What is known about fleece fabric? What are its characteristics and properties?

Fleece has become such a popular fabric that you can hardly meet a person who has not heard of it. Due to its low cost, fleece is available to absolutely everyone - even rubber boots that retirees buy for spring and autumn muddy hikes to their dachas almost always have an inner liner made of fleece.

-20% Sweatshirt FOLIAGE MIXFISH 3 930 3 144 for 1 piece. Sweater (hoodie with print) Remington 3,200 for 1 piece.

-20%

Sweatshirt BONE MIXFISH 3 930 3 144 for 1 piece. Sweatshirt Argument Rod By Narval 3,300 for 1 piece. Sweatshirt REACTOR FZ HOODIE 2.0 5.11 5.11 5,990 for 1 piece. Fleece sweatshirt Dozor YUMI 2,880 for 1 piece.

Choose a warm men's sweatshirt

What type of fabric is this?

The word "Fleece" in English means wool or sheepskin. Fleece is a fabric material consisting of artificial fibers that is similar to wool. Although fleece fabric was created artificially, it has many advantages. The products are distinguished by their ability to retain heat for a long time.

Fleece colors

Fleece production is impossible without polyester. Fleece jersey is made from polyester material by combing polyester fibers using rotating brushes. The final stage of textile creation is hot steam treatment. After steam treatment, the resulting knitted material is rolled into rolls and sent to factories.

Catalog of fabrics made from artificial fibers

Gallery of fleece works

Friends, I want to share the beauty with you!

In my store I am holding a competition of works made from raw wool, fleece, fleece (whatever is more convenient for you to call this magical material). All the works are so good that I really want them to be seen and appreciated by as many felt fans as possible.

I never cease to admire the talent of the craftswomen! With pride and love I present to you the competition entries!

• 1. Bags, Shawls and Stoles from Oksana (SaniyaK) – Belgorod. Stole "Eco-fur"

“The work uses New Zealand merino - there are fluffy strands along the perimeter - that’s them)) I really liked it!!!”

• 2. Elena Prudovikova – Zlatoust, Chelyabinsk region. Coat "Lubora"

“It’s a pity that you can only have one photo))). It was hard to choose, there are many designs from your fleece, love them all!! This coat was made using lamb Leicester fleece.”

• 3. Svetlana Ermolenko Novosibirsk. Jacket “For your beloved self”

“The jacket is made of gray Romney fleece with beige tips... I made the jacket for myself and am very pleased, I wear it with great pleasure. And I made two similar things to order. There are still those interested, but Romney is over..."

• 4. Tatyana Petryakova Simferopol. Coat felted from undyed wool "Eco"

“My favorite coat. The canvas is made from Corydale, the only light ends, cut on all the strands, and trimmed with English Leicester. They really suited each other..."

• 5. Alla Alekseeva - Krasnoyarsk region, Achinsk. Fur vest"

Romney, Merino, Corydale were used in the work.

• 6. Irina Demchenko Zheleznodorozhny, Moscow region. Three items

“I used Corydale wool in all three products.”

• 7. Lyubov Egorova Stacked with Lyubov Moscow. Felted jacket "Cappuccino"

“This work uses lambs Leicester fleece...”

• 8. Natalya Romanova Krasnoyarsk. Jacket "American"

“November is an anniversary for me, my hobby is exactly one year old! I bought Leicester lamb fleece from you, SUPERB! This is what they turned out to be - the base of a lamb jacket + mashama curls”

• 9. Nadya Green New Zealand. Vest "Peren" (non-competition work)

The edge is made of perendale fleece short staple

• 10. Elena Sereda Shop Harmony Krasnodar region, Apsheronsk. Coat “Descendants of the Celts”

“Here is my work made from New Zealand fleece...”

• 11. Ekaterina Kelberg St. Petersburg. Set "Aela"

“...from the “New Amazons” collection. The pencil skirt is felted from English Leicester fleece.”

• 12. Tamara Martyukova Tyumen. Jacket “Gloomy Autumn”

“Gotland fleece was used in this work”

• 13. Reseda Tyumen. Vest with owl

“Another vest made from your fleeces: Merino, Romney, Corydale and Gotland.”

• 14. Marmaruni (Maria Ivanova) Ufa. Winter coat “Ryzhik”

“The most beloved and grandiose of my products is this coat, made from alpaca fleece “Grand” :)))) I wanted to felt something especially for the competition, from white Romney... but, I’m afraid I won’t have time...”

