Ladies’ fleece jackets, fleece pants, fleece pajamas and robes, and our comfy fleece throws are in high demand once the weather turns cold. No wonder, with all the benefits of this engineered textile.
I’m no fan of polyester, but I love my fleece pants.
My white fleece bathrobe is like wearing a cotton ball—what a delicious, luxurious feeling.
I lived in a fleece shirt and knit slacks with inner fleece lining during a trip to the California high country and San Francisco a few years back.
Night Or Day, This Fabric Is Soft and Warm
On especially cold nights, I slept in these and then went to breakfast in them!
Casual women’s fashion jackets often feature polar fleece. It also is a good alternative to wool and acrylic sweaters for women.
I don’t get to wear my chocolate brown fleece pants enough during South Florida winters — not that I’d trade living here for anywhere else. I love their soft, luxurious feel against my skin.
So let’s take a look at fleece fabric, also known as polar fleece, what it is and why it’s special.
Why We Love Ladies Fleece Jackets and Polar Fleece Clothes
First, let’s understand that there are at least three kinds of fleece – wool, cotton, and polyester.
Wool fleece that is spun into yarn and knitted or woven into woolen textiles.
Cotton fleece fabric comes from the cotton plant, and the textile usually does not have that puffy-fluffy look that most of us have come to associate with fleece fabrics.
Organic cotton fleece fabric is available, too.
Then, there is polyester fleece.
Recycled Bottles Are Source of Polar Fleece
Polyester comes from the same place as the gasoline that fuels your car – petroleum or oil.
Chemical processes refine the goo into synthetic thread. Science buffs may enjoy Woodward’s concise history and description.
SNV Plastics reports that the source of fleece fabric is recycled plastic bottles, and it takes more than two dozen plastic bottles to make enough fabric for a garment.
Let Us Count the Benefits
Fleece fabric has overcome my resistance to polyester cloth by its array of benefits.
It does everything (okay, almost everything) natural wool fiber does, only better.
For example, fleece is as warm as wool but more lightweight.
I can eat all over myself while writing, and I can throw the garment in the washing machine. Dry cleaning is required for most wool and wool-blend sweaters for women.
Over at the DiaperPin – where if anyone needs to know about the attributes of fabric, they do – they have this list of all these good things about fleece textiles:
- Highly breathable.
- Lightweight (also sold in mid-weight).
- Reist’s pilling.
- Hardy and can withstand industrial washing/drying.
- Virtually stain-proof.
- Easy to care for and clean.
- Resists color fading.
- Fast-drying.
- Chlorine-resistant.
- Soft and comfortable.
Look for Affordable Prices If You Don’t Insist on Name Brands
One more benefit is that women’s fleece jackets may be a lot cheaper than buying a woolen sweater or jacket if you don’t insist on a name brand.
Who doesn’t love saving money, especially for what my mother calls our “every day, knocking-around-in clothes.”
Why Wicking Properties Matter for Winter Clothes
DiaperPin also discusses the wicking properties of the fabric – of interest not only to mothers diapering babies but anyone who is out shoveling snow, skiing, building a snowman, or any other various and sundry winter outdoor activities.
Blufashion readers are old enough to remember soggy woolen mittens.
After I walked my dog during freezing Baltimore winter and sleet storms, it seemed as if every radiator in the apartment had a wool garment on it, drying out for the next walk.
Women’s fleece jackets, fleece pants, fleece pajamas and robes, and fleece blankets avoid all that because of the wicking properties that make the fabric dry out more quickly, thus wicking sweat and moisture away from the body.
Fabric Downside: Breathability Can Let the Wind Blow Through
Ladies’ fleece jackets have joined the pantheon of choices for women’s fashion jackets and are great casual-wear alternatives to sweaters for women.
There is one downside to polyester fleece fabric.
Breathability means that air may penetrate more easily.
This is overcome by garments with nylon or knit fabric outer shell. Nylon is usually water-repellent, so it’s a good combination for active outdoor wear.
In summary, polar fleece fabric is one polyester engineered textile we can love.
Alternatively, you may want to consider a long sweater coat that spans the seasons with style. Or, you can investigate figure-flattering tips if you are buying a spring or fall jacket.
If you need something warmer, such as a winter coat, here’s where to get started.