Custom Fleece Fabric Sourcing Guide: Types, GSM, Quality Standards, and B2B Procurement

If you are sourcing fleece fabric for apparel production —hoodies, sweatshirts, jackets, blankets, loungewear, or outdoor gear —you need to specify more than "fleece, soft, 280 GSM." You need to choose a fleece type, define a pilling resistance grade, set a GSM tolerance that applies after finishing (not at greige), specify a yarn construction, and decide how the fabric will be printed or dyed. A factory that quotes you "polyester fleece" without asking whether you need polar or micro, one-side brushed or double-side brushed, anti-pill treated or standard, filament or staple-spun yarn —is not giving you enough information to make a production-safe decision. Fleece fabric looks simple. It is not. The difference between a well-specified fleece and an under-specified one is the difference between a hoodie that looks premium after 30 washes and one that pills into fuzz after 5.

This guide covers every dimension a garment buyer or procurement manager needs to control when sourcing custom fleece fabric: fleece types and their performance profiles, GSM selection by end-use, brush construction (one-side vs double-side), pilling resistance and thermal testing standards, custom dyeing and printing methods, the procurement risks that cause returns —with measurable prevention thresholds, an application-to-fleece-type matching matrix, a supplier inquiry template, and QC acceptance criteria your inspector can use at the factory.

Table of Contents

1. Fleece Fabric Types: Polar, Micro, Anti-Pill, Sherpa, Coral, Performance —A Buyer's Field Guide
2. GSM Selection: How Fabric Weight Affects Warmth, Drape, and Garment Construction
3. How Fleece Is Made: Knit Base, Brushing, and Finishing —What Buyers Need to Know
4. Custom Fleece: Dyeing, Printing, and Finishing Options
5. The 6 Procurement Risks That Cause Returns —With Measurable Prevention Thresholds
6. Application Matrix: Matching Fleece Types to Garment End-Uses
7. Supplier Inquiry Template: How to Write a Fleece Fabric RFQ
8. QC Acceptance Criteria: What to Measure and When to Reject
9. Sustainability in Fleece: Recycled Polyester, Organic Cotton, and Certification Pathways
10. Frequently Asked Questions
11. About the Author

1. Fleece Fabric Types: Polar, Micro, Anti-Pill, Sherpa, Coral, Performance —A Buyer's Field Guide

When a buyer says "I need fleece," the first question I ask is: which one? There are at least six commercially distinct fleece types, each with a different GSM range, pile structure, warmth-to-weight ratio, and best-use application. Here is how to tell them apart —and more importantly, how to specify the right one in your purchase order.

Polar Fleece (Standard Fleece)

What it is: The original fleece fabric —a mid-to-heavyweight 100% polyester knit that is brushed on both sides to create a deep, insulating pile. Named after Polartec, the brand that pioneered synthetic fleece in the 1980s, polar fleece remains the workhorse of the fleece category.

GSM range: 200–350 GSM (most common B2B order range: 240–300 GSM).

Key characteristics: High warmth-to-weight ratio. Good breathability —polyester fleece retains less than 1% of its weight in moisture, which is why it insulates even when damp. Thermal resistance (Rct) typically 0.25—.35 m²·K/W. Machine washable, quick-drying. Moderate pilling tendency if made from staple-spun yarn —this is the #1 quality complaint for standard polar fleece.

Best applications: Hoodies, crewneck sweatshirts, zip-up jackets, outdoor mid-layers, throw blankets, pet beds. Polar fleece is the default choice for any garment where warmth, weight, and cost are the three primary selection criteria.

Watch out for: Standard polar fleece is prone to pilling because the brushed pile exposes fiber ends. If your brand cannot tolerate visible pilling after 5–10 washes, specify anti-pill polar fleece instead (see below). Polar fleece also generates static electricity in dry conditions —if this is a concern for your market (e.g., regions with low humidity or consumers sensitive to static cling), specify anti-static finishing as an add-on treatment.

Micro Fleece

What it is: A lightweight, tightly knitted polyester fleece with a thinner, denser pile than polar fleece. The fibers are finer (typically 0.5—.0 denier per filament, compared to 1.5—.5 denier for standard polar fleece), which creates a smoother surface and softer hand feel at lower weight.

GSM range: 100–180 GSM.

