# A short history of fleece, or how fleece took over the world

> Fleeces have become an indispensable garment that everyone should have in their wardrobe for outdoor activities or everyday wear.

URL: https://www.utg-vodnik.si/novice/a-short-history-of-fleece-or-how-fleece-took-over-the-world

## A SHORT HISTORY OF FLEECE

The story of fleece actually begins with the favourite wool sweater of the American mountaineer Yvon Chouinard. He realised that his favourite wool sweater did not meet all his needs. The wool kept him warm, but it was heavy when wet, slow to dry and hard to clean.

So he set out to find a miracle fabric - a synthetic solution with the same warmth and strength as wool fibres, but lighter and quicker to dry.

In the early 1970s, in a textile merchant's shop in Canada, Yvon discovered a fabric made of acrylic fibres that looked poor and smelled bad, but was water-resistant and therefore promising. Inspired by this find, his wife Malinda headed to the fashion district in Los Angeles to look for a roll of similar fabric. What she came back with was made of polyester and intended for car seat covers, but she saw potential in it for a sweater. The bundle sat untouched with the other samples she had collected until one day Yvon rediscovered it and took it to the sewing room, and a few days later the first fleece jacket was born.

It had a simple zip at the front, no pockets and an outer fabric that began to wrinkle after the very first wash. But it seemed able to do everything wool could, and more. It weighed far less than wool, held less than one percent of its weight in water, could be washed in a washing machine and dried quickly both on a clothesline and in the field.

Over the following decades, various improved types of fleece were developed: sherpa, which feels almost velvety soft to the touch, is most commonly used for inner linings. Jackets are usually made of polar fleece, which is relatively compact and dense, or D fleece, which is especially thick.

## [style="margin: 20px 50px; width: 447px; height: 513px; float: left;" />](https://www.utg-vodnik.si/zascitna-oblacila/jope-in-puloverji/jopa-scorpion-hyperfleece-petrolej) FLEECE TODAY

Fleece fabric is made by heating petroleum derivatives into a thick syrup. This is then solidified and spun into threads, and the resulting material is extremely durable, no matter how often we wash or wear it.

The thicker the fleece fabric, the more air it traps. If you put several layers over it, you essentially have a thick, warm air sponge that keeps you exceptionally warm.

Today we use fleece in combination with other materials to make multifunctional garments. We use it as a lining for jackets or coats to make them extra warm.

An example of such a jacket is the knitted [Scorpion Hyperfleece](https://www.utg-vodnik.si/zascitna-oblacila/jope-in-puloverji/jopa-scorpion-hyperfleece-petrolej) jacket. It consists of a velvety lining with outstanding thermal and breathability properties. It is dirt-resistant, highly adaptable and ergonomically designed.

The combined fabric helps maintain body temperature and control sweat for a perfect balance between warmth and breathability. In the areas most exposed to wear, the fleece of the Scorpion Hyperfleece jacket is reinforced with a stretchy softshell fabric, which is also windproof.

The fleece jacket has a zipped chest pocket on the outside, two side pockets lined with fleece and two more inner pockets in mesh fabric. It closes with a YKK® centre zip covered by a flap, which makes it windproof.

The tightness of the cuffs is adjustable with Velcro® hook-and-loop fasteners, and the jacket also has a detachable ID badge holder on the chest, in case you need one to make it easier to identify your employees.

Reflective piping is sewn on the back of the arm and on the shoulders, providing extra visibility in darker working environments.

The knitted Scorpion Hyperfleece fleece jacket is ideal for use in cold environments, as it is an extremely warm and durable work jacket. It performs very well in sectors such as agriculture, horticulture, forestry, construction and road works, the aviation industry, heavy industry, work at height, logistics, the tertiary sector and the trades. Because it is extremely comfortable and stylish, you will be happy wearing it in your free time too.

You can get yours in petrol blue [here](https://www.utg-vodnik.si/zascitna-oblacila/jope-in-puloverji/jopa-scorpion-hyperfleece-petrolej), or in a calmer grey [here](https://www.utg-vodnik.si/zascitna-oblacila/jope-in-puloverji/jopa-scorpion-hyperfleece-siva).