What is the difference between fleece and polyester? Fleece - what kind of fabric: warmth and comfort for kids and adults Is it possible to iron fleece with an iron

Fleece - translated from English means sheared sheep or goat hair.

Why is the artificial material named that way? Artificial non-woven fabric fleece has all the qualities of natural wool, with the exception of one thing - to cause allergies.

A relatively new invention (created in 1979), awarded the Nobel Prize, has gained immense popularity. The creators of fleece did not patent their invention, so the price for it is not very high. In the article we will answer the most important questions: what kind of fabric is fleece, what is it made of and what can be included, is it synthetics or natural material, how to wash it properly.

The main features of fleece include practicality, ease of care and versatility in use.. Its qualities are determined by the material from which it is made, and technology. The raw material for the production of fleece is a synthetic polyester fiber. Often used secondary raw materials - plastic waste - bottles or film.

The fabric is processed depending on what it is intended for. How the fleece material looks like, see the photo below:

Manufacturing, properties

Fleece is a non-woven material. Made from synthetic fibers a dense knitted fabric is created, which then undergoes heat treatment. After processing, the creation of the actual fleece with its inherent properties begins.

A special machine, equipped with rollers with small hooks, lifts tiny loops from the fabric without violating its integrity. This is how a fluffy bouffant of the finest polyester fibers is obtained, in which many breathing pores are formed.

Fleece is processed, first of all, reducing its combustibility. Different compositions give the fabric certain qualities. So that pellets do not form on the surface, and consumer qualities are not lost, anti-peeling treatment is carried out.

About the production of fleece, see the video:

Description, composition, types

There are many types of material, distinguished by different parameters. The density of fleece is determined in grams per 1 square meter:

• Polarfleece(from 100 to 200 g / sq.m) - the thinnest. Used for sewing thermal underwear, leggings and light sweatshirts;
• medium density(from 200 to 300 g/sq.m) is used to make clothes for children, socks, gloves and hats;
• Dense fleece (from 300 to 400 g / sq.m) is used for blankets, bedspreads and winter clothes;
• super dense(from 400 to 600 g/sq.m) is used for camping equipment.

Processing way:

• Anti-peeling- allows you to maintain a fluffy texture, prevents the formation of pellets;
• Water repellent;
• Flammability reducing fabrics;
• antistatic;

• When adding lycra increased wear resistance;
• Spandex- elasticity;
• Bipolarfleece- two-layer fabric, where the bottom layer is warming, the top one is water-repellent;
• Windblock- having a membrane layer between two layers of fabric, which gives windproof qualities.

It also differs in the way of coloring. He can be plain-colored (monochrome) or with drawings printed on it - prints. Prints are camouflage, children's themes, for home textiles.

Fleece fabric samples are shown in the photo:

Another division of fabric types - one-sided or two-sided. Linen and shirts are sewn from one-sided, double-sided is used to make warm demi-season or winter clothes.

Characteristics:

• Ease;
• elasticity;
• practicality;
• thermal insulation;
• aeration (fabric "breathes");
• hypoallergenicity.

The qualities of the fleece made it popular material for making children's clothing. It is very pleasant to the touch, even babies are comfortable in soft cozy overalls, hats and mittens.

The fabric is dyed in a variety of colors that do not lose their brightness over time. The ability to retain rich color attracts manufacturers of home textiles and children's clothing. When making fabric undergoing antibacterial treatment, which protects against dust mites, fungus, microorganisms and moths.

The material dries quickly. Even rain-soaked fleece clothing quickly becomes dry right on the person.

Tourists love warm fleece clothing because it is difficult to freeze in it, even when wet in the rain. It is also valued for its elasticity, especially among those who love mountain hiking. Such clothes do not restrict movement.

Advantages and disadvantages

Comfort, warmth, lightness and practicality are the main advantages of fleece.. A wide range of products made from it, and a low price also add to its popularity.

Due to the good aeration in fleece clothing, it is difficult to sweat. However, wearing such a jacket on a naked body is not recommended.

