Fleece is a soft, lightweight polyester fabric with a woolly surface. Is fleece warm? Yes: air gets trapped between the fluffy fibres, so the fabric keeps you warm. Fleece also lets moisture through and dries quickly. That is why a fleece is often worn as a mid layer under a jacket or on its own over a T-shirt. Among Suitable's fleece cardigans you'll find brands including Tenson, KnowledgeCotton Apparel and Napapijri.

Where polar fleece comes from

The fabric was developed by the American textile mill Malden Mills as an alternative to wool. The original name Polarfleece lives on in polar fleece, still a common term for this type of fabric. Fleece is a synthetic fabric, but Polartec, the successor to Malden Mills, makes much of its fleece from recycled polyester from plastic bottles.

The pros and cons of fleece fabric

Fleece is warm, light and easy to wash, but it also has a few weak points. Over time, little bobbles form on the surface. Fleece also builds up static, so hairs and dust particles stick to it. Wash fleece at a low temperature and preferably avoid the tumble dryer and the iron, as polyester can melt at high heat.