What is the difference between fleece and flannel fabrics, and what are their characteristics

Release time: 2025-12-02

What is the difference between fleece and flannel fabrics, and what are their characteristics

Both fleece and flannel are classic and commonly used fabrics in autumn and winter seasons, both of which have the core advantages of strong warmth and soft touch.

Characteristics of fleece fabric

Polar fleece is fluffy, dense, and not easily shedding or pilling, with a soft touch, excellent elasticity, good warmth retention, and relatively affordable price. Its production process is relatively simple, with a variety of colors, including printing and plain colors. Plain fleece can be divided into various types such as stripe drawing, embossing, jacquard, etc.

Characteristics of flannel fabric

Flannel has a soft and elastic feel, delicate and dense plush, thick fabric, good warmth retention, simple and elegant color, beautiful appearance, good wear resistance and breathability. However, its cost is relatively high, and wool flannel is prone to static electricity, which may cause slight shedding of hair after long-term wear or use.

Different raw materials: The raw material for fleece is generally 100% polyester, but some may contain a certain proportion of spandex. Flannel is usually made from wool as the main raw material, and can also be blended with synthetic fibers, adhesives, and other materials.
Different processes: Polar fleece is a knitted fabric, which is made by weaving circular circular knitting machines into raw fabric, and then processed through multiple processes such as dyeing, pulling, combing, shearing, and polar fleece. Flannel is a woven fabric made of coarse combed yarn, which is processed by shrinking and fuzzing. It is mostly woven with diagonal weave, but also with plain weave.
Appearance difference: The front side of the fleece is fluffy and dense, while the back side is sparsely and evenly brushed. The fleece is short and the texture is clear. The flannel surface is covered with a full and clean layer of fluff, without revealing any weaving patterns. The color is simple and elegant, commonly in light gray, medium gray, dark gray, and other colors, as well as in patterns such as grids and stripes.
Weight and thickness are different: flannel has a higher weight, generally between 220-320 grams per square meter, and the fabric is thicker. The weight of fleece is relatively low, and its thickness is also thinner than flannel.
Different uses: Polar fleece is generally used to make clothing linings, scarves, bedding, etc., and can also be used to make outerwear, hoodies, etc. Flannel is suitable for making trousers, tops, children's clothing, etc. Thin fabrics can also be used as fabrics for shirts and skirts.

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