Living, working, and playing in Northern Michigan has lead us to a minor obsession with natural fleece (scroll to the bottom of this blog to read about why the "natural" part is important). We wear fleece daily from fall until spring. To satiate our fleece obsession for the Fall 2021/Winter 2022 Season, we are making, selling, and wearing clothing & accessory from five different types of fleece!
1_ Tencel & Organic Cotton Fleece
66% TENCEL™ Lyocell, 28% Organic Cotton, 6% Spandex
New to fall 2021, this is the softest, most stretchy fleece we've seen yet! We stocked it in fun bright colors (Pink, Teal, and Purple) for a new winter line of kids pocket tunics and leggings. We stocked it in neutrals (Black, Dolphin, and Green) and made those colors into the Lumi Leggings (popular so far this year, especially Green ♥). We just finished a batch of Green tops too (both sleeveless & long sleeve) so look for those on our website soon!
Pictured above: Green Lumi Leggings, Teal Kids Tunic, Purple Kids Tunic, Pink Kids Leggings
2_ Hemp & Organic Cotton Fleece
55% Hemp, 45% Organic Cotton
Yana has been working with Hemp & Organic Cotton Fleece for the longest. This fabric is a favorite for so many reasons! We already published a seminal blog post about Hemp & Organic Cotton Fleece. Here's the TL;DR on that: Hemp & Organic Cotton Fleece is soft, strong, warm, durable, and one of the most sustainable fabrics out there.
Pictured above: Purple Huron Coat, Oslo Cardigan, Hilde Skirt, Fortune Robe, Berry Warm Kids Dress, Purple Kids Coat, Blitzen Gift Set.
3_ Bamboo & Merino Fleece
86% Rayon From Bamboo, 9% Merino Wool, 5% Spandex
Not everyone likes wool, but if you like wool, you probably like Merino. It is a fine and warm wool. So here, we have, a soft, stretchy fleece with a hint of fine wool. We currently use this fabric for all types of fitted winter clothes and accessories. The full collection includes leggings, hats, and scarves for kids and adults, plus two types of tops, arm warmers, and headbands. Oh yes, and neck warmers. These items are currently available in Light Gray, Dark Gray, Navy Gray, and Black. If you love this fabric, you might want to consider stocking up soon... it won't be around forever!
Pictured above: Light Gray Sharon Leggings and Aubrey Tank, Navy Gray Donner Gift Set, Dark Gray Vixen Gift Set, Black Karen Top & Sharon Leggings
4_ Organic Cotton Fleece
100% Organic Cotton
This extra soft fleece is pure delight! Even the most discerning and sensitive clothing shoppers will love wearing this fleece. Colors and styles are currently very limited. From Light Gray and Black, we are making this into the Kangaroo Pocket Harper Tunic, (basically the best winter dress) and an ideal winter skirt: the straight cut short Brea Skirt.
Pictured above: Black Harper Tunic, Light Gray Brea Skirt
5_ Bamboo Fleece
100% Viscose from Bamboo
As I type this blog, I am wearing a Ramona Wrap, and it is glorious. It is like wearing a blanket, with sleeves. We also use this fleece to make cozy blankets, scarves, hats, and lounge pants for kids and adults. We have some deep, saturated colors to choose from. This fleece is unique in that it has an beautiful sheen to the outside surface, making it quite dressy for a fleece. If you want to stay warm in a pretty skirt or dress, this fabric is for you!
Pictured above: Blankets, Hats, Ramona Wrap, Ginger Skirt, and Nova Wrap Dress.
Why the Fiber Content of Fleece Matters
We wear clothes for many reasons. Perhaps the most essential reason us humans have for wearing clothing, is to stay warm. When it comes to wearing clothes to stay warm, no fabric gets the job done quite like fleece.
Unfortunately, a lot of fleece out there is made from polyester, which isn't great for several reasons (even if it recycled). First, tiny pieces of fleece wash out when you put it in the laundry. When the fleece is made from something natural, that isn't a big deal. When the fleece is made from polyester, this contributes to microplastics on our planet, and that is gross. Another downside of polyester is that it is not breathable, and our skin is made to breathe, especially when it gets a little too warm. All natural fleece is cozy, warm, and breathable.