Cotton jersey is the light, everyday choice; French terry is the warm, structured one; and modal blend is the soft, draping one that sits closest to sleepwear. Picking a loungewear fabric for own brand sets is mostly about the season you sell into and how close to the body you want the set to fall.
Three fabrics, three characters
All three are knits, so they stretch a little and move with the body. They differ in weight, surface and how they hang.
Cotton jersey
Cotton jersey is a light, single-knit cotton, the same family as a good T-shirt. It feels cool and familiar against the skin and is easy to care for.
It suits:
- T-shirt style tops and shorts
- summer co-ord sets
- lounge pants for warmer months
- ranges that use printed designs, since jersey is the simplest of the three to print on
Jersey is the most versatile of the three. If you are unsure where to start, it is the safe choice for a year-round co-ord set in a warm climate. It is also the fabric most customers already know from T-shirts, so it needs little explaining on a product page.
French terry
French terry has a smooth face and small loops on the back. It is heavier and warmer than jersey, and holds more shape.
It suits:
- sweatshirt sets for cooler months
- joggers and lounge pants with a sporty look
- gift sets, where a heavier fabric feels more substantial
French terry takes embroidery well and keeps its shape at cuffs and waistbands. A large print also works on a French terry sweatshirt, because the fabric is firm enough to carry it.
Modal blend
Modal blend is smooth and drapes softly, with a slight sheen. It feels cool and slippery rather than cottony, and falls away from the body instead of holding a shape.
It suits:
- relaxed co-ord sets with a wide leg
- lounge pants that double as sleepwear
- a more elevated range, where drape and sheen are part of the look
Modal blend needs gentle washing, which the care label should show. Keep branding small and light on it: a small embroidered logo or a printed inside-neck label, rather than a large print.
The three compared
| Cotton jersey | French terry | Modal blend | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | Light | Medium to heavy | Light |
| Feel | Cool, familiar | Smooth face, soft loops inside | Smooth, cool, slight sheen |
| Drape | Soft, some body | Holds shape | Falls and flows |
| Season | Warm months, year-round in warm climates | Cool months | Warm months, evenings |
| Styles | Co-ord set, lounge pants | Sweatshirt set, lounge pants | Co-ord set, lounge pants |
| Branding | Prints, embroidery | Embroidery, large prints | Small, light branding |
| Care | Easy | Easy | Gentle washing |
Matching fabric to style
Our loungewear styles come in set fabrics:
- Knit co-ord set: cotton jersey or modal blend.
- Lounge pants: cotton jersey, French terry or modal blend.
- Sweatshirt set: French terry.
So the sweatshirt set is always French terry, while the co-ord set is a choice between jersey and modal. Lounge pants work in all three, which makes them a useful piece to carry across seasons.
Planning across seasons
Many brands use French terry for a cool-season drop and jersey or modal for warmer months, keeping the same cut across both. That gives the brand a consistent look while the fabric changes with the weather. A customer who liked the summer co-ord in jersey can come back for the winter version in French terry.
If you sell in a warm climate all year, jersey and modal may carry the whole range, with French terry kept for a small winter or gifting edit.
Think about colour across fabrics too. The same named colour can look slightly different in jersey, French terry and modal, because each fabric takes dye and reflects light in its own way. Modal’s sheen makes colours look a little richer, while French terry can look softer and more matte. If a jersey top and a modal pant are meant to be worn together, ask to see both in the sample before you commit to the colour.
The minimum is 100 pieces per style, so the same cut in a second fabric is planned as its own style. Sizes can be mixed within a style. The colour split is confirmed at quotation.
Feel it before you decide
Fabric is the main reason customers come back to a loungewear brand, so do not choose it from a description alone. Feel matters more here than in almost any other category, because the whole promise of loungewear is comfort. Ask for a sample in the fabric you are leaning toward, wear it for an evening, wash it as your customer would and check how it feels and looks afterwards.
If you are still working out your customer and first set, our post on how to start a loungewear brand covers those earlier choices. When you are ready, choose your style from our white label loungewear range, tell us the fabric and colours you want, and we will confirm them in a quotation.