When To Wear French Terry Fabric
Wondering what it means when you see French terry in a style’s name or on the tag of your clothes? Not sure how it’s different from terry fabric, fleece, or just regular t-shirts and shorts?
Here at Tasc Performance, we know the many different fabric classifications can be pretty confusing. That’s why we’re here to help!
Today’s guide is going to answer all your French terry questions, from clarifying the most basic definition to practical questions about when and why you should wear French terry. We’re also going over some of the best French terry styles to add to your athleisure wardrobe.
What Is French Terry?
French terry isn’t actually a material itself like cotton or bamboo. Rather, it’s a different way to knit a material into a fabric. Other types of fabric knit you’ve likely heard of include fleece and jersey, the most common knit.
Almost any fabric material can be woven in French terry knit. Cotton, rayon, lycra, polyester, bamboo, beechwood, and more can all be part of a French terry fabric. It all has to do with how the yarn is looped together.
The French terry looping technique results in soft, smooth piles of yarn on one side of the fabric and larger loops on the other. French terry is similar to the terry fabric knit found in bath towels but much smoother and softer while slightly less absorbent.
Ultra-Soft Fabric
With the focus on softness, it’s relatively rare to see synthetic materials like polyester and lycra in French terry since those materials are notoriously not soft to the touch. Cotton is the most common French terry material, thanks to its natural soft feel and water absorption abilities.
However, cotton has a reputation for taking a long time to dry after absorbing water, and it also poses sustainability issues throughout its production. In modern times, innovative fabrics like organic bamboo are changing the game when it comes to French terry.
Quick-Drying and Moisture-Wicking
French terry fabrics are designed to amplify the moisture-absorbing properties of the material in use.
However, this isn’t the whole story for French terry. Moisture-absorbing is only one-half of the moisture-wicking process. Once moisture, like water or sweat, is absorbed into the material, it needs to be released from the surface as vapor efficiently.
If your fabric can’t dry efficiently, you’ll just go from wet skin to wet clothes, which is just as bad, if not worse, for your comfort and ability to maintain an ideal body temperature through thermoregulation.
Since cotton absorbs water well but doesn’t dry off efficiently, modern designers are turning to the powers of nature for better alternatives. Bamboo, when produced sustainably, is the perfect answer.
Bamboo can absorb water at exceptional rates and dry equally as fast. As bamboo is the fastest growing tree in the world and native to super moist environments, this should come as no surprise!
Extremely Lightweight and Flexible
French terry is built to be more lightweight than fabrics like terry and fleece, despite having similar qualities in other areas. It may not always be quite as lightweight as jersey (found in many t-shirts), but it makes for exceptionally lightweight sweatshirts, joggers, and similar items appropriate for all seasons.
As a single knit fabric, French terry uses only one single yarn to create the loops during the manufacturing process. This means French terry usually has a little less natural stretch than double knits or warp knits, but with the right material, such as bamboo, it’s still more than flexible enough for any use in an athleisure lifestyle.
Temperature-Regulating for Extra Comfort
All the clothes we wear have the important job of helping our body thermoregulate, which is the way we maintain an ideal temperature. Thermoregulation includes sweat and other natural processes.
Temperature-regulating is all about balance. French terry clothes should ideally be warm but breathable and capable of wicking moisture efficiently so you’re never soaked in sweat and thus overheating.
What Are the Best French Terry Clothes To Wear?
To find the best French terry clothes, you need to find the best French terry materials. Synthetic fabrics and cotton each have major issues, with sustainability not the least of them. Odor build-up and long-drying times are also concerns.
Tasc Performance’s French terry Bamco® fabric blends organic cotton with organic bamboo to result in a super soft material that rivals silk in terms of touch yet performs at the highest level in terms of moisture-wicking and thermoregulation.
Plus, thanks to bamboo’s natural qualities, the material is breathable, odor-resistant, wrinkle-resistant, and rated with excellent sun protection.
French Terry Hoodies
One of the first styles to come to mind when thinking of French terry is the hoodie. Ultra-comfy and cozy, hoodies are an athleisure style that is perhaps at the peak of their popularity and their performance, too, thanks to modern fabrics.
Try our Tasc Performance Varsity French Terry Hoodie for an extremely lightweight, 4-way stretch, all-seasons temperature regulating top that can layer in the winter or be a standalone top in the spring.
French Terry Pullovers and Quarter-Zips
Hoodies aren’t the only layering piece that thrives in French terry knit. Our Riverwalk French Terry Sweatshirt and Varsity French Terry Sweatshirt are designed for easy style to match any athleisure outfit and occasion.
Quarter-zips for the golf course are also French-terry friendly! Our Cloud French Terry Quarter Zip is built to keep you cool, dry, and comfortable, whether you’re out on the course or out for drinks in the evening.
French Terry Shorts and Pants
French terry isn’t just for tops. Shorts and pants are a match made in heaven for French terry, thanks to their soft feel, moisture-wicking abilities, and temperature regulation.
Give a pair of our women’s Varsity French Terry Short a try if you’re still in doubt! Just don’t be surprised if they become your new favorite go-to.
French Terry Sweatpants
French terry can also be found in sweatpants since the material is a great fit for the needs of that style. However, fleece is even more common in sweatpants since fleece is more focused on warmth.
For the perfect performance-oriented fleece sweatpants, try our Varsity Brushed Lightweight Joggers or our Legendary Heavyweight Fleece Joggers.
When Should You Wear French Terry?
One of the best things about French terry fabric is that it can be a year-round staple for all kinds of occasions. True to the athleisure lifestyle, the best French terry clothes are equally fit for active use or leisure, in hot weather or cold.
Spring, Summer, and Fall
Finding seasonless clothes isn’t easy, especially when trying to plan for diverse schedules throughout the year. Many people have to plan for a commute, workout, work, and social events all in a single day for one outfit.
French terry’s impressive versatility makes it a perfect option for spring, summer, fall, and as a layering piece in winter.
While Golfing, Running, or Playing Tennis
Thanks to top-notch performance features such as moisture-wicking and four-way stretch, our Tasc Performance French terry fabrics are built for all sorts of activities, including golf, running, playing tennis, working out, and more.
We know and appreciate the importance of staying active, so we always design our styles with the athleisure lifestyle in mind.
For Chilling Out and Relaxing
An athleisure lifestyle wouldn’t be complete without some leisure! Your clothes should be just as comfy for working out as they are for relaxing around the house or out with friends around town.
Our French terry fabrics are super soft thanks to a blend of organic cotton and organic bamboo. Plus, they stretch and keep you dry and cool, so you’ll be chilling out in total comfort no matter where you go.
The Best French Terry Clothes for Any Activity
No matter which style you prefer, when you choose our Tasc Performance French terry Bamco® blend, you know you’re getting the highest quality clothes for an athleisure lifestyle. Try some today to see how bamboo can change your life!
For all things athleisure, fashion, activewear, lifestyle, and more, stay tuned right here to our Tasc Performance blog.
Sources:
Terry Fabric - An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics