“Fleece is the go-to wardrobe staple of now, with multiple silhouettes that can be dressed up or down, making them perfect for any corporate customer or team,” says Kristiana Davis, product line manager at Momentec Brands and Augusta Sportswear.
This season, fleece isn’t just about staying warm—it’s about making a statement. From elevated everyday wear to innovative fabric blends and sustainable manufacturing, fleece has become a canvas for creativity and functionality. Check out the latest trends and innovations in fleecewear, highlighting how this fabric has transitioned from basic to indispensable in today’s wardrobes.
Elevated, Everyday Comfort
The Future Fleece line is made of 100-percent regenerated yarn. Photo courtesy of Lane Seven Apparel
Consumers this season are embracing classic items that offer both comfort and versatility, without compromising on value. “We’re wearing fleece with everything and anything—it’s a wardrobe essential that feels just as right with a cozy pair of sweats as it does dressed up with a woven shirt underneath for the office,” says Taryn Mejia, senior designer, Russell Athletic, JERZEES and Fruit of the Loom.
“Current office culture and work-from-home lifestyles encourage mixing and matching comfy items like fleece with dressier work staples.”
Indeed, fleece pieces have become staples in our wardrobes, offering wearers the flexibility to dress them up or down. “We’re still seeing a strong demand for sets,” says Milissa Gibson, director of sales, Lane Seven Apparel. “The elevated fleece look is versatile and can be worn under suit jackets, paired with slacks or combined with other athleisure wear for a stylish ensemble.”
Fashion details continue to be strong in the fleecewear category as well. “Heavyweight fleece fabrics are trending, reminiscent of ’90s old school favorites, complete with classic rib-knit panels, solid colors and elevated trim details,” Davis says.
New washes and dye production also continue to enter the space as sustainable manufacturing processes drive market opportunity. “The vintage, worn-in look leads the demand for these specialty washes,” says Christina Marcantelli, business development specialist, S&S Activewear.
Fabric Innovation
In terms of fleece production, manufacturers are focused on creating new fabric blends or performance technologies to enhance the comfort and sustainability of fleecewear for buyers. “We’re seeing an increased demand for more recycled and sustainable manufacturing processes,” says Gibson, who notes that Lane Seven is adding more recycled polyester content to its fleece and expanding its usage of 100-percent sustainable options with regenerated yarn.
The JERZEES ECO Premium Blend Fleece provides more loft for added comfort. Photos courtesy of Jerzees
To enhance the comfort and sustainability of fleecewear, Russell Athletic, JERZEES and Fruit of the Loom are similarly focused on eco-friendly, supersoft blends. The company’s JERZEES ECO Premium Blend Fleece is an excellent example of this—it’s made from a mix of 100-percent recycled polyester and sustainably sourced, USA-grown cotton. “It’s a three-end fleece, which adds durability, loftiness and cozy softness,” Mejia says. “This collection launched last year and features a hood and crew designed for everyday layering.”
As in years past, brands are constantly developing new blended fabrics to improve performance, durability, functionality and sustainability, all while prioritizing comfort. “Softer-hand fabrications are increasingly popular among activewear hoodie and jogger categories,” Marcantelli says. “A person’s activity level can impact the fit preference as well, so we’re seeing a wide range of options from fitted moisture-wicking fabrics to looser, oversized fits in this space trending simultaneously.”
By way of another example, Recover is an eco-friendly brand that produces fully recyclable apparel, including a fleece line, using 100-percent upcycled cotton and recycled PET. Recover’s HyperLocal 360-degree closed-loop production minimizes waste and emissions by keeping all manufacturing within a few miles of local communities in the southeastern United States and Central America. The styles’ unique colors come from upcycled cotton scraps, requiring 99-percent less water than conventional dyed shirts.
American Apparel’s ReFlex fleece launch also joins the sustainability effort trend. This collection of reimagined lightweight, ultra-soft combed ring-spun cotton-recycled poly blends is here to stay with comparable quality at value prices. “These styles have an urban streetwear yet collegiate vibe, hoping to tap into these emerging market trends,” Marcantelli says. The crew neck features a customizable back neck patch, while the hoodie offers a drawcord-free design with a rolled-back dropped shoulder seam, adding a unique twist to these practical staple pieces.
Sustainable Styles
When it comes to trends, paying attention to younger buyers’ eco-friendly concerns is an excellent way of guiding your pitch choices. “Gen Z has demanded the shift into making sustainability and ethical manufacturing the standard rather than the exception,” Gibson says. “Finding ways to improve and reduce the environmental impact is at the top of every manufacturer’s mind.”
Along these same lines, Russell Athletic, JERZEES, and Fruit of the Loom are incorporating sustainability into fleecewear production using recycled materials, eco-friendly processes, and supply-chain transparency. JERZEES ECO Premium Blend Fleece, for example, is a sustainable blend of 100 percent recycled polyester and USA-grown cotton. Each garment saves at least six plastic water bottles.
