Felt vs. Fleece — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 6, 2023
Felt is a non-woven fabric made by compressing fibers, while fleece is a soft fabric, often synthetic, or the woolly coat of a sheep or similar animal.
Difference Between Felt and Fleece
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Key Differences
Felt, known for its age-old origins, is created by matting, condensing, and pressing fibers together. Fleece, on the other hand, refers to either the natural woolly covering of a sheep or a man-made fabric mimicking this texture.
While Felt can be derived from various natural and synthetic fibers, Fleece in its original form is the soft, woolly covering of animals like sheep, but the term also describes a synthetic, fluffy material used in clothing.
Felt has a flat, dense nature making it ideal for various applications from crafts to industrial uses. Fleece, particularly when referring to the synthetic material, is prized for its warmth and softness, making it popular for clothing.
Both Felt and Fleece have played integral roles throughout history. While Felt has been used for shelter, clothing, and art for thousands of years, Fleece, in its natural form, has been a vital resource for textiles.
While they serve different primary functions, both Felt and Fleece are testament to humanity's innovation in utilizing materials for comfort, protection, and utility.
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Comparison Chart
Material Origin
Compressed fibers (natural or synthetic).
Wool of sheep or synthetic soft fabric.
Texture
Flat, dense.
Fluffy, soft, warm.
Common Uses
Crafts, industrial, hats.
Clothing, blankets, natural wool textiles.
Historical Significance
Ancient fabric used for various purposes.
Vital for textile industry; modern synthetic variants popular.
Process of Creation
Matting, condensing, and pressing fibers.
Shearing from animals or synthetically produced.
Compare with Definitions
Felt
A non-woven fabric made by compressing fibers.
She used Felt to create a colorful coaster.
Fleece
Has moisture-wicking properties.
Her Fleece leggings were perfect for the workout as they kept her dry.
Felt
Durable material often used for crafts.
He chose a piece of Felt for the base of his model.
Fleece
The woolly covering of a sheep or goat
He clutched the ram by two handfuls of thick fleece
As the sheep came on board, we grabbed their long shaggy fleeces
Felt
Can be derived from wool, fur, or synthetic fibers.
The Felt hat she wore was made of pure wool.
Fleece
A soft warm fabric with a texture similar to sheep's wool, used as a lining material
A reversible fleece jacket
Felt
Historically significant in various cultures.
Nomadic tribes often used Felt for their tents.
Fleece
Obtain a great deal of money from (someone), typically by overcharging or swindling them
The city's cab drivers are notorious for fixing fares and fleecing tourists
Felt
Known for its sound-absorbing qualities.
The studio was lined with Felt to reduce echo.
Fleece
Cover as if with a fleece
The sky was half blue, half fleeced with white clouds
Felt
Felt is a textile material that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur, or from synthetic fibers such as petroleum-based acrylic or acrylonitrile or wood pulp-based rayon.
Fleece
The coat of wool of a sheep or similar animal.
Felt
A fabric of matted, compressed animal fibers, such as wool or fur, sometimes mixed with vegetable or synthetic fibers.
Fleece
The yield of wool shorn from a sheep at one time.
Felt
A material resembling this fabric.
Fleece
A soft woolly covering or mass.
Felt
Something made of this fabric.
Fleece
A soft, warm, lightweight, usually synthetic fabric with a deep pile, used primarily for clothing and blankets.
Felt
Made of, relating to, or resembling felt.
Fleece
A garment, especially a shirt or jacket, made of such fabric.
Felt
To make into felt.
Fleece
To defraud of money or property; swindle.
Felt
To cover with felt.
Fleece
To shear the fleece from.
Felt
To press or mat (something) together.
Fleece
To cover with a fleece or similar covering.
Felt
To become like felt; mat together.
Fleece
(uncountable) Hair or wool of a sheep or similar animal
Felt
Past tense and past participle of feel.
Fleece
(uncountable) Insulating skin with the wool attached
Felt
A cloth or stuff made of matted fibres of wool, or wool and fur, fulled or wrought into a compact substance by rolling and pressure, with lees or size, without spinning or weaving.
Fleece
(countable) A textile similar to velvet, but with a longer pile that gives it a softness and a higher sheen.
Felt
A hat made of felt.
