The sweat shorts
Coming in May 2023
These shorts are made mostly of organic cotton—that is, cotton grown using organic farming methods (we explain this choice here)—and a small amount of recycled polyester for durability.
A sweatshirt-like fabric, slightly thicker than average.
These shorts are made in Portugal at the Triwool factory, with which we have been working since our founding in 2017.
Techniques That Ensure Quality
Polyester reinforcement
We’ve added a recycled polyester thread to the fabric to reduce creep (residual deformation after one minute: 6.7 mm vs. 7.8 mm for 100% cotton) and double its abrasion resistance (50,000 cycles vs. only 25,000 for 100% cotton).
Note: Just because the polyester is recycled doesn’t mean it will solve all the environmental problems associated with textiles... more info here.
Polyester reinforcement
Pre-wash
Pre-wash
These shorts are stabilized and pre-washed at the factory to prevent them from shrinking at home (with cotton clothing, most of the shrinking occurs during the first wash).
Polyester reinforcement
Pre-wash
Not just for the gym
The perfect shorts for enjoying the sun or relaxing on the couch. For comfort, we chose a “sweatshirt” fabric and an elastic waistband. For durability, we used a dense organic cotton blend with a touch of polyester. And so you never lose your keys again, there’s a zippered pocket in the back.
In detail
French Terry
On the inside, there are small, flat loops that absorb sweat.
Back pocket with a zipper
Since the shorts are made of a fairly stretchy fabric, the back pocket might have gaped open, and your wallet could have slipped out. So we added a YKK zipper to give you peace of mind.
Adjustable belt
The waistband is elastic and has a drawstring.
Embroidered eyelets
They allow the cord to slide through without damaging the fabric. Unlike metal grommets, there’s no risk of them coming loose.
How to Wear It
A few ideas if you're stuck
Composition
90% cotton, 10% recycled polyester
Origin and Certifications
- Knitting, dyeing, and garment manufacturing: Portugal
- Spinning: Turkey
- Cotton: Turkey, India, Sudan
...manufacture in Portugal instead of France? Of course, manufacturing in Portugal allows us to sell at lower prices. But it’s also easier to produce high-quality products there: in the 1980s, when France outsourced its manufacturing, Portugal strengthened its own. Still, other companies besides ours manage to make shorts that are 100% made in France, such as Le Slip Français.
How This Product Will Age
How do we know this? We ask our customers for their feedback on the product one year after purchase. And if the product is less than a year old, we provide our predictions based on some unsolicited feedback and our experience with similar products.
These shorts will age beautifully: thanks to the heathered fabric, the color resists UV rays well and stains are barely noticeable. The sage color, on the other hand, will fade slightly with each wash (as with all cotton clothing).
They may lose their shape a bit over the years (though less so than a 100% cotton version), except at the waistband, thanks to the elastic band.
Care Instructions
Tie a knot in the drawstrings before putting it in the washing machine; otherwise, they might get lost inside the waistband.
It’s machine-washable at 40 degrees, but it’s best to wash it at 30°C: it’s just as effective, much more eco-friendly, and it will extend the garment’s lifespan. Also, be sure to wash it inside out to prevent discoloration and pilling.
You can put it in the dryer (it happens…), but if you do, use a low temperature (i.e., the delicate or synthetic cycle) so it doesn’t lose its elasticity. The best way to extend its lifespan and be kind to the planet is to dry it flat on a drying rack or a towel.
Of course, it's cotton, not Kevlar: despite our best efforts, there may be a very slight amount of shrinkage after the first wash. Don't worry—this is normal, and the fabric will stabilize after that.
Environmental Cost
This environmental cost is calculated using the official methodology of the French environmental labeling system (to be rolled out starting October 1, 2025).
The label above shows the product’s environmental cost according to the official French environmental labeling methodology. This represents what its production “costs” nature when considering its impact on climate change, ocean acidification, its toxicity to freshwater, and so on. Currently in use in the textile sector, this label should soon appear on many everyday consumer products (food, cosmetics, furniture, etc.) to help you make more eco-friendly purchasing decisions.
The fleece shorts therefore have an environmental cost of 942 impact points*.
By comparison, a garment of equivalent weight, made of 100% polyester, manufactured in Bangladesh, and sold by a fast-fashion brand, has an environmental cost of 2,719 points*.
Why is there this difference? Here are the main reasons:
- Countries of origin: Manufacturing in Portugal or France requires less fossil fuel energy than in Bangladesh (one of the leading producers of low-cost clothing). As a result, this more local manufacturing reduces the impacts on climate change, ocean acidification, and resource depletion.
- The material: Organic cotton has a relatively low environmental impact compared to polyester, particularly because it requires few pesticides (and thus poses a low toxicity risk to freshwater) and is biodegradable (and thus causes fewer issues with microfibers or end-of-life waste).
- Sustainability: Fast-fashion retailers encourage purchasing—in particular by rapidly refreshing their collections and offering a vast number of styles—and they discourage repairs by charging rock-bottom prices. This, in turn, increases the number of garments sold per person and reduces the number of times a garment is worn. In contrast, at Loom, we’ve chosen to adopt business practices that encourage our customers to keep their clothes for as long as possible.
Even though we've done everything we can to minimize it, this product's environmental impact is not insignificant. So before you buy, make sure to get the most use out of your clothes.
*Calculations performed by Loom on August 24, 2026. Click on the links to access the simulations from the official Ecobalyse tool and get more details on the assumptions used. Please note: The number of points is not always exactly the same on Ecobalyse (whose methodology changes regularly) as on the official environmental label (based on Ecobalyse version 7.0).
Reviews of this product
The standard practice is to send review request emails a few days after the purchase. We wait a month—the minimum amount of time needed to form an informed opinion.
Customer Review Policy
When do you ask customers for reviews?
We’ll send you a review request one month after we receive your order. We believe this is the minimum amount of time needed to have worn and washed an item several times and to form a truly informed opinion. After that, all your reviews are published within a week, whether they’re positive or negative.
Do you request reviews for 100% of the products ordered by customers?
We used to do that at first, but then we realized we were starting to send way too many emails to certain customers who shop with us regularly. In short, we were spamming them a bit. Plus, it was starting to take the team way too much time to respond to reviews—since we want to reply individually and privately to almost everyone who leaves us a review. Today, we no longer ask for reviews on products that meet the following two criteria: 1/ There are enough reviews posted on the site for potential buyers to form an informed opinion about the product. 2/ We on the Loom team have read enough reviews to understand how to evolve the product into the next generation.
Just a quick thought: What proof is there that we aren't manipulating reviews by giving 5-star ratings to everything?
Honestly: nothing—we’re just giving you our word. Just like with everything else, actually: where we manufacture our products, where our wool comes from, our lab test results, and so on. The only times we might edit what you write is if your message contains spelling mistakes (and even then, quite a few slip past us) or if it’s racist, homophobic, etc. (but that’s never happened so far).
Asking for feedback after just one month isn't enough to know if the clothes are really durable, is it?
You're right—that's why we send you another email asking for a review one year after your purchase—we even ask for a photo to see how your garment has aged. We use the responses to improve our clothing and to provide information on “how this product will age” on our product pages. To avoid unnecessarily bothering our customers, we don’t ask for reviews on 100% of the products ordered: as soon as we have enough data to understand where we can improve, we stop asking for reviews after one year.