Key characteristics: Excellent drape for a fleece fabric —micro fleece lays flatter and moves more like a woven fabric than a knit. Lower thermal resistance (Rct 0.12—.18 m²·K/W) —it provides moderate warmth, not deep insulation. Wind resistance is lower than polar fleece because the thinner pile allows more air penetration. Packs down smaller for travel applications. Better print surface than polar fleece because the flatter pile reduces ink bleeding at fiber tips.

Best applications: Lightweight layering jackets, travel blankets, baby clothing, lightweight loungewear, sportswear linings. Micro fleece is the right choice when you need fleece softness and warmth without the bulk —it is essentially a performance-weight fleece for applications where weight and packability matter more than maximum insulation.

Watch out for: Because micro fleece is thin, it has lower opacity than polar fleece. Light-colored micro fleece at GSM below 140 can be slightly translucent —if your garment uses a dark lining or if consumers will wear it without a base layer, verify opacity at the lab-dip stage. Also, micro fleece at the low end of the GSM range (100–120) is more prone to seam slippage because the thinner fabric has less structural grip at stitch points.

Anti-Pill Fleece

What it is: Polar fleece that has undergone additional finishing to prevent fiber migration and pill formation. The anti-pill treatment typically consists of three stages: singeing (passing the fabric over a flame or heated roller to burn off loose surface fibers), enzyme treatment (cellulase enzymes digest protruding fiber ends on cotton-blend fleece), and a light resin or silicone coating that binds fiber tips to the yarn core.

GSM range: 200–350 GSM (same as polar fleece; anti-pill is a finish, not a different base fabric).

Key characteristics: Same warmth, weight, and drape as standard polar fleece —with one critical difference: anti-pill fleece maintains a Grade 4 or higher surface appearance on the ISO 12945-2 Martindale pilling test after 2,000 rubs, compared to Grade 2— for untreated polar fleece. This means the fabric surface still looks smooth and new after 30+ home launderings, while untreated fleece shows visible pilling after 5–10 washes. Anti-pill fleece costs approximately 8–2% more than standard polar fleece at the same GSM —the premium covers the additional finishing steps.

Best applications: Any branded apparel where surface quality affects consumer perception of value. If your hoodie retails above USD 40, use anti-pill fleece. The incremental fabric cost is about USD 0.30—.50 per garment, which is negligible compared to the brand damage from a pilling complaint on a product review page. This applies to sweatshirts, hoodies, zip-up jackets, premium loungewear, and children's wear (where pilling on high-friction areas like elbows is especially visible).

Watch out for: Not all "anti-pill" claims are equal. Some suppliers apply only a light resin coating without singeing or enzyme treatment, which delays pilling by 5–10 washes but does not prevent it. Ask your supplier to specify which anti-pill processes they use, and verify with a pilling test on a production sample —not a lab sample —before accepting the fabric.

Sherpa Fleece

What it is: A high-pile, deeply textured fleece that mimics the look and feel of sheepskin. The face side has a dense, curly pile (pile height 8–5 mm) made from textured polyester yarns that are brushed and heat-set into a curly configuration. The back side is typically a smooth knit base.

GSM range: 280–50 GSM (pile weight contributes significantly —a sherpa fleece at 350 GSM is physically much thicker than a polar fleece at the same GSM because the pile traps air in its three-dimensional structure).

Key characteristics: Maximum visual and tactile plushness among all fleece types. Highest thermal resistance (Rct 0.30—.45 m²·K/W) because the deep pile traps a thicker layer of insulating air. Sherpa fleece sheds more than any other fleece type —the long, curly pile fibers have more exposed surface area and detach more easily during friction and washing. Shedding can be reduced but not eliminated through anti-shedding finishing. Heavy —sherpa garments are physically bulky in shipping and on retail racks.

Best applications: Jacket and hoodie linings (pile facing inward for warmth), blanket backings, premium loungewear, pet beds, winter accessories. Sherpa is a visual and tactile statement fabric —brands choose it for the look, not for technical performance.

Watch out for: Sherpa's shedding problem is real. For any garment with a contrasting-color shell (e.g., a black nylon jacket with cream sherpa lining), shedding fibers will visibly transfer to the shell during wear. Specify anti-shedding treatment and require a crocking test (AATCC 8, dry crocking Grade ≥—) on the finished garment —not just on the fabric swatch. Also, sherpa cannot be effectively printed —the pile surface scatters ink and produces a blurred image. If you need a printed plush fabric, use double-side brushed polar fleece instead.

