pyjamas and simple jackets where stretch isn't the point.

Which one for your project?

• Hoodies, joggers, casual loungewear: Sweatshirt Fleece.
• Warm-weather layering, relaxed tees: French Terry.
• Jacket linings, cosy outerwear, blankets: Sherpa Fleece.
• No-sew blankets, simple PJs, beginner projects: Anti-Pill Polar Fleece.

Sewing tips that actually matter

• Needle: all four are knit constructions, so a ballpoint or stretch needle is the right default across the board — it slides between the knit loops instead of cutting them. This matters even on Sherpa and Polar Fleece, which barely stretch but are still knit-backed.
• Walking foot for bulk: Sherpa and Polar Fleece are thick enough that a standard presser foot can cause uneven feeding and skipped stitches. A walking foot (or your machine's even-feed setting) fixes this.
• Longer stitch length: 3–3.5mm handles the loft of pile fabrics better than a short stitch, which can look choppy and struggle to feed cleanly.
• Trim seam allowances: especially on Sherpa, trimming bulk out of seams and corners before turning or topstitching stops the finished seam looking lumpy.
• Test on scrap first: pile fabrics drag through the feed dogs differently to flat knits — always test your stitch and tension on an offcut before committing to the garment.

Caring for fleece

Wash cold and turn garments inside out to reduce pilling. Skip fabric softener — it coats the fibres and flattens the pile over time, which is exactly what you don't want on Sherpa or Polar Fleece. Tumble dry low or air dry; high heat can cause synthetic fleece to lose loft and shrink unevenly.

Shop fleece by the metre

Browse the full fleece collection, or go straight to French Terry or Sherpa Fleece. Not sure which type suits your project — try the Fabric Finder or get in touch and we'll point you the right way.