Material well passes air, but does not absorb moisture. It is recommended to wear thermal underwear under it. It will absorb moisture, and the fleece will retain heat.

It also has the advantage of low specific weight, which allows you to take clothes on the road without overloading luggage.

The disadvantages include easy flammability and the ability to accumulate static electricity. However, they learned to deal with such problems with the help of special processing. Cheap fabric options quickly roll up and lose their attractive appearance.

Application for the production of workwear

The qualities of fleece (combustibility and the ability to electrify) limit its use in the manufacturing sector. Dense types are used to warm those whose work is associated with a long stay on the street during the cold season.

Initially, the fabric was created for tailoring sportswear. It has not lost its relevance now. Main areas of application:

• professional and amateur sportswear;
• tourist clothing;
• clothing for hunting and fishing;
• special .

Use in other areas

Today fleece with success replaced many natural and synthetic fabrics. Main directions of use:

When purchasing fleece products pay attention to the manufacturer. The more famous the brand of clothing, the better the material from which it is made. This is especially true for children's clothing.

Nuances of care

Care is simple, which is also its advantage. To preserve the appearance and consumer qualities, you must follow simple rules.

Since the fabric is synthetic, it washing at high temperature is contraindicated, it should be no more than 30 degrees, the washing mode is delicate. It is not recommended to wring at high speeds, the material dries quickly anyway. If pressed too hard, the item may be deformed.

After washing, you need to let the water drain, and then spread the thing on a towel. So the clothes will not lose their shape. Never use a tumble dryer or dry on a radiator or over an open fire (for example, when camping near a fire).

The fabric does not wrinkle, so it does not require ironing. If such a need nevertheless arises, the temperature should not exceed 60 degrees. It is better to iron through cheesecloth so as not to melt the fabric. Ironing is undesirable for another reason: during heat treatment, fleece may lose its properties.

When washing, it is forbidden to use bleaches and washing powders with aggressive additives. Perfect for children's washing powders or washing gel.

Average prices

Fleece is supplied mainly from abroad, so customs duties and other costs are added to the manufacturer's price. One of the cheapest options is fabric from China. The average wholesale price is from 120 to 280 rubles per linear meter for thin and medium density fabric.

American suppliers sell it for 6-8 dollars per linear meter. While the goods reach Russia, the cost rises by about half. In any case, fleece is cheaper than other fabrics with similar qualities.

When searching for a product at an affordable price, pay attention to the units for which it is indicated. The material can be sold by the meter, kilograms and yards.

A modern synthetic material, widely used in a wide variety of qualities, fleece has confidently won the championship among fabrics for sports, children's and casual wear for all ages. Excellent consumer properties and relatively low cost attract both clothing manufacturers and buyers.

From this video clip you will learn a lot of interesting things about fleece fabric:

Kirill Sysoev

Calloused hands do not know boredom!

Content

If you don’t know fleece yet - what kind of fabric, what properties it has, what clothes are sewn from it, then it’s time to get acquainted with this amazing material. Synthetic matter has no natural analogues, has a lot of advantages and excellent technological characteristics. Fleece products are pleasant to the touch, soft, warm, comfortable, light, so they firmly hold the lead among sports, children's, and casual wear.

What is fleece

Incredibly soft and pleasant to the touch material fleece is one of the artificial fabrics, synthetics. Matter appeared on the consumer market quite recently, only in 1979. In an attempt to figure out fleece - what kind of fabric, English connoisseurs will remember fleece - a word that means “wool”, “sheepskin” in translation. Although the material is just as warm and looks like sheared sheepskin, fleece production has nothing to do with natural fabrics.

What is fleece fabric made of?

For the manufacture of fleece, a base of artificial knitted fabric is used. The material is made from polyester or synthetic microfiber. Primary raw materials are not always used for production, sometimes they use recycled products obtained from plastic bottles or films. Modern technologies make it possible to obtain the highest quality products from recycled materials.

The canvas is processed on the apparatus, in which, with the help of rollers and numerous hooks, threads are pulled out of it. In this process, the integrity of the matter is preserved, a fleece is obtained from polyester fibers, in which there are many air pores. The resulting fabric goes through another stage of special processing - anti-peeling, which prevents the formation of pellets. The process is completed by impregnating the material with special solutions, for example, water-repellent or antibacterial.

Composition and properties

If 30 years ago many did not know fleece - what kind of fabric, today this material is widely used for the manufacture of home textiles and clothing due to its unique properties dictated by the composition. The following characteristics attract the attention of consumers:

• high wear resistance;
• elasticity;
• thermal insulation;
• a light weight;
• aeration - the ability to "breathe";
• practicality;
• hypoallergenicity.

Over time, different threads began to be added to the polyester, which the fleece fabric originally consisted of. Due to their content, the properties of the material change somewhat and new varieties appear. For example, lycra added to the composition of fleece increases the wear resistance of products. For the production of gloves, leggings, a fabric with the addition of spandex is used, which increases elasticity.

Types of fleece

Modern manufacturers offer several types of fleece, which differ in several parameters: weight, density, processing and coloring methods - all this affects the appearance and structure of the fabric. The standard canvas has the same sides, but there are double-sided types in which the upper layer of the material is denser for wind protection, and the lower one is fluffy, which has high thermal insulation qualities.

Density

It is impossible to say unequivocally fleece - what kind of fabric is it: thin or thick. There are varieties of material that have different weight, thermal insulation characteristics and thickness, depending on the density. According to the criterion of specific density, calculated in grams per square meter, the following types of material are distinguished:

• microfleece - up to 100 g / sq. m;
• low-density polar fleece - 100 g / sq. m;
• medium density - 200 g / sq. m;
• dense - 300 g / sq. m;
• extra dense - from 400 to 600 g / sq. m.

By processing method

Different processing methods are designed to improve certain properties of fleece. Special formulations are applied to one or both sides of the canvas. Often in modern production, the following types of processing are used, according to which material can be classified:

• antibacterial;
• antistatic;
• water repellent;
• anti-peeling;
• anti-flammable.

By coloring method

The widest scope of fleece fabrics dictates the need to use different colors for their coloring. According to this criterion, two main types are distinguished: plain-colored (monochrome) and with drawings applied to it - prints. Patterns for applying to the fabric are used in a variety of ways. You can buy fleece in camouflage colors, with children's or floral prints and much more. The modern industry is not limited in the choice of colors and patterns for fabric.

Where is fleece used?

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

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

What is sewn from fleece

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

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

Fleece products - advantages and disadvantages

The main reason for the rapid popularity of fleece products is their high consumer qualities. The material is pleasant to the touch, soft, weightless. It is comfortable and convenient to wear such clothes. The main advantages of the fabric include the following properties:

1. Easily passes air, but does not absorb moisture. The optimal structure of the fibers allows the skin to breathe, so that a person will not be cold or hot in fleece clothing.
2. Dries quickly. After washing, the product will dry much faster than clothing made from any other fabric.
3. Does not require special care. Fleece does not deteriorate when washed in a typewriter.
4. Wear resistant. Things made of this material do not lose their appearance even with prolonged, frequent wear.
5. Has a low weight. Warm clothes made of this material will not interfere with a tourist in a backpack.

Although the fabric has many advantages, there are several disadvantages of fleece products. The main one is static electricity, which accumulates in the tissue. The material is also highly flammable, which is why it is better not to bring it close to an open flame. In high-quality and high-tech versions of matter, these imperfections are resolved with the help of special processing.

Features of care

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

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

How much is fleece

The cost of the material depends on several parameters, which include the country of origin, density, brand, manufacturing features. In online stores you can buy fleece from 116 rubles per linear meter. The cheapest fabrics are presented by manufacturers from China. The high price of American products, a running meter can cost up to 1220 rubles. Be sure to be interested in the units in which matter is sold. Sometimes it is sold not in running meters, but in kilograms or yards. Often information is indicated next to the product photo.

Video

Polyester- a fabric known all over the world that has gained its popularity due to various types of properties. This material is synthetic, therefore relatively cheap and used everywhere. But besides polyester, there are also ego modifications that expand the range of possibilities. For example, fleece is such a material. It is made of polyester, but its properties are similar to wool.

The main differences between polyester and fleece are that fleece is used for warm clothes, while polyester is thinner and suitable for summer clothes, underwear or just the top ball on a product.

So, if we talk about the differences between polyester and fleece, then we can name the following features of fleece:

• recycled material made from polyester;
• breathable and retains heat very well;
• not as strong and durable as polyester;
• has many variations: thickness, size, density;
• retains heat even when wet.

Fleece is lightweight and stretchy, which is not the case with polyester. This material does not cause allergies, so the use does not require additional recommendations.

In addition to the big differences, fleece and polyester have a number of similar properties, which are quite important. These fabrics dry quickly, do not require special care, except for low temperatures during washing and ironing, they also have a tendency to electrify and are highly flammable.

Fleece- it can be of different softness, as well as one-sided and two-sided. Products made from this fabric are light, durable and comfortable. They not only keep warm, but also prevent overheating, while polyester is airtight and is hot in summer and cold in winter.

Synthetic fabrics have firmly entered the life of modern man. Insulation in winter clothes, tracksuits, underwear, chic curtains and soft blankets - all this and much more is now made from artificial materials.

We buy fleece - we get polyester? It often happens that picking up a soft, new thing, we know for sure that it is fleece. But the label says 100% polyester. And this discrepancy causes misunderstanding. It is worth closing the issue with 100% polyester fleece, that is, it will not work to determine the difference, since the raw materials are almost identical. But it is worth saying that it is a secondary raw material after polyester.

Polyester (polyester) is a synthetic that resembles wool in appearance, and cotton in tactile sensations. In addition to fabrics, it is used as a filler in toys, furniture, pillows and blankets. It is produced from petroleum products.

• strong and durable;
• resistant to physical influences;
• not afraid of insects;
• have a low weight;
• easy to care for;
• easy to wash and dry quickly, since polyester threads do not accumulate liquid in themselves;
• do not absorb odors;
• more affordable.

When polyester is mixed with other fabrics, raw materials with new qualities come out:
It, mixed with polyamide, produces a fabric that is similar in characteristics to. The fibers keep their shape perfectly and repel moisture. It is used for sewing women's underwear. A mixture with elastane or spandex gives a durable, highly stretchable material.

Most often, hosiery, gloves, tracksuits are produced from it. For sewing bed linen, a mixture with cotton is used. This compensates for the shortcomings of cotton. The fibers are perfectly dyed, do not fade, practically do not wrinkle. The combination of polyester with viscose is also popular.

Production and types of fleece

Polyester knitted fabric is passed through a machine equipped with rollers with tiny hooks. These hooks pick up tiny loops from the fabric, leaving the base of the canvas intact. It turns out bouffant, with a huge number of breathing pores. This is how the material is obtained, which received the name “fleece” for its qualities, which is translated from English as “sheepskin”. It was invented in 1979.

Fleece goes through several mandatory treatments:

• Anti-peeling - to prevent the formation of pellets;
• antistatic;
• Water repellent;
• Flammability reducing treatment.

Goods made from this fabric often consist of more than one layer. In the case of two layers, the upper part serves as a protection against wind and / or snow, while the lower one maintains a comfortable temperature. The most common name for such material is bipolaraflis. The three-layer version is called "windblock": two layers of medium thickness fleece and a special membrane between them.

The main characteristic of this fabric is large density range, from 100 to 500 g/m2. Sweatshirts, warm shirts and similar relatively light items are made from material with a density of up to 200 g / m 2. From denser raw materials, insulation for outerwear or independent products is produced.

Let's summarize. Fleece is a derivative of polyester. Pure polyester is a material with increased strength, lightness and hydrophobicity. It is great for the production of linen, curtains, bedding.

All the positive properties of polyester are inherited and fleece. In addition, the fabric has an increased ability to retain heat and pass air, which is what the original material is deprived of. These qualities make it an excellent material for production of tourist, sports and winter outerwear.