Shearling & teddy fleece — detail
Also known as: Faux shearling, Teddy plush, Faux lambskin
Shearling is real lambskin with wool on the hide; teddy fleece imitates it in polyester plush — similar to sherpa, but with a shorter, curlier pile.
Description
„Shearling" originally denotes freshly shorn lambskin, tanned and used with the fleece on the inside for garments (classic bomber jackets, aviator collars). The wool side keeps warm, the suede side outside is robust. Real shearling is heavy (700 – 1,200 g/m²), animal-derived and ethically sensitive.
As animal-free alternatives, teddy fleece and sherpa fleece have become mass-market standards — both in 100 % polyester (or recycled rPET). Teddy fleece has a short, curly, „loopy" pile that resembles a teddy bear; sherpa is slightly longer, denser and flatter — similar to a lambskin inner face. Both are made in a double-plush process: two knit backings are joined simultaneously, the connecting pile is cut in the middle, producing two lengths with an upright pile.
- Real shearling: lambskin, animal-derived, very warm, high-end
- Teddy fleece: curly polyester plush, pile 10 – 20 mm, 300 – 600 g/m²
- Sherpa: dense, flat polyester pile, often as jacket lining
- PETA-approved vegan feasible; recycled polyester increasingly standard
Properties
| Product group | Pile fleece (polyester) / lambskin imitation |
|---|---|
| Pile height teddy | approx. 10 – 20 mm, curly |
| Weight | 300 – 600 g/m² |
| Application | Teddy jackets, hood lining, winter collections |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Shearling Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shearling
- PETA-approved vegan peta.org https://www.peta.org/living/personal-care-fashion/peta-approved-vegan-logo/
