What is French Terry fabric?

French Terry is a type of knit that has loops on one side, and a flat soft surface on the other. The loops allow the fabric to absorb moisture and maintain breathability, which makes it great for all types of things – working out, travelling, sleeping – you name it. It’s cozy, moisture-wicking, absorbent, and keeps you cool in summers and warm in winters.

You’ve probably already experienced good French Terry fabric in your life, maybe without even realising it. You know those sweatshirts that last decades and magically get softer every year? Those are made with good French Terry fabric.

However, the problem these days is most French Terry is produced by mixing in polyester, which takes away most of its best properties. As you may know, polyester is a hydrophobic material that repels water, which makes the loops pretty redundant. Even cotton French Terry can mostly be found using inferior qualities of cotton, resulting in lower quality fabric that can feel rough and stiff.

At Creatures of Habit, we make our French Terry with 100% Pima cotton which is custom knit to exacting technical specifications to make sure it’s perfect. We even have it extensively lab tested for shrinkage, colour fastness and strength. The fabric is then stitched into sweatpants and shorts using 4 thread overlock and flat lock stitches to make them almost indestructible.

Why do we make all this effort? Because it results in products that are better for you and better for the planet. It’s a win-win!

Why are all-natural high quality clothes better for the planet? When you buy better quality, the products last longer which means less clothes thrown away after just a few months of wear, and less resources wasted. When the time does come to dispose the clothes, the all-natural fabrics decompose quickly, leaving nothing but nutrition behind for the soil.