Sherpa vs. Fleece
Sherpa is having a huge moment right now, and I am just as here for it now as I was a year ago in Balti (see my first balti post on sherpas here!). There are a lot of options out there, and at first, I was confused between sherpa vs. fleece. Let’s talk about how to choose the best knit for you.
The 2020 Sherpa Trend: Fashion & Home
The soft, cozy sherpa fabric has now trickled into the world of home design along with its more refined younger sister, boucle. This is not shocking, given that just a few years ago, we were all obsessing over Mongolian Lamb Fur. The idea is simple, use softly woven fabric and unique textures to give both your wardrobe and your home more life.
There are slight differences between sherpa, fleece, boucle, and teddy. You want to look for several key factors when deciding between them. Think about how warm vs. breathable you want your jacket to be!
The Warmth Difference between Sherpa, Fleece, Teddy, and Boucle
Think of Fleece as the mom, and Sherpa, Teddy, and Boucle as her kids.
Most companies use the Polartec scale of 100, 200, 300 etc.- the higher the number, the higher the loft of the fleece. Therefore, if you are naturally a cold person (like me), go for Polartec 300.
We must mention that typically, fleece is made from polyester. Fine polyester fibers are woven into a light fabric and then brushed to results in a thick fabric. Obviously, polyester is not the most insulating fabric. By far, cashmere and wool are the warmest fabrics.
The Weave Matters
You may hear about “teddy coats” and that fabric is unique and distint from sherpa in a few ways. Teddy as you would expect has a fluffy teddy bear surface. The fibres are tufty and soft. In the two tone varieties you can see the underside colour between the tufts of the main surface. Some people describe Teddy as sheep fabric due to the way the fibres appear.
Teddy has an open weave construction where the fibres are attached to a honeycomb backing. The advantage of this is that the fabric is breathable (hey hot-natured gals!). The disadvantage is that when you cut it you will find the fibres shed on the edges and it does not insulate your body heat as a Polartec fleece would.
Sherpa is Warmer than Teddy
Sherpa has a soft surface which is tufty. The fibres are slightly shorter and more compact than the Teddy. Sherpa has a fleece backing. The fibres are bonded together at the back into a soft fleece finish. This gives the fabric a warm soft touch on the reverse and can be worn against the skin. The nature of this backing reduces the amount of shedding when the fabric is cut. Bless.
Both fabrics have 2 way stretch. They have really great stretch in a horizontal direction but very little stretch vertically. Both can be machine washed cool, but do not tumble dry. Sherpa is slightly more expensive and considered the more superior quality due to its construction.
Whatever you do, DON’T put your fleece in the dryer!
Even on a low/cool temp, the friction causes the fibers to pill. This cannot be undone, and I’ve had to call time of death on several of my favorite sherpas.
I use this de-pilling tool on any fabric that is starting to pill just from overwear. They make more sophisticated tools, but this little comb works just fine.
Other Factors to Consider
Check out Ethical Consumer to find the best and worst brands to support based on their quality, human rights protection, plastic microfiber release, recyclability, and toxic chemical content.
So in the battle of sherpa vs. fleece, boucle vs. teddy…choose what works for you, your budget, and your happiness!
Now, stay warm & happy shopping. 😊
xx, Chels
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