• 15. Workshop of Natalia Kurtukova Kaliningrad. Jacket with hood "Baltic winter"

“The wool from the Fefe alpaca was used in this work.”

16. Elena Tarabukina St. Petersburg. Eco-fur hat (felted)

“My middle son is interested in the traditions of the Cossacks, and I made him a hat. This little piece is made entirely from New Zealand fleece: the fur is 18 micron merino and the lining is 16 micron merino to ensure the true Gentle Touch.

• 17. Oksana Gracheva Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod region Designer costume “Forgotten History”

“I present to you a suit made from Crossbred wool.”

• 18. Svetlana Gromik (FancySheep) Spain, Madrid. Character - Viking wife

“The work was made for the theatrical production “Perplex” from Gotland fleece. The character is the wife of a Viking."

• 19. Elena Gorbunova Artemovsky, Sverdlovsk region. Jacket for Timosha

“Here is my first independent product. Jacket for Timosha, felted from Australian merino wool using half-wart fleece purchased from you (nice gray-brown color) and New Zealand brown merino (circles similar to flowers), also from happy sheep, strands of Leicester lamb, in the middle of each “flower”. The sleeve cuffs, the bottom of the jacket and the collar are knitted from the same half-wart, spun using a drum carder purchased in your store at the Crafts Fair and a Joy spinning wheel, which I really love.”

• 20. Olga Tskhai (Olga-happy) St. Petersburg. Set of felted accessories Blizzard

“I have a lot of works made from wool purchased from you, but I know that you like this one))) and it corresponds to the name of the competition, here: English collar. Leicester, takes Perendale."

• 21. Oksana Vladarskaya St. Petersburg. Felted beret “Mysteriously black”

“I also decided to show my modest work, but one of my favorite and last ones. This was my experiment, because... The fleece was dyed not quite black, so I decided to put black viscose on top... it didn’t want to fall down for a long time, but then... once, it did, and it turned out to be a very interesting texture and play of colors. Corydale fleece…..”

• 22. Natalya Litosh Tsvetik-seven-flowered (Alica69) Kemerovo region, Novokuznetsk. Felted jacket at Lukomorye...

“This jacket features several types of sheep breeds from your store. Dyed English Leicester lamb curls. Gray fleece on Lincoln hood, Parentale jacket bottom, black Gotland.”

• 23. Olga Nazarova Felted and knitted by joyful Olaria, Tyumen region, Tobolsk. Set of a real man

“….a set for a real man – a hat and felted boots with perendale fleece...”

• 24. Elvira Blagoveshchensk. Warm jacket

“The product used English Leicester curls, both adults and children of these beautiful sheep, Perendale fleece. Thank you so much for the wonderful fleece"

• 25. Natasha Lunata Canada, Toronto. Men's sweater in mixed technique (felt + knitwear) “Once...”

“Men’s sweater in mixed technique (felt + knitwear) “Once...”

— felt from Corydale lamb fleece — knitted details — my hand-spun yarn from Gotland lamb and first-year Perendale lamb Thank you so much for the beautiful, first-class wool and the most pleasant communication)"

Origin story

Fleece is a young knitwear product that appeared thanks to the American textile company Malden Mills. The year of invention of “artificial sheepskin” is considered to be 1979. Two years later, the new textile material was developed and distributed in many countries. The demand for the new material was high not only in the States, but also in other countries, since the soft fiber was loved by both athletes and people far from sports.

Polyester

Popular synthetic fabric polyester: what is known about its characteristics and areas of application?

more details

Knitwear

Types, characteristics and features of knitwear fabric

more details

How much does fleece cost?

The cost of the material depends on several parameters, which include the country of manufacture, density, brand, and manufacturing features. In online stores you can purchase fleece from 116 rubles per linear meter. The cheapest fabrics are presented by manufacturers from China. American products have a high price; a linear meter can cost up to 1,220 rubles. You should definitely take an interest in the units in which the material is sold. Sometimes it is sold not in linear meters, but in kilograms or yards. Often information is indicated next to the product photo.

Fabric composition and properties

The composition of fleece products may vary. It may include components such as:

• spandex;
• windblock;
• bipolarphis;
• lycra.

Lycra

What is Lycra fabric and what are its features? What are the characteristics and areas of use?

more details

Thanks to the listed components, fleece items are characterized by flexibility and elasticity. Fleece does not cause an allergic reaction. Knitwear is durable, wear-resistant, and can retain heat for a long time.