“Our company is committed to having WRAP-certified facilities and is a member of both the Better Cotton Initiative and the U.S. Cotton Protocol,” Mejia says. Sustainability is integral to our styles, practices, and brands.”
Augusta Sportswear also strongly focuses on using sustainable materials in its products. “Our Eco Revive collection uses recycled materials at a minimum level of 50 percent of the garment,” Davis says.
Color Me Neutral
Switching gears to the color palette side of the equation, wear-with-everything neutrals continue to trend in fleece this upcoming season, giving consumers optimal versatility. “Heather grays in light and dark and white, off-white, and natural bone shades are key, along with outdoor-inspired shades,” Davis says.
The DRI-POWER Fleece is all about performance and durability. Photo courtesy of Russell Athletic
Nature lovers, in particular, will vibe with trending greens and blues. You’ll also see micro trends of sage and olive, which bring a calming feel to the neutral palette, Gibson notes. “Blue is always a must-have color, and in the Russell Athletic DRI-POWER Unisex Hoodie, our new Vintage Blue provides a lifestyle alternative to team-forward royal,” Davis says. “It’s the perfect dusty blue to wear year-round!”
Customers are also looking for classic colors with a twist, so expect sophisticated color updates to popular existing hues. “In the JERZEES ECO Premium Blend Fleece, vintage-inspired Sweet Cream Heather provides a neutral alternative to white, and earthy Putty is a great update to heather gray,” Mejia says.
Similarly, bold color blocking is also on trend, bringing retro vibes. Davis points to Holloway’s All-American pullover as a great example, with bold blocking in key neutral colors.
“Brands continue to follow retail trends,” Marcantelli says, “and seasonal color collections will always create a refreshing look to a popular style and category offering. These classic core, soft utilitarian, neutral tones, like gray and slate blues, earthy tans and browns, soft olives and sages and ivory, pair well with pops of colors in accessories or layering pieces. They also work well in creating monochromatic and contemporary looks.”
Trends in Fit and Styling
“For fleecewear, style and fit preferences have evolved toward unisex and genderless sizing,” Mejia says. “Fleeces that can be sized up or down and feel comfortable for customers are taking center stage.” Davis notes that sustainability factors also support the unisex trend, with suppliers looking to carry fewer SKUs, leading to less dead stock and waste.
The Boxercraft Women’s Cuddle Puff Sleeve is fun and cozy. Photo courtesy of S&S Activewear
The wholesale market is also seeing a higher demand for women’s options and companions. “Buyers want these styles more than ever in the last decade,” Gibson says, “with boxy and relaxed fits leading the way.”
For women’s styles, Marcantelli sees a shift toward more relaxed and modest styles that cater to a wide range of sizes and ages. One evolution is in crop fleeces, which have transitioned to more modest lengths in retro jersey styles and raw-edging details. Boxercraft’s Women’s Angel Fleece Crop Hooded Sweatshirt is an excellent example of this trend.
“Fit extension and expansion are also important for varying body types, and inclusivity is key to the growing fleecewear market,” says Mejia, who notes that recent additions include an XS in the JERZEES ECO Premium Blend Fleece styles.
“Another trend to watch for is the retail-inspired look of tops with balloon sleeves and dropped shoulders,” says Marcantelli, who points to Boxercraft’s popular cuddle fleece collection for the looks. Additionally, unique detailing like more oversized ribbed knit cuffs, waistbands and collars, including drawcord waists, is becoming increasingly popular. “Even unisex styles like the new are embracing this trend with larger ribbed cuffs,” she says.
Fleece styles without drawcords have quickly become a fan favorite this season as well. “The lack of drawcords gives these hoodies a cleaner look and allows the front chest decoration to shine now more than ever,” Marcantelli says. As an example, Independent Trading Co. added a drawcord-free fleece hoodie, the 12.5-ounce Main Street style. “Talk about a head turner — this has all the bells and whistles with its durable dry-hand feel, oversized fit, drop shoulders and relaxed modern appearance without the drawcord,” she says.
Buyers also request classic items that stand the test of time and focus on trans-seasonal lifestyles.
“Zip pullovers are increasingly important, blending the functionality of the athletic zip neck with the easygoing comfort of a sweatshirt,” Davis says. Augusta’s 60/40 Pullover, for example, checks all the comfort boxes at a competitive price point.
At the same time, Holloway’s All-American Pullover offers a triblend fabric with elevated details and a retro-inspired color-blocking style. Russell Athletic’s “workhorse” DRI-POWER fleece top styles in crews, hoodies, full-zip hoodies and quarter-zips are all unisex, come in various colors, and can be worn for multiple occasions.
There are many fashion-forward quarter- and half-zip options to choose from. “Wearers will also appreciate the unique styling of lace-up and corduroy circle zip pullovers from fashion-forward brands like MV Sport and Boxercraft,” Marcantelli says.