Coral Fleece

What it is: A relatively recent fleece category —an ultra-fine, ultra-dense polyester fleece with a velvety, almost suede-like surface. The pile is shorter than polar fleece (1— mm) but much denser, with individual filaments at 0.3—.5 denier —finer than micro fleece. The name comes from the fabric's resemblance to the soft, fine texture of coral.

GSM range: 180–80 GSM.

Key characteristics: Exceptional surface density —coral fleece has approximately 2—× the fibers per square centimeter compared to polar fleece at the same GSM. This creates a smooth, pill-resistant surface without chemical anti-pill treatment —coral fleece is inherently anti-pill because the fibers are too short and too dense to form pills. Very soft hand feel. Lower thermal resistance than polar fleece at the same GSM because the shorter pile traps less air. Good printability because of the flat, dense surface. Higher cost —approximately 15–5% more than polar fleece at equivalent GSM, driven by the finer denier yarn and slower knitting speed.

Best applications: Premium blankets, baby products, high-end loungewear, pajamas, home textile throws. Coral fleece has become the premium blanket fabric in the B2B market —it is now more commonly ordered for blankets than for apparel.

Watch out for: Coral fleece at low GSM (below 200) has poor drape for apparel —it is too stiff because the dense pile resists bending. For garment applications, stick to micro fleece or polar fleece. Coral fleece also has lower breathability than other fleece types because the dense pile restricts air flow —not ideal for activewear or garments worn during physical activity.

Performance Fleece (Technical Fleece)

What it is: A category of fleece engineered for specific technical functions: moisture wicking (hydrophilic treatment or mechanical wicking structure), wind resistance (tightly knitted face with membrane lamination), water repellency (DWR —durable water repellent finish), and stretch (elastane content, typically 5–0% spandex). Performance fleece is usually a polyester-elastane blend with a smooth face and brushed back.

GSM range: 180–50 GSM.

Key characteristics: Function-specific —a wicking fleece prioritizes moisture transport, a wind-resistant fleece prioritizes air permeability control, a stretch fleece prioritizes elongation and recovery. Performance fleece is tested against measurable technical standards, not just subjective hand-feel assessments: wicking rate per AATCC 197, drying time per AATCC 201, air permeability per ASTM D737, stretch recovery per ASTM D2594.

Best applications: Running and hiking mid-layers, ski and snowboard base layers, gym hoodies, golf pullovers, cycling jackets. Performance fleece is mandatory for any garment marketed with performance claims —you cannot call a fleece "moisture-wicking" without documented test data.

Watch out for: DWR finishes degrade with washing —typically losing 30–0% of their effectiveness after 20 wash cycles. If your brand markets "water-repellent fleece," the hangtag should say "DWR finish —reapply after washing" or similar. Also, performance fleece is the most expensive fleece category because each functional treatment adds cost: wicking treatment adds 5—%, DWR adds 8–2%, wind-resistant lamination adds 15–5% over the base fleece cost.

2. GSM Selection: How Fabric Weight Affects Warmth, Drape, and Garment Construction

GSM (grams per square meter) is the single most commonly specified parameter in fleece procurement —and the one most commonly misunderstood. Here is what every buyer needs to know about GSM for fleece fabric.

The Most Important GSM Rule in Fleece Procurement

Always specify whether your GSM target applies to greige (unfinished) fabric or finished fabric. A fleece that measures 280 GSM in its greige state can lose 15–5 GSM during finishing —the brushing process pulls fibers up from the knit base, creating loft but reducing the base weight. If you order "280 GSM fleece" and the supplier delivers 280 GSM greige fleece, your finished fabric may arrive at 255–65 GSM —thin enough to change the garment's drape, warmth, and consumer perception. Write this in your purchase order: "GSM: 280 ±5% on finished fabric, tested per ASTM D3776 after conditioning at 21 ±1°C, 65 ±2% RH for 4 hours."

GSM Ranges by Application

How GSM Affects Garment Construction

Fleece GSM does not just affect warmth —it affects every stage of garment production:

1. Cutting: Heavier fleece (300+ GSM) requires more cutting pressure and wears cutting blades faster. Your CMT (cut-make-trim) factory may quote a higher cutting cost for heavyweight fleece. I have seen production managers order 350 GSM fleece for a "premium feel" and then discover that their cutting contractor charges 20% more for heavyweight fabric processing.

2. Sewing: Thicker fleece requires longer stitch length (3.5—.0 mm vs 3.0 mm for lightweight fleece) and a larger needle size (size 14–6 vs size 10–2). Using lightweight sewing settings on heavyweight fleece produces skipped stitches and broken threads. Also, seam bulk at cross-seams (shoulder, side seam, hood attachment) doubles with GSM —at 350+ GSM, seam intersections become visibly bulky, which affects garment aesthetics.