Fleece
(countable) An insulating wooly jacket
Felt
A felt-tip pen.
Fleece
(roofing) Mat or felts composed of fibers, sometimes used as a membrane backer.
Felt
(obsolete) A skin or hide; a fell; a pelt.
Fleece
Any soft woolly covering resembling a fleece.
Felt
(transitive) To make into felt, or a feltlike substance; to cause to adhere and mat together.
Fleece
The fine web of cotton or wool removed by the doffing knife from the cylinder of a carding machine.
Felt
(transitive) To cover with, or as if with, felt.
To felt the cylinder of a steam engine
Fleece
(transitive) To con or trick (someone) out of money.
Felt
To cause a player to lose all their chips.
Fleece
(transitive) To shear the fleece from (a sheep or other animal).
During spring shearing we have to fleece all the sheep in just a few days.
Felt
Simple past tense and past participle of feel
Fleece
(transitive) To cover with, or as if with, wool.
Felt
That has been experienced or perceived.
Fleece
The entire coat of wool that covers a sheep or other similar animal; also, the quantity shorn from a sheep, or animal, at one time.
Who shore meLike a tame wether, all my precious fleece.
Felt
A cloth or stuff made of matted fibers of wool, or wool and fur, fulled or wrought into a compact substance by rolling and pressure, with lees or size, without spinning or weaving.
It were a delicate stratagem to shoeA troop of horse with felt.
Fleece
Any soft woolly covering resembling a fleece.
Felt
A hat made of felt.
Fleece
The fine web of cotton or wool removed by the doffing knife from the cylinder of a carding machine.
Felt
A skin or hide; a fell; a pelt.the grain of timber which is transverse to the annular rings or plates; the direction of the medullary rays in oak and some other timber.
To know whether sheep are sound or not, see that the felt be loose.
Fleece
To deprive of a fleece, or natural covering of wool.
Felt
A fabric made of compressed matted animal fibers
Fleece
To strip of money or other property unjustly, especially by trickery or fraud; to bring to straits by oppressions and exactions.
Whilst pope and prince shared the wool betwixt them, the people were finely fleeced.
Felt
Mat together and make felt-like;
Felt the wool
Fleece
To spread over as with wool.
Felt
Cover with felt;
Felt a cap
Fleece
The wool of a sheep or similar animal
Felt
Change texture so as to become matted and felt-like;
The fabric felted up after several washes
Fleece
Tanned skin of a sheep with the fleece left on; used for clothing
Fleece
A soft bulky fabric with deep pile; used chiefly for clothing
Fleece
Outer coat of especially sheep and yaks
Fleece
Rip off; ask an unreasonable price
Fleece
Shear the wool from;
Shear sheep
Fleece
The woolly covering of animals like sheep.
The farmer sheared the Fleece from his sheep.
Fleece
A synthetic material known for its softness and warmth.
She wore a Fleece jacket on her mountain hike.
Fleece
Often used to create lightweight, warm clothing.
His Fleece pullover kept him cozy during the chilly evening.
Fleece
Refers to deceiving someone for monetary gain.
The con artist tried to Fleece the unsuspecting tourists.
Common Curiosities
Why is Fleece popular in clothing?
Fleece is lightweight, warm, and has moisture-wicking properties.
Is Fleece always derived from sheep?
No, while Fleece can refer to a sheep's woolly coat, it also denotes a synthetic fabric.
Is synthetic Fleece environmentally friendly?
Some synthetic Fleeces can shed microplastics, so eco-friendly variants are being developed.
What is Felt typically used for?
Felt is often used for crafts, hats, and industrial applications.
Can Felt be made from synthetic materials?
Yes, Felt can be produced using both natural and synthetic fibers.
Is Felt woven?
No, Felt is a non-woven fabric made by compressing fibers.
Can you get Fleece from animals other than sheep?
Yes, other animals like alpacas or goats can also have fleece-like coats.
How is Felt created?
Felt is made by matting, condensing, and pressing fibers together.
Why might someone choose Felt for crafting?
Felt is versatile, durable, and doesn't fray, making it ideal for crafts.
Can Felt be used for insulation?
Yes, due to its dense nature, Felt can act as an insulator.
How do you care for Fleece clothing?
Fleece should be washed in cool water and air-dried to maintain its softness.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
