What Is Fleece?

Have you ever thought about what fleece really is?

Fleece is one of the most versatile and dynamic materials available for making clothing, blankets, jackets, and other accessories. People who live in cold, wet climates can appreciate the warmth that fleece brings to the table. You can buy clothing that is already made by companies such as L.L. Bean and The North Face. You can also buy your own fleece fabric in bulk so that you can make clothing for your family, friends, and even your pets. Fleece has so many uses, and you'll enjoy the convenience of fleece material in your life.

Synthetic fleece, as we know it today, arrived on the scene late in the 1970s. One of the parent companies of Polartec first introduced synthetic fleece for use in insulated clothing. Modern fleeces are usually constructed with the help of recyclable materials. Those hard plastic soda bottles can end up being a part of your next jacket or blanket. The main ingredient is a petroleum derivative called PET. PET can be manipulated into lunch boxes, soda bottles, and of course, fleece material. The cozy fleece keeps you warm and dry even in the harshest winter weather conditions.

So how exactly does fleece come together to keep people feeling good in the bad weather? The answer lies in the structure of the fleece fabric. Fleece fabric has pockets of space on each side. This means that cold air is trapped outside of the material and warm air is trapped inside, and this is how your body stays warm. That's why fleece continues to provide warmth even when it's wet. For this reason fleece is the best choice you can make for outdoor clothing needs, whether you're hiking, skiing, snowboarding, mountain climbing, and more. Fleece is tough enough and durable enough to go where you go.

Because fleece traps warmth close to your body, early types of fleece material caused profuse sweating. Activities that require a lot of exertion made people feel like they were sweltering in a desert. Newer fleece materials provide a lot more breathable textures. Newer fleece materials are often designed to allow sweat to escape from important areas such as the arm pit region while maintaining the coziness and warmth everywhere else. The result is that you feel comfortable and warm without being overwhelmed. The advances in the thickness of fleece have led to these new clothing fabrics and their increase in popularity.

With some types of fleece, you will find different patterns on the same cut of fabric. There may be areas where the fabric is woven into a "checkerboard" style. This style allows fleece to remain a comfortable material even when the weather is cold. You will sweat a lot, but the checkered pattern allows more air to come into contact with your skin to allow the sweat to escape. The grid style of fabric also increases mobility because it's lighter than traditional fleece fabrics. You won't be bogged down by a heavier material than what you truly need.

You can choose different types of fleeces based on the type of activities you do. People who are sedentary and people who only perform light activity will want heavier fleeces that might sacrifice some of the breathable properties of lighter fleeces. These people may be ice fisherman and campers. Heavier fleeces are also better for daily use such as walking to school and shoveling snow. Those who go hiking, mountain climbing, and skiing will want lighter fleeces that allow for better mobility and more sweat evaporation. The difference lies in the thickness and construction of the fabric.

Light fleeces also make great clothing materials for pets and young children. You can purchase your own cuts of fleece and design blankets and simple jackets for smaller children and pets. The versatility of fleece means that you can purchase many different designs and materials. You don't have to sacrifice style for comfort when you can have both. Everyone can be warm, dry, and stylish while they wear fleece. And that is the beauty of fleece in a nutshell. In many ways it is the ultimate material for a modern lifestyle, especially in a colder and wetter climate.

Fleece is also easy to store when you're not using it. You can buy extra without worrying that it will go to waste. You may be able to use extra fleece in the future. It is such a dynamic and useful material that you can't go wrong when you make a purchase. Fleece also makes a great gift for the special people in your life. You will surely find a design that appeals to everyone. The versatility of fleece fabric can't be overstated. You will find many uses for your fleece fabric purchase. Experience the wonders of fleece today.