Worth the Weight
With the approach of fall, fleece is trending in a range of weights, with heavier fleeces most in demand. “We’re seeing a mix of lightweight, midweight and heavyweight fleece styles,” Mejia says. “All three weights remain popular as consumers look for various styles in their closets.”
The Ladies Three-Season Fleece is crafted from Eco-Revive material. Photo courtesy of Augusta Sportswear
The heavyweight streetwear trend, in particular, is driving the demand for tees and fleece. “The loose-fit, oversized, urban heavyweight vibe is especially trending within the music merch category but also in retail across many categories and genres,” Marcantelli says. Many brands are fulfilling this need with 2024-2025 style offerings.
“Heavyweight fabric has been rising recently, especially with the workwear trend driving that influence and already heavily used by musicians and influencers,” Marcantelli says. This lift in the trend allows these brands to expand their heavyweight lines and add fashion-forward features like thicker ribbed collars and garment or pigment washes to give off that worn-in “favorite” hoodie vibe, Marcantelli says.
From durable, hardworking options like JERZEES Super Sweats NuBlend 9.5-ounce fleece (ideal for warmth in colder months,)to heavyweight streetwear-inspired ’90s looks like the Holloway Classic Heavyweight Fleece, these styles offer a variety of options to suit every need.
That said, lighter and midweight fleeces remain laid-back lifestyle pieces that are perfect transitional options all year round. These options provide transitional comfort year-round from soft and versatile midweights like Augusta’s 60/40 fleece to lightweight value styles like the JERZEES Snow Heather 7.2-ounce French Terry.
Overall, it’ll be essential to offer clients a variety of options. “Everything we’re seeing and hearing from clients is ‘how heavy can you go,’ with 10-ounce and above is the new standard for fleece,” Gibson says. “There’s still that strong demand for mid and light weights for more traditional brands and opportunities.”
DTF, DTG and More on Fleece
Direct-to-film (DTF) transfers and direct-to-garment (DTG) printing are hot decoration choices for fleece this season. “Unlike traditional screen printing, such digital methods don’t require stencil setups,” Mejia says. While DTG is best for natural fabrics such as 100-percent cotton, DTF is strong in all fabrics, including synthetics. Both are affordable and sustainable-leaning as they use water-based inks, especially DTG, which doesn’t require transfer paper.”
“Overall, DTF currently leads the way in decoration methods–giving the flexibility of colors, locations, and ease of application,” Gibson says. Marcantelli points out that DTF, which produces a soft hand design in unlimited colors on the fleece, lets decorators take on low-quantity orders.
In addition, embroidery, chenille, patches and puff prints are trending this season.
“Textured prints and icon patches add value and give fleece items a fun elevated look,” says Marcantelli, who’s seeing designs with varying degrees of minimalism, using small, embroidered decorations on the center chest and the left hip of joggers, all the way to bold repetitive prints on the entire back of a fleece crew or hoodie. “Sometimes these bold prints are coordinated with designs printed down a jogger’s front leg.”
Retro Reimagined
Fleecewear graphics have toned down from previous seasons. “Brands are focused on more simplistic art and type vs. giant graphics of the past,” Mejia says.
Lane Seven’s Urban Collection has a retro throwback. Photo courtesy of Lane Seven Apparel
Logo visibility is still key, just in more understated ways. “Taking inspiration from the ‘low-key luxury’ trend, brands are opting for minimalism over loudness,” Mejia says.
However, the ’90s throwback influence remains in force. “Big, bold graphic all-over prints are back,” Gibson says, as the ’90s print trends roll on, mixed with retro fonts and bold colors on neutral-colored blanks.
Cursive fonts, particularly in embroidery, are still a big trend on the wearer’s left chest. “In tonal and monochromatic colors, this look is stylish and timeless,” Mejia says.
Marcantelli sees delicate and straightforward lines on front chests and large back prints, using the entire space with playful, bold typography and graphics. “Quotes and short messages along the collar, forearm and seams on a raglan shoulder are also in demand,” she says.
The huge comeback last season of vintage sports athletic designs that give off a collegiate feel continues to work for just about any club, school, community, or business with a level of retro sophistication. “Authenticity, inspiration, and expression seem to be leading the design elements for fleece in 2024,” Marcantelli says.
Functional Fashion for Every Wardrobe
Versatile yet essential, fleecewear remains a key component of the modern wardrobe capsule. Fleece’s layering versatility makes it a standout choice for consumers seeking functional yet stylish pieces.
“Continuing the trend of elevated leisure, bold color choices and textures are making statements across various markets,” Marcantelli says. “Decorators are exploring new design possibilities, tailoring their choices to the specific statements clients want to make.”
Nicole Rollender is an award-winning writer and heads up copywriting and content-creation firm STRANDWritingServices.com. For more information or to comment on this article, email Nicole at [email protected].