Features of care

Although the material is wear-resistant and unpretentious, there are some conditions for caring for it. It will be easy to maintain the original appearance and quality of fleece products if you follow a number of simple rules:

• Do not wash synthetic fabric at high temperatures;
• do not spin the material at high speeds, it will dry quickly even with a gentle spin;
• do not use bleach;
• Products need to be dried in natural conditions;
• do not iron the fabric.

Types of fabric

Depending on the density of the material:

• microfleece (density below 100 g/sq.m., used for sewing linen and home clothes);
• polar fleece (density 100-200 g/sq.m., used for sewing leggings, thermal underwear, thin sweatshirts);
• fleece fabric of medium density 200-300 g/sq. m., used for the production of children's clothing;
• dense fleece (density 300 to 400 g/sq.m., used for sewing blankets, insulated items, blankets);
• ultra-dense fleece fabric (density 400 to 600 g/sq. m., used for the production of clothing for tourism and equipment).

Depending on the structure of the material:

• water-repellent clothing;
• protects against windy weather;
• fluffy material that retains heat.

Where is fleece fabric used?

As soon as consumers understood fleece - what kind of fabric it is and what amazing properties it has, the material began to be widely used in a variety of fields. Initially, the material was used for sewing sportswear, but over time, its many-sided positive qualities began to be used in other areas:

• casual clothing and accessories;
• home textiles (plaids and bedspreads);
• thermal underwear;
• shoes;
• upholstery of upholstered furniture;
• Stuffed Toys.

What is made from fleece?

The variety of fleece options in terms of thickness, texture, thickness determines the breadth of use of the material for sewing clothes. The most popular products are still products for athletes. For climbers and hikers, a fleece jacket is an indispensable item. Also, this lightweight, practical material has become in demand for the production of children's clothing. Fleece lining is an element that has been used to insulate winter and demi-season jackets. On the consumer market you can find a wide variety of wardrobe items made from fleece material:

• hats, scarves, gloves;
• trousers;
• sweatshirts;
• pajamas;
• socks;
• jackets, other outerwear;
• vests;
• sweatshirts;
• insulation for outerwear.

Pros and cons of fleece

Pros of the fabric:

• elastic and does not restrict movement, comfortable to wear;
• soft and pleasant to the touch;
• light in weight;
• wear-resistant and durable;
• able to retain heat for a long time;
• does not cause allergic reactions;
• easy to care for;
• dries quickly after washing;
• inexpensive.

In addition to the advantages, fleece material has a number of disadvantages:

• ignites quickly;
• pills often form on knitwear;
• knitwear is subject to electrification;
• collects dust.

What is fleece

Incredibly soft and pleasant to the touch, fleece material is one of the artificial fabrics and synthetics. Matter appeared on the consumer market quite recently, only in 1979. In trying to figure out what kind of fabric fleece is, English experts will remember fleece - a word translated meaning “wool”, “sheepskin”. Although the material is just as warm and looks similar to sheared sheepskin, fleece production has no connection to natural fabrics.

Advantages and disadvantages

The fabric has many advantages:

• high thermal insulation;
• ability to pass air;
• ability to remove moisture from the body;
• low weight of the product;
• color fastness;
• wear resistance;
• elasticity;
• hypoallergenic;
• low creasing.

Disadvantages of fabric :

• electrification;
• vulnerability to fire and high temperatures.

Compound

Fleece contains fibers of synthetic origin, usually polyester. Synthetics undergo special processing, which improves their properties and makes them feel as close as possible to natural fibers. However, fleece is not always polyester. What else is the fabric made of? Sometimes cotton is included in the fabric composition. There is never a completely cotton material, but even a small content of cotton fibers makes the material more breathable, hygroscopic, and comfortable.

Basically, the fabrics are made from primary or secondary synthetic fiber. This means that the fabric gives a second life to plastic products that have served their purpose. Fabrics are knitted from the resulting thread on knitting machines, and then additional equipment is used to pull out the loops, which form a voluminous pile.

The composition does not affect the density of fleece. The material can be very thin - up to 100 g/m2 and extremely dense - 500-600 g/m2. In the second case, the fabrics have an impressive weight and are more suitable for sewing tourist products than for consumer items.

How to wash and dry microfleece items?

Careful care of fleece items will help them last much longer.

As with any fabric, it's important to know how to wash and dry microfleece items to ensure they last a long time. Follow these simple instructions for washing microfleece:

• Before putting items in the washing machine, treat stains with stain remover.
• Wash microfleece items separately from other items.
• Turn microfleece garments inside out to prevent the fabric from fading.
• Use the correct amount of laundry detergent. Avoid using fabric softener and do not use bleach.
• Set your washing machine's cold water setting to minimum. Higher settings may damage the fabric fibers.

