Fleece Flourishes in a Comfort-Driven Market

Versatile fleecewear offers casual style throughout the four seasons.
August 01, 2007

By Susie McManus, Assistant Editor

Today's consumer is all about living a casual lifestyle. The recent surge in activewear sales combined with society's acceptance of loungewear as appropriate garb for running errands proves that comfort is top priority. It's not surprising then that fleecewear is trending up in both retail and wholesale markets.

"People are now wearing out what used to be considered [strictly] loungewear," says Christi Pack, marketing manager for Hanes Printables, Winston-Salem, N.C. "Sweatpants and yoga pants have become staples in people's wardrobes throughout the year."

While activewear may be the fastest growing sector of apparel, fleece is thriving as it transcends from a winter-only product to a year-round layering garment. In response to this trend, Charles River Apparel, Medford, Mass., has expanded its fleece offering so that it now accounts for nearly 20% of the company's collection, according to Vanessa Keefe, director of marketing. Other manufacturers are increasingly aware of the popularity of this cozy product, including Atlanta-based Jerzees. "Over the course of the past year, and really since September [2006], the fleece market has been up, and [continues] to trend up," notes Ryan Andersen, marketing manager.

Standout Styles
When it comes to popular fleece styles, hoodies take the cake. "Hoods continue to experience extremely strong growth and are popular with men, women and youth," Pack says. Byron Reed, director of marketing for MV Sport/Weatherproof Garment Co., Bay Shore, N.Y., agrees. "Hoods have outsold everything," he notes. One of the company's most popular fleece products is a women's hooded style (#185), which MV Sport plans to expand in colors as well as patterns, adds Reed.

Another standout style is full-zip fleece jackets, according to Keefe. "Our most popular style for adults in general is our [full-zip] Evolux fleece jacket (style 9931) for its soft fleece and sharp good looks," she says. The women's Voyager fleece jacket (style 5702) is another successful full-zip style. "It has been by far our most successful fleece with women — it is specifically designed and sized with a woman's body in mind."

Mike Trull, owner of Pacific Fleece & Apparel LLC, San Leandro, Calif., believes that the popularity of the full-zip style comes from a market driven by women. "The female influence is [now] greater in the marketplace," he adds. "The full-zip [fleece] lends itself more to what the female market is looking for, as opposed to a pullover."

Pack adds that women especially are receptive to new fleece pant styles. "Women have really taken to our women's fleece pant (style W550) and its matching full-zip hood (style W280)," she says. "Fleece is loose and allows for free movement for exercise and activities, not to mention [it's] durable, so it can withstand wear and tear."

However, Keefe adds that vests and pullovers also are strong in the market. "We see pullovers used more at the college, school and team levels, [while] the corporate market would prefer to have more convenient full-zip styling," she says.

Feel-Good Fabrics
While fleece garments are commonly made from equal blends of polyester and cotton, Hanes' Pack points out that fleece made with higher percentages of cotton is gaining market popularity. The company recently added several new styles that are constructed of 80% cotton/20% polyester, which is more, of course, than the 50/50 blend that has been standard in the value-priced market segment, she says. "You're seeing a trend toward higher cotton garments at retail, and we really feel that the softer hand and comfort it provides is important for [our] new products," she explains.

And as fleece discards its status as a winter product, it's not surprising that lighter fabric weights are quickly trending into this sector of decorated apparel. "Our 8- and 9-ounce [lighter-weight styles] have been the most dominant in the fleece market," says Andersen.

"We have found that fleece is no longer a winter-only fabric," explains Keefe. "Our lightweight microfleece is 8.3 ounces, which is perfect to wear on its own or as a layering piece during outdoor activities. One benefit of fleece is that it is easily dressed up or down, [making it] cutting-edge in fashion as well as a replacement for casual weekend wear."

However, though many manufacturers are offering fleece styles in weights as light as 8 ounces, this doesn't mean heavier weights are losing popularity. Reed says that MV Sport's 9- and 11-ounce fleece styles are selling equally. "Heavyweight fleeces do really well, even though [the lighter 9-ounce style] sells year-round," he adds.

Core Colors
While apparel categories such as women's wear and performancewear are experiencing strong consumer demand for bright fashion colors, the fleece sector isn't experiencing the same movement. "We offer a wide variety of colors, but the traditional black and navy still reign supreme with colors such as red and royal making a good showing as well," notes Charles River's Keefe. Jerzees' Andersen agrees, saying that true navy, birch, black and oxford are core top sellers.

Many manufacturers agree that basic colors tend to work best since fleece items are intended for long-term use as jackets or blankets. "Not only do school/team and college colors influence our color pallets, but we also keep a very close eye on trends at the retail levels," explains Keefe. "We tend to choose colors from retail that have some longevity and won't be in one minute and out the next. The last thing a buyer at a corporation wants to see is a jacket that, due to the outrageous color of the moment, never gets worn."

To comment on this article, you can contact Susie McManus at smcmanus@impressionsmag.com or visit impressionsmag.com.