French terry is one of those things that's easier to explain if we can hand you the garment. There's a smooth outside, and when you turn it over, all these small loops on the inside. It's a knit, so it has give to it. But it still has enough substance to make a proper pair of pants.
That's what we wanted for the Everyday pieces. A fabric we could use for a jogger and a pullover, without making either one feel like an afterthought. We use organic cotton French terry, and the shape of each garment does the rest.
The little loops are the French-terry part
French terry describes the construction, rather than the fiber. You can have French terry made from different materials; ours is cotton. Our Washed Black Jogger uses 100% organic cotton French terry, grown and milled in the USA, with a fabric weight of 11.75 ounces per square yard.
That weight is a useful detail if you're comparing fabrics. It gives you more to work with than “cozy,” which can mean just about anything in a clothing description. It doesn't tell you exactly how warm a child will be, of course. What they have on underneath, how the garment fits and what they're doing still matter.
If you're wondering about the fuzzy inside of a sweatshirt you already own, we've put the two constructions next to each other in our French terry versus fleece guide. The reverse of the fabric is usually where the difference becomes obvious.
Same fabric, different jobs
The Everyday Jogger tapers slightly toward the ankle. That gives it a different outline from a straight pair of jeans, even before you get to how the fabric moves. The Natural White Jogger leaves the cotton undyed; Washed Black brings color to that same everyday shape.
You can make a set with the Washed Black Kids Pullover. We also like letting the jogger be the quiet part of an outfit with a printed tee. A set is useful, but each piece ought to earn its place separately too. If you're deciding which kind of pant is missing from the drawer, our jeans versus joggers comparison gets into that choice.
For adults, the Natural White Everyday Pullover is a slightly oversized unisex crewneck. You can share a fabric or a motif with your child without needing the same fit. Lay a pullover you already like flat and compare its chest, body length and sleeves; those measurements are much more helpful than trying to picture “oversized” on its own.
And then it has to survive laundry day
The Everyday Jogger and adult Pullover call for a cold wash with like colors, then a low tumble or a line dry. No bleach, and a low iron if needed. Our French-terry washing guide walks through the practical bits, including giving the garment enough time to dry before folding it away.
The cotton, the knit and the color are separate choices. If that last one is where you're stuck, here's more on garment-dyed and undyed cotton. Sometimes seeing how a piece gets its color makes choosing the one you want a little more interesting.
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