What is brushed-back?
Brushed-back describes a fleece whose inner face has been passed over rotating wire brushes to raise the fibres into a soft, fluffy, insulating nap. It is what makes the inside of a hoodie warm and soft. The unbrushed alternative — loops left intact — is French terry.
Why it matters
It is the tactile signature of a good hoodie. A heavily brushed 500 gsm fleece feels plush; a lightly brushed 320 feels thin. Brushing also affects pilling, so it is done to a controlled depth.
On our floor
Our Classic Hoodie fleece is brushed-back cotton at 500 gsm. Anti-pilling finishing is applied after brushing.
Common questions
- Brushed-back or loop-back?
- Brushed for warmth and softness; loop-back French terry for a lighter, cooler sweat.
- Does brushed fleece pill?
- It can if over-brushed or low quality; anti-pilling finishing and a good yarn prevent it.
- Is brushing done to cotton or polyester?
- Both. Cotton fleece is softest; poly fleece is lighter and warmer for weight.
- Can I feel the difference in a sample?
- Immediately — which is why we recommend a blank sample before a hoodie run.
Related terms
fleece
Fleece, in knitwear, is a fabric with a smooth knitted face and a back that has been brushed to raise a soft, insulating nap. It is the…
French terry
French terry has the smooth face of a sweatshirt fabric but an unbrushed back of small yarn loops, which makes it lighter, more breathable…
GSM
GSM is grams per square metre — how much a square metre of the fabric weighs. It is the single number that predicts most about how a…
cotton
Cotton is the natural fibre behind tees, hoodies, polos and most everyday garments — soft, breathable, absorbent, and the fibre DTG and…
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