Fleece is a densely woven, flat fabric made from 100% polyester. A good fleece should keep you warm and is both breathable and quick drying.
How do I recognise a good fleece when I see it?
Like most fabrics, you’ll know good quality by the feel of the product. A top quality fleece feels soft and even silky to the touch. By contrast, a cheaper fleece is far thinner and feels a lot less soft. Another good test is to hold it the fleece up to the light; a quality fleece will not let light pass through the fabric.
Check the surface of the fabric; do the fibres lie down (so it feels smooth like felt) or stand away? A good quality fleece will have fibres that stand up – this will mean that it will wash well over time. Cheaper fleeces will “pill” after several washes - the fibres will start to stick together and lie down, giving the fleece a bobbly feel.