3. Shipping: Heavier fleece means heavier garments, which means higher per-unit shipping cost. The difference between a 260 GSM hoodie and a 350 GSM hoodie is approximately 90–20 grams of fabric weight per garment —roughly 20–5% more shipping cost per unit.

3. How Fleece Is Made: Knit Base, Brushing, and Finishing —What Buyers Need to Know

You do not need to run a knitting mill to buy fleece intelligently. But you do need to understand the three production stages that determine your fabric's quality: the knit base, the brushing process, and the finishing treatments.

Stage 1: The Knit Base

Fleece starts as a knit fabric —typically a single jersey or interlock construction —made on a circular knitting machine. The face side (the side that will face outward on the finished garment) is knitted smoothly. The back side (the side that will be brushed) is knitted with longer, looser loops that the brushing machine will later tear open to create the pile.

Yarn choice at this stage is critical. For polyester fleece, the face yarn is typically 75D—50D filament polyester, and the back yarn (the loop yarn that becomes the pile) is typically 100D—00D filament or staple-spun polyester. The single most impactful specification decision you can make for fleece quality is: filament yarn for the pile side, not staple-spun. Staple-spun polyester is cheaper —approximately 10–5% less than filament polyester at the same denier —but it is composed of short fibers (typically 32–1 mm staple length) that will pill aggressively when they are mechanically torn open during brushing, and then continue pilling with every wash cycle. Filament polyester yarn for the pile side adds approximately USD 0.20—.40 per kg of fabric cost and prevents 70–0% of pilling complaints.

Cotton-blend fleece uses cotton yarn (typically Ne 20/1 to Ne 40/1, combed or carded) for the face side and polyester for the loop-back side. This is the classic sweatshirt fleece construction —a cotton face for printability and consumer perception of quality, with a polyester or cotton-polyester loop back that is brushed for softness. Cotton-face polyester-back fleece is sometimes called "CVC fleece" (Chief Value Cotton) when the cotton content exceeds 50%.

Stage 2: Brushing (Napping)

After knitting, the fabric passes through a napping machine —a series of rotating cylinders covered with fine wire teeth that mechanically tear open the loop yarns on the back side, pulling individual fiber ends upward to create a fuzzy, insulating pile. The depth and density of the pile are controlled by three variables: cylinder speed, fabric feed speed, and the number of napping passes.

One-side brushed fleece: The napping machine processes only the back side. The face remains smooth —this is the standard sweatshirt and hoodie construction. The smooth face accepts screen printing and embroidery well; the brushed back provides warmth. This is the correct specification for any garment that will be printed or embroidered on the chest, back, or sleeves.

Double-side brushed fleece: Both sides pass through the napping machine —the back side first, then the face side. The result is maximum plushness and loft on both surfaces. Double-side brushed fleece is approximately 15–5% more expensive than one-side brushed because of the additional napping pass and the higher yarn consumption (more fiber is lost during the second brushing). Choose double-side brushed for premium blankets and loungewear where tactile experience drives the purchase decision; avoid it for printed garments.

Quality check: An unevenly brushed fleece will show thin patches where the pile is sparse. During QC inspection, hold the fabric up to a backlight —thin areas will transmit noticeably more light. The pile density should be visually uniform across the full width of the fabric roll.

Stage 3: Finishing

After brushing, fleece fabric goes through heat-setting (to stabilize dimensions), dyeing (unless the yarn was solution-dyed before knitting), and optional treatments:

Anti-pill finishing: Singeing + enzyme treatment + resin coating (see Section 1, Anti-Pill Fleece).

Anti-static finishing: A hydrophilic chemical treatment that attracts moisture from the air to dissipate static charge. Essential for fleece sold in dry-climate markets (North America interior, Middle East, Northern China in winter).

DWR (Durable Water Repellent): A fluorocarbon-free or C6-based coating that causes water to bead on the surface rather than absorb. Required for outdoor performance fleece. Re-test water repellency after 20 washes as part of durability validation.

Anti-shedding finishing: A resin-based binder that locks loose pile fibers to the base fabric. Critical for sherpa fleece; recommended for any high-pile fleece.

