What is a footer?
Footer — is a dense knitted fabric, the front side of which has a smooth texture, and the back side has a soft looped or pile surface.
When answering the question of what fleece fabric is, it's important to note the production technology: the material is not woven, but knitted on special machines. An additional fleece thread is knitted into the warp on the reverse side, creating a characteristic pile or loops.
The material is based on cotton. To increase elasticity, strength, and wear resistance, synthetic fibers—polyester, lycra, or elastane—are often added, typically making up between 5 and 20%.
The material is highly breathable and hygroscopic. Thanks to the air layer formed in the looped or pile structure of the backing, the fabric effectively retains body heat.
Main types
Single-thread footer is the thinnest type of material. It is made entirely from natural cotton and is used primarily for children's clothing, pajamas, and lightweight home textiles.
Double-thread fleece (two-thread fleece) is a medium-weight material with pronounced loops on the back. It is used to make classic sweatshirts, lightweight sweatpants, casual dresses, and cardigans.
Three-thread fleece (three-thread fleece) is the densest and warmest type of this knitwear. It comes in two formats: "loopback," with dense purl loops, and "brushed," where the back is covered with a thick, soft pile.
Three-thread brushed yarn is the main material for creating winter tracksuits, voluminous hoodies and warm joggers.
How to care
Washing fleece items is recommended at 30-40°C on a delicate cycle. The cotton base of the material is prone to shrinkage when exposed to hot water, so it's important to strictly adhere to the washing temperature.
Items should be washed inside out. This helps preserve the original softness of the brushed or looped surface and prevents pilling on the smooth surface.
To preserve the richness of the color and the structure of the fibers, it is better to use liquid detergents, avoiding aggressive bleaches or chlorine-containing stain removers.
Iron the fleece on the smooth side at a medium temperature using the "cotton" setting. Ironing the brushed back is not recommended, as this can flatten the pile and degrade the insulating properties of the garment.