Microfleece is a flammable material that does not tolerate much heat, so be extra careful when drying. Recommended method for drying microfleece:

• Natural drying is the best way to dry microfleece. Because this fabric is lightweight and breathable, it dries very quickly when outdoors.
• In your dryer, use the gentle drying setting on the lowest heat setting. After completing one cycle, immediately remove microfleece items from the machine and fold them neatly.
• Do not iron. The heat from the iron can melt the synthetic fibers of microfleece, leaving unsightly burnt marks.

Tip: Bulk microfleece items stored in the closet, such as bathrobes, sheets or bedspreads, can be kept fresh by inserting an antistatic napkin into the fold of the item.

Comparison with other synthetic fabrics

Fleece is a universal synthetic fabric that has the maximum number of advantages and a minimum number of disadvantages.

In comparison with lavsan , with all other characteristics being equal, fleece wins in terms of hypoallergenicity and breathability.

Compared to fleece, polycotton

Microfiber differs from fleece in less wear resistance and practicality of use.

Advantages

The advantages of the material include hypoallergenicity, pleasant texture, and improved heat-saving properties. Fleece clothing is soft and breathable. Even when wet, it retains heat and gives comfort, which distinguishes the material from other synthetic options and even wool. For this reason, the fabric has become widespread in the sports environment. Training suits and sportswear made from fleece are suitable for outdoor sports, even in adverse weather conditions.

Among other advantages of the material:

• wear resistance and durability;
• dimensional stability;
• non-staining – liquid and dirt leave no traces and can be easily removed by hand washing;
• ease of care;
• varied design;
• safety and environmental friendliness, despite its synthetic origin.

Converting polyester fabric into fleece

The polyester fabric with its rough side is pulled over special rotating metal brushes, which pull the fibers out of those very small loops and fluff them up. After this, the treated side becomes soft, fluffy and very similar to what regular fleece .

However, the second side of the canvas is still smooth, so it is pulled again over the rotating brushes, but now the brushes push the fluff from the fluffy surface to the other side of the canvas. Thus, many air pockets are formed on both sides of the fabric, which provide excellent heat-saving properties of fleece.

At the final stage, anti-peeling treatment is performed. Special screw cutters shave off excess lint from the surface of the material, thereby reducing the tendency of the fleece to pill – peeling. At the end of the production process, the fabric is stretched to the desired size and stabilized in this state with hot steam. The fleece then wound onto rolls and sent to sewing factories. The leader among manufacturers of high-quality fleece is Polartec ®.

Polyester fiber production

But in order for this to happen, the polyester raw material must first be converted into fiber, which is then produced into a thread suitable for knitting polyester knitted fabric.

Polyester fiber is produced using a fairly simple procedure: a melt of polyethylene terephthalate is forced through special dies - thin holes with a diameter of tenths of a millimeter. This process is called extrusion and is similar to making minced meat using a regular meat grinder. It's as simple as that:

After passing through the dies, thin and long fibers are formed from the melt, which are cooled by the air flow and solidify. They are the source material for the manufacture of polyester threads for various purposes, one of which, as we have already said, is to warm tourists. The number of fibers in a polyester thread can reach 250, and in practice its production, like any production in general, has many technological subtleties that affect both the quality and performance characteristics of the future product.

Application

Fleece has many uses.

• Second-layer sportswear is made from fleece, including for extreme sports, thermal underwear, and travel equipment.
• Fleece casual clothing for cool weather is popular: jackets, sweatshirts, robes, vests.
• In the children's clothing segment, fabric is used for sewing overalls, sweatshirts, and pants.
• Fleece is suitable for the production of socks, gloves, scarves, and hats.
• For the home, warm blankets, rugs, and practical bedspreads are made from fleece.
• The fabric makes original and bright soft toys.

How it is produced

Fleece is made from original raw materials or recycled plastic.

1. A dense knitted fabric is created from polyester fibers on a circular knitting machine.
2. The finished canvas undergoes wet and heat treatment.
3. Small hooks located on the shafts of a special machine pull out neat loops, while maintaining the integrity of the material.
4. A cylindrical wire brush breaks the loops into fleece lint, then distributes the lint evenly from the front to the back.
5. The last stage of production is treatment with anti-pellet agents.

To improve performance characteristics, the surface of the fleece is additionally treated with water-repellent, antibacterial, and fire-retardant compounds.