4. Custom Fleece: Dyeing, Printing, and Finishing Options

Custom fleece fabric procurement means you are not buying stock greige goods —you are specifying how the fabric will be colored, patterned, and finished. Here are the four customization dimensions that matter most in B2B fleece sourcing.

Custom Dyeing

Piece dyeing —the standard method —dyes the entire fabric roll in a single color bath after knitting and brushing. Polyester fleece is dyed with disperse dyes at 130°C under pressure (because polyester fibers are hydrophobic and require high temperature for dye penetration). Cotton-blend fleece requires a two-bath process: reactive dyes for the cotton content at 60–0°C, then disperse dyes for the polyester content at 130°C.

Lab-dip matching is the process by which the dyehouse prepares a small fabric swatch in your target color for approval before bulk dyeing. Never skip lab-dip approval. The color you see on a Pantone TCX swatch, on a screen, and on a fleece lab-dip are three different colors because fleece pile scatters light differently from flat surfaces. Approve the lab-dip under the same lighting conditions your end consumer will see —typically D65 daylight for general retail, or A (incandescent) for department store lighting. Allow ±Delta E 1.0 tolerance for bulk production. Require the supplier to archive a reference cutting from each approved dye lot for future re-orders.

Custom Printing

Dye sublimation printing is the dominant method for polyester fleece custom printing. The design is first printed onto transfer paper using sublimation inks. The paper and fabric are then pressed together at 180–10°C —the ink vaporizes, penetrates the polyester fibers, and re-solidifies inside the fiber structure. Advantages: Photo-realistic image quality, zero hand-feel change (the ink is inside the fiber, not on top of it), excellent wash fastness (Grade 4— per AATCC 61), unlimited color range. Limitations: Only works on polyester —minimum 65% polyester content for acceptable results, 100% polyester for best results. The base fabric must be white or light-colored —sublimation ink is transparent and will not show on dark fabric. The fleece must be heat-stabilized before sublimation —if the fabric shrinks during the heat-press step, the printed image will distort. Ask your supplier for a pre-production sublimation test: print a grid pattern on a 50 cm × 50 cm fabric sample, measure the grid after printing, and reject if distortion exceeds ±2%.

Digital pigment printing (direct-to-fabric) works on cotton and cotton-blend fleece. The ink sits on the fabric surface and is heat-cured. Advantages: Works on any fiber content —including 100% cotton fleece. Lower minimum order quantity than sublimation (no transfer paper cost). Faster turnaround. Limitations: Slightly stiffer hand feel because the ink sits on the surface. Lower wash fastness than sublimation (Grade 3— typical per AATCC 61). Color gamut is narrower. Not recommended for high-pile fleece because the ink does not penetrate into the pile valleys, creating a "frosted" look.

Yarn-dyed stripes and patterns: For fleece with stripes, jacquard patterns, or color-block designs that are integral to the knit structure (not printed on top), the yarns are dyed before knitting. This produces the highest-quality result —the color is permanent and cannot wash out or fade. Yarn-dyed fleece costs 20–0% more than piece-dyed fleece because of the additional yarn-dyeing step and the more complex knitting setup. MOQ for yarn-dyed fleece is typically 1,000—,000 kg per design —significantly higher than solid-color fleece.

Custom Finishing

In addition to the standard finishing treatments (anti-pill, anti-static, DWR, anti-shedding), bespoke finishing can differentiate your fleece product:

Silicone softener: A micro-emulsion silicone treatment that dramatically improves hand feel. Adds approximately 3—% to fabric cost. Can reduce fabric breathability by 5–0% because silicone partially fills the inter-fiber spaces —test breathability after treatment if this matters for your application.

Antimicrobial finish: Silver-ion or zinc-pyrithione treatment that inhibits bacterial growth and odor. Relevant for activewear fleece, medical-use fleece blankets, and baby products. Check the specific antimicrobial agent against your target market regulations —some silver-based treatments require EPA registration in the US and BPR authorization in the EU.

UV protection finish: UPF 30–0+ treatment. Relevant for outdoor fleece garments. UPF rating degrades with washing —test after 20 washes per AATCC 183.

5. The 6 Procurement Risks That Cause Returns —With Measurable Prevention Thresholds

Fleece procurement has a set of recurring failure modes that are entirely preventable —if you know what to measure and what threshold to enforce. Here are the six I see most often.

6. Application Matrix: Matching Fleece Types to Garment End-Uses

7. Supplier Inquiry Template: How to Write a Fleece Fabric RFQ

A supplier cannot quote accurately if you do not tell them what matters. Below is the minimum information set for a professional fleece fabric inquiry.

