Polar fleece in detail
Also known as: Malden Mills fleece, Polartec fleece, polar fleece grades 100/200/300
Polyester fleece fabric developed in 1979 by Malden Mills (Aaron Feuerstein) and Patagonia, graded Micro/100/200/300 by weight — light and warm but sheds microplastic fibres.
Description
Polar fleece was developed in 1979 by the US mill Malden Mills in Massachusetts together with Patagonia; the trademark PolarFleece was registered on 6 October 1981. CEO Aaron Feuerstein deliberately declined to patent the technology, which allowed it to spread worldwide. The base material is polyester, brushed after knitting — the raised fibres trap air and give an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio.
Polar fleece is graded in four weight classes: Micro, 100, 200 and 300 — the number approximately equals the surface weight in g/m². The 100 series is light and made for active wear, 200 is a classic fleece pullover, 300 is a heavy winter fleece. Known drawbacks are static build-up, poor wind resistance and above all microfiber shedding: washing and drying releases microplastic into waste water and air, making the material environmentally critical. Filter bags, wash loads above 4 kg and fewer washes reduce shedding; recycled polar fleece additionally uses rPET.
- Invented 1979/1981 (Malden Mills / Patagonia), never patented
- Weight classes Micro/100/200/300
- High warmth-to-weight ratio, not windproof
- Releases microplastic in the wash — filter bags recommended
Properties
| Invention | Malden Mills / Patagonia, 1979 (trademark 1981) |
|---|---|
| Weight classes | Micro, 100, 200, 300 (g/m² approximation) |
| Environment | Microplastic shedding during washing |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Polar fleece Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_fleece
- Wikipedia: Polartec Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polartec
