So you want to make your own joggers or a pair of sweatpants. Maybe it is your first cut and sew project. Maybe you are building a brand and trying to nail that perfect heavyweight pant that fits like the ones you already love. Either way, the fabric is the make or break decision. Pick the wrong one and even great sewing will not save the project. Pick the right one and a beginner can put out something that looks legit.
Here is the actual guide. Real fabric. Real weights. Real recommendations from the people who sell this stuff every single day.
What makes a great jogger fabric
Before we talk specific picks, here is what you actually want in a jogger or sweatpant fabric.
You want some weight. Joggers should hang. They should not blow around like a paper bag when you walk. Cheap fast fashion brands cut sweatpants out of 200 GSM jersey and you can feel it the second you put them on. We are not doing that here.
You want a soft inside. The whole appeal of sweatpants is that feeling when you pull them on after a long day. That comes from the loops on the inside of french terry or the brushed pile on fleece. Both work, just for different vibes.
You want a little bit of stretch but not too much. Pure cotton with no spandex is fine and actually preferred by most streetwear brands. If you want a slimmer fit pant that holds its shape, a tiny bit of spandex helps. Most of our knits have a natural mechanical stretch even without elastane.
You want matching ribbing for the cuffs and waistband. This is the part most beginners forget. The cuffs and waistband on a jogger are a different fabric than the body. They are ribbed knit. If they do not match the body fabric, your pants look like a craft project.
Weight breakdown: light, medium, heavy
Fabric weight is measured in GSM (grams per square meter) or OZ (ounces per square yard). Higher number, heavier fabric. Here is what each range gets you.
Lightweight (250 to 320 GSM)
This is your summer jogger weight. Think track pants, lounge pants, lighter weight kid sweats. Comfortable in warmer weather. Drapes well. Not what you want for a structured heavyweight Sunday pant.
Our Stone Gray 300 GSM French Terry is the perfect example. Soft inside loops, plenty of body, but light enough to wear in spring or summer without overheating.
Midweight (330 to 420 GSM)
This is the sweet spot for most year round joggers. Heavy enough to feel premium. Light enough to wear most of the year. Our 400 GSM cotton fleece with matching rib is one of the most popular fabrics in the shop for this exact reason. Brushed on the inside, smooth knit on the outside, real weight when you hold it in your hand.
Heavyweight (430 to 550 GSM)
Now we are talking. This is the streetwear pant. The vintage gym pant. The one that hangs like a curtain and ages like denim. Our 450 GSM heavy cotton french terry is the heart of the shop. It comes with matching jersey and matching rib so you can build a whole pant or full tracksuit in one color. Heather gray, jet black, oatmeal, hunter green, royal blue, cream, brown, white, kelly green, all of it.
Super heavyweight (600 GSM and up)
For the people who want a pant that feels like a small blanket. Our 650 GSM french terry is genuinely one of the heaviest cotton knits you can buy. This is gym rat, vintage Champion, made in USA territory. It is also a workout for your sewing machine, so use a good needle and a walking foot if you have one.
French terry vs fleece: which one do I pick
Both are great for joggers. The difference is mostly the inside.
French terry has loops on the inside. Looks like little uncut piles. Lighter feeling against skin, more textured, slightly more breathable. This is what most premium streetwear brands use. It is also what we sell the most of.
Fleece has a brushed inside that has been mechanically fluffed up. Softer, warmer, fuzzier, more traditional sweatpant feeling. Better for colder weather. Better for kid pants. Slightly heavier feeling for the same GSM.
If you are building a brand, french terry is the move. If you are making a single pair of cozy weekend pants, fleece is great. Some makers buy both and figure out which they like better. That is what swatches are for.
Do not forget the ribbing
Real talk. The number one reason a beginner jogger looks off is mismatched ribbing. The body of the pant is one fabric, the cuffs and waistband are a different fabric, and they do not match in color or stretch. The pant looks homemade.
The fix is buying a body fabric that comes with matching rib. Our 450 and 650 GSM french terries all come with matching ribbing. Same for the 400 GSM fleece. You buy the pair, you cut your cuffs and waistband from the rib, your pant looks like it came off a real factory line.
If your body fabric does not come with matching rib, we also sell ribbing in solid colors and in stripes so you can do a contrast cuff if you want to get cute with it.
How much fabric do I need
For most adult jogger patterns, plan on 1.75 to 2.5 yards of body fabric and about half a yard of matching rib. Bigger sizes and taller folks, plan on the higher end. We sell by the yard with no cut limit, so buy what you need.
If you have never sewn with our fabric before, do yourself a favor and order a swatch first. It costs almost nothing and saves you from buying ten yards of the wrong thing. Grab a few from our swatch pack and feel them in your hand before you commit.
Building a brand or making more than a few pairs
If you are buying for a brand or making sweatpants to actually sell, hit up our wholesale page. Bulk pricing on the same heavyweight french terry we sell by the yard. We are in Los Angeles at 1460 Naud Street and most of our fabric ships out the same day or next day.
The TL DR
For a serious jogger, go heavyweight french terry around 450 GSM with matching rib. For cozy lounge pants, fleece around 400 GSM with matching rib. For summer or kid sweats, drop to 300 GSM french terry. For a true heavyweight gym pant that feels like a hug, the 650 GSM is your friend. Get matching ribbing every time. Order a swatch if you are not sure.
Now go cut some pants.