Fleece
A napped, brushed knit with a soft pile that traps air — warm, insulating sweatshirt and outerwear cloth.
Also known as: Brushed fleece, Sweatshirt fleece, Polar fleece
beginner Polar fleece developed by Malden Mills (Polartec) in 1979
Fleece is a knit fabric whose back (and sometimes both sides) is brushed to raise a soft, fluffy nap. The trapped air makes it warm and insulating; it exists in cotton and polar (polyester) forms.
What it is
Fleece is a napped knit: after knitting, the loop yarns on the reverse are brushed and sheared to raise a soft, fluffy pile that traps air and gives strong warmth for its weight. Cotton sweatshirt fleece brushes the back of a terry-type knit and typically runs 280–450 GSM; polar fleece is a 100% polyester pile fabric, brushed on both faces, that is lightweight, quick-drying, hydrophobic and popular for mid-layers and blankets.
The brushed pile makes fleece warmer but less breathable and more prone to pilling than unbrushed French terry. Polyester polar fleece can be made from recycled PET and is often given an anti-pill finish; it does not absorb water, which keeps it warm when damp but means it does not wick sweat like cotton. Fleece is the standard for sweatshirts, hoodies, joggers and cold-weather mid-layers.
Failure mode — when it misleads
Cheap short-staple or open-end fleece pills badly at friction points; an anti-pill finish or a higher-grade ring-spun/anti-pill polar fleece reduces it.
How to apply it
Choose brushed cotton fleece for cosy sweatshirts and joggers, and polar polyester fleece for lightweight, quick-drying, water-shedding mid-layers and blankets.
Related entries
Contrasts with
Sources & further reading
- Polar fleece — Wikipedia contributors (article)