Why this level of detail is non-negotiable: Fleece fabric has more variables than most buyers realize —fleece type, yarn construction, brush side, GSM (greige vs finished), pile density, and finishing treatments all interact. A one-line inquiry ("I need fleece, 280 GSM, black") tells the supplier nothing about your quality requirements and invites them to supply their lowest-cost default fleece —which is almost certainly staple-spun yarn, single-side brushed, no anti-pill, and GSM measured at greige. A detailed RFQ is the difference between receiving the fleece your brand needs and receiving the fleece the factory wants to sell.

8. QC Acceptance Criteria: What to Measure and When to Reject

QC protocol execution notes:

1. All physical testing must be performed on fabric conditioned at 21 ±1°C and 65 ±2% RH for at least 4 hours (per ASTM D1776). Testing unconditioned fabric produces incorrect GSM, width, and shrinkage data.

2. The shedding test is the single most overlooked QC item in fleece procurement —especially for sherpa. A sherpa fleece that passes every other test but sheds >1.0% of its weight in lint is a return risk. Add this test to every sherpa and high-pile fleece PO.

3. For pilling resistance, test the BULK PRODUCTION fabric —not a pre-production lab sample. The yarn quality in a 30 cm hand-knit lab swatch is not representative of the yarn that will run through 100,000 meters on a production knitting machine. I have seen anti-pill fleece pass with Grade 4— on the lab sample and fail with Grade 2— on the bulk production —because the lab sample used filament yarn and the bulk production used staple-spun to cut cost.

4. Do not negotiate a discount for non-conforming fleece fabric. A 10% discount on fabric that pills after 5 washes or sheds continuously costs your brand far more in returns, reviews, and lost repeat purchases than any discount saves. Reject non-conforming fleece. Replace it. There is no middle ground.

9. Sustainability in Fleece: Recycled Polyester, Organic Cotton, and Certification Pathways

Sustainability is no longer optional in fleece procurement —it is a market-access requirement for major retail channels in the EU and an increasingly common brand requirement in North America. Here is what you need to know.

Recycled Polyester (rPET) Fleece

Recycled polyester fleece is made from post-consumer PET bottles that are collected, cleaned, shredded into flakes, melted, and re-extruded into polyester filament or staple fiber. The process reduces carbon footprint by approximately 30–0% compared to virgin polyester production, depending on the energy source used in recycling. Recycled polyester fleece is chemically and mechanically identical to virgin polyester fleece in terms of GSM, warmth, pilling resistance, and dyeability. The only practical differences: recycled polyester may have a slightly lower intrinsic viscosity (0.60—.65 dL/g vs 0.65—.72 dL/g for virgin), which marginally reduces tensile strength —this is not noticeable in fleece applications; and the base color of recycled polyester fiber is slightly off-white to pale gray, which can affect dyeing of very light pastel colors (additional whitening agents may be required).

Certification: To claim "recycled polyester" on your product label, you need GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certification —this traces the recycled content through the supply chain from bottle flake to finished fabric. GRS also requires social and environmental compliance at each production site. The certification process typically takes 2— months and costs USD 2,000—,000 per facility for initial audit + annual surveillance.

B2B cost premium: Recycled polyester fleece costs approximately 5–5% more than virgin polyester fleece at the same specification, depending on rPET content percentage and certification requirements.

Organic Cotton Fleece (for Cotton-Blend Fleece)

For cotton-face polyester-back fleece (the classic sweatshirt construction), the cotton content can be organic. GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certification is required to label the product "organic cotton" —GOTS covers both the organic fiber content and the environmental/social conditions of processing. OCS (Organic Content Standard) is a lighter certification that verifies only the organic fiber content, not processing conditions. GOTS-certified organic cotton fleece costs approximately 20–5% more than conventional cotton fleece.

Sustainability Certifications Reference

Frequently Asked Questions About Custom Fleece Fabric

Explore Suerte Textile's Fleece Fabric Range: Browse our custom fleece fabric catalog with polar, micro, anti-pill, sherpa, coral, and performance fleece options. See our polyester fabric collection including recycled polyester (rPET) fleece with GRS certification. View our cotton and cotton-blend fabric catalog for French terry and loopback sweatshirt fleece. Check our full product catalog for GSM ranges, width options, and custom finishing capabilities. Contact our team to request fleece fabric samples, lab-dips, custom print strike-offs, or a detailed quotation against your specification.