How-to

Loopback or Brushed Inside? Choose a Sweatshirt in Six Steps

Two sweatshirts can look alike outside yet feel very different inside: one has visible yarn loops, the other a soft raised nap. This practical guide helps you choose by touch, season, layering, fabric details and care—not marketing labels alone.

5 min read2026-10-29

Fabric Jungle's original comparison of French terry and fleece fabrics; check the inner surface while watching.

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01

What you need

Two sweatshirts or clear photos of their inner fabric
Fabric composition, weight and care-label information for each item
Your usual season and setting, such as heated indoors or colder outdoors

02

How to

1. Look inside, not just at the smooth outer face. Turn back a cuff or enlarge the reverse-side fabric photo on the product page. Two sweatshirts can share a similar outward appearance but have different reverse finishes.
2. Find intact little yarn loops. A repeating looped interior points toward French terry, also called loopback. The loops should look like tiny loops rather than an even field of fine fuzz. Retail terminology varies, so read the actual product description.
3. Look for a soft, raised inner nap. This suggests brushed-back sweatshirt fleece. Napping deliberately raises fibers during finishing; it is not the same as random pills that form during wear. Do not confuse brushed sweatshirt fabric with a separate polar-fleece jacket.
4. Think about when you will wear it. Loopback can feel less plush for indoor wear and layering in mild weather; brushed backs may feel cozier in cold conditions. These are general tendencies for comparable fabrics, not universal insulation ratings.
5. Compare more than the inside finish. French terry is not always thin, and brushed fabric is not always the heaviest. If GSM is shown, it describes fabric mass per square metre, not a direct warmth score. Check fiber blend, construction, thickness, fit and freedom of movement.
6. Check care instructions before buying. Brushed fibers may change their appearance with wear and abrasion, so use the garment's own washing and drying directions rather than a generic rule. Try on the loopback version for lighter layering and the brushed version for a soft cold-weather feel, then choose based on your real use.

One more tip

Ask to see the inside. Intact small loops suggest French terry or loopback; a soft fuzzy face suggests brushed-back sweatshirt fleece. Neither finish guarantees quality or warmth. Also compare fabric composition, weight, thickness, fit and the care label. Brushed sweatshirt fleece is not the same product category as a separate polyester polar-fleece jacket.

Sources and media

OriginalCottonWorks explains napping as a mechanical fabric-surface finishing process.Original publisher: CottonWorks by Cotton Incorporated

OriginalFabric maker's original guide comparing intact loopback with a brushed inner nap, including the heavy-French-terry exception.Original publisher: Vend Fabrics Ltd

OriginalOfficial 300 GSM French-terry hoodie specification illustrating why composition, fabric weight and finish should be checked together.Original publisher: Stanley/Stella

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