Wool vs Fleece: Difference and Comparison

In the market of clothing, there are a number of fibers that are used to create different types of clothing materials, and among all these fibers, the two most common fibers used for winter clothing are fleece and wool.

While on the outset of these two fibers, they might look the same, there are many differences that exist and can easily be marked. 

Key Takeaways

1. Wool is a natural fiber obtained from sheep, while the fleece is a synthetic material made from polyester.
2. Wool provides better insulation and moisture-wicking properties than fleece, making it warmer in cold conditions.
3. Fleece is lighter, dries faster, and is more resistant to pilling than wool, making it a popular choice for activewear.

Wool vs Fleece 

Wool is a natural fiber with moisture-wicking properties, while fleece is a synthetic fabric that is lightweight and quick-drying. Wool is more expensive than fleece but is also more durable and can last many years with proper care and maintenance. Wool has natural flame resistance, unlike Fleece.

Wool happens to be a very popular fiber that is used in many areas of the world to create better clothing materials for harsh winters and cold days.

On the very outset of it, this particular fiber happens to be a natural fiber and is obtained through certain specific animals. The thermal insulating property of this fiber happens to be amazing, and it keeps the person warm to a very greater extent. 

But on the other hand, fleece is basically another fiber that is used to create clothing for winter but happens to be completely different when it comes to wool.

Fleece was initially created by humans synthetically to imitate the texture of wool and to create synthetic fiber to meet the demands of the consumer market.

Although this fiber also happens to be warm but still lags behind if compared to wool. 

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Wool	Fleece
Meaning	It denotes a natural fiber used to make winter clothes.	It denotes a synthetic fiber used to make winter clothes.
Derived from	This particular fiber is derived from animals like sheep etc.	This particular fiber is derived from Polyethylene Terephthalate.
Insulating property	The insulating property of this particular fiber happens to be very amazing.	The insulating property of this particular fiber happens to be normal.
Weight	It happens to be comparatively heavy-weighted.	It happens to be comparatively light-weighted.
Rate of drying	This particular fiber makes clothes that dry for a longer duration of time.	This particular fiber makes clothes that dry in a shorter duration of time.
Degradability	This particular fiber happens to be biodegradable.	This particular fiber happens to be non-biodegradable.
Price	In terms of price, this particular fiber happens to be comparatively expensive.	In terms of price, this particular fiber happens to be comparatively cheap.

What is Wool? 

Wool basically happens to be a natural fiber that is extracted through certain animals like sheep etc., and there are a lot of varieties of wool that are prevalent across different parts of the world owing to their distinct features and characteristics.

The insulating property of this particular fiber happens to be very amazing that keeps the person using the particular cloth very warm. 

A very prominent feature attached to this particular fiber is that it happens to be biodegradable and thus happens to be very beneficial for the environment as it can be degraded if not required anymore.

Another particular quality of this particular fiber is that it takes a very long time to get completely dried off the water whenever washed. 

And as the fiber is extracted through natural sources, it happens to be very heavy weighted and feels very heavy on the very look of it.

However, one particular disadvantage that can be a downside of this particular fiber is that it happens to be very expensive, and therefore some people tend to use synthetic fibers rather. 

What is Fleece? 

Fleece, on the other hand, happens to be a very prominent fiber that is used all across the world for making clothes that are very suitable for harsh winter days; however, this fiber is not extracted through natural sources and is rather created by human beings by a synthetic process involving. 

The most prominent reason behind the increased popularity of this particular fiber in a short span of time is that it happens to be very light weighted and feels very light on the body whenever worn as a cloth.

However, this is not the only advantage attached to this particular fiber as it happens to be very cheaper in terms of price and therefore can be an affordable choice for some people. 

However, one major downside to this particular fiber is that it cannot be degraded biologically in thus happens to harm the environment in certain cases.

The insulating property of this particular fiber happens to be very normal and somehow lags behind as compared to natural fibers like wool, but overall, this fiber makes up a good choice in the fashion industry as an alternative to natural fibers. 

Main Differences Between Wool and Fleece 

1. While Wool, on the one hand, is a naturally obtained fiber, fleece is manufactured through a synthetic process. 
2. While Wool, on the one hand, happens to contain amazing insulating properties, fleece happens to contain normal insulating properties. 
3. While Wool, on the one hand, happens to be expensive in price, fleece happens to be cheaper in price. 
4. While Wool, on the one hand, can be degraded biologically, fleece cannot be degraded biologically. 
5. While Wool, on the one hand, dries at a short pace, fleece dries at a faster pace. 

References  

1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1478-4408.2011.00312.x 
2. https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/19641401785  

Last Updated : 16 July, 2023