Microfleece is an absolutely amazing fabric that has been around for just over 30 years now. It is a fantastic alternative to wool as it is much more lightweight than the popular wool used in many garments. It has fabulous insulation qualities, is ‘hydrophobic’ – nothing to do with rabies but the fact that it doesn’t like water. Microfleece, Polar fleece or just fleece (the fabric is the same whatever you name call it) will only hold 1% of its weight in water so although it is not absorbent, unless specially treated, it is a fabric that will dry very quickly. An advantage of the hydrophobic quality is that any sweat which can make it to its surface can soon be evaporated. Some full zip fleeces have had special treatments – look for names like Polartec, Teflon or water proofing or wind proofing in the fleece description – which will make it more suitable for outdoor activities than others. The same lightweight quality and soft nap comfort will be present but you will have and added property to your garment. Make sure you take care of your fleece according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Fleeces can be prone to static so might get a shock when you take it out of a tumble drier but if you have dried it at the correct temperature this should be avoided.