Cotton fabric guide
Cotton Sweatshirt Design with AI
For a cotton sweatshirt, most mills quote loopback cotton fleece at 280 to 450 g/m²: a classic pairing.
It is the heaviest of the 7 cloths this guide lists for this cut, ahead of scuba knit.
Next to scuba knit, it is heavier, more fluid, more matte and cooler to wear.

Cotton Sweatshirt at a glance
- Cloth to ask your mill for
- Loopback cotton fleece
- Typical weight
- 280 to 450 g/m²
- Drape
- Medium
- Stretch
- None
- Breathability
- High
- Warmth
- Neutral
- Care
- Machine wash at 30 to 40 °C
- How common
- A classic pairing
- Typical cloth price
- $5-15/yard
Typical trade ranges, not one mill's figures: confirm them with your mill.
The sweatshirt, in numbers
- Typical length
- 64 to 72 cm, from the high point of the shoulder
- Defining details
- Crew neck with a V insert, raglan or set-in sleeves, rib trims
- Cloth needed
- about 1.6 to 2.0 m of 150 cm cloth, roughly $9 to $33 of cloth at typical prices
Typical figures for an adult size M. The pattern tier is set from the real piece count when you order.
How cotton behaves on a sweatshirt
On a sweatshirt it keeps a clean, even line from shoulder to hem, the hand most tops are graded on.
At this length a medium-weight cloth hangs straight and moves a little at the hem.
It is neither warm nor cool, so it works across most of the year.
Care is simple: a machine wash at 30 to 40 °C.
It creases moderately and can shrink by a few percent unless the cloth was pre-shrunk, so ask the mill whether it was.
About cotton
Cotton is a plant fibre spun into everything from fine poplin to heavy canvas. It breathes, absorbs moisture and softens with each wash, which is why it is the default cloth for everyday clothing.
Long-staple cottons such as Egyptian or Pima give a smoother, stronger cloth; organic and recycled cottons are widely available at a premium.
It rarely needs a lining, though a light cotton is lined or faced when a pale color would show what is underneath.
Cutting, sewing and color
Sew it with a universal 80/12 needle; flat-felled or overlocked seams both hold, and it presses well with steam.
It takes reactive dyes readily, so solid colors and prints both stay true after washing.
Its surface is matte, so it photographs evenly under flat light.
A description to start from
A sweatshirt in loopback cotton fleece, 280 to 450 g/m², with a medium drape and a matte surface, for most of the year.
If cotton is not quite right
- Lighter: Neoprene, in scuba knit
- Warmer: Velvet, in velour
- More drape: Jersey, in French terry
Also: how the studio works, prices and questions and answers.
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