What is Three-Thread Fleece?

Three-thread fleece is a fleece fabric knitted by adding a filler (pile) yarn, held in place by a tie-in yarn, to the ground yarn that forms the face. CottonWorks says three-end fleece makes “the most stable and fullest fleece” because it uses three yarns instead of two. The reverse can be left unbrushed or brushed, and the fabric is used for sweatshirts, hoodies and joggers. Turkish suppliers call it üç iplik (“three thread”).

Three-thread fleece structure

CottonWorks counts three yarns: the face (ground) yarn, the tie-in yarn and the pile yarn. Sources name the yarn roles differently: Fersan speaks of base, filler and tie-in yarns, and Hossain et al. (2021) of top, middle and bottom layers. In the fabric studied by Hossain et al., the face yarn was a Ne 30 cotton-polyester blend, the tie-in yarn was a 100-denier polyester filament and the filler (fleecy) yarn was Ne 10 cotton; the fabric was knitted on a 34-inch, 20-gauge machine. Uyanık (2023) treats two- and three-thread fabrics together under the name backed knit (Turkish: astarlı örgü, fleece).

Brushed and unbrushed three-thread fleece

According to one manufacturer, the reverse can be left unbrushed or brushed to give a soft, fluffy inner face (Fersan). For fleece, CottonWorks states that the loops on the technical back are brushed, and that the structure is used in cold-weather garments that need extra warmth protection. One producer recommends brushed three-thread for autumn and winter and the unbrushed “diagonal” type for the in-between seasons (Altunkaya, 2024).

Three-thread fleece weight (GSM)

There is no standard weight range for three-thread fleece; weight varies with yarn counts, fiber composition, brushing and finishing. Supplier claims and one measurement:

Hossain et al. report that the weight of the same fabric rose through the finishing steps and that the target was 300 g/m². Have the stage of measurement (greige or finished) written into the order. An ounce-per-square-yard figure becomes g/m² when multiplied by roughly 33.9.

Uses

Karcem and Fersan present three-thread as a sweatshirt, hoodie and jogger fabric; Fersan calls it the basic fabric of heavy sweatshirts, winter hoodies and joggers (our translation from the Turkish). Hossain et al. (2021) list sweaters and jackets among garments worn in outdoor activities, especially in winter. For a comparison of fabric groups see the fabric types guide, and for weight by product see fabric weight for T-shirts, hoodies and joggers.

Pilling

Pilling (balls of fiber forming on the surface) is a common surface defect in cotton-polyester blend fleece fabrics (Hossain et al., 2021). Drawing on earlier studies, the same paper notes that adding polyester fiber to a fabric increases pilling; in its own experiment it measured pilling by the ISO 12945-1 (pilling box) method. ISO 12945-1 (pilling box) and ISO 12945-2 (modified Martindale) are the test methods in use; write the acceptance limit into the contract.

How it differs from two-thread fleece

Two-thread fleece is knitted with a ground and a backing yarn; three-thread with a ground, a tie-in and a filler yarn. Fersan says the filler yarn adds body and warmth that two-thread does not have. Supplier weight claims are also generally higher for three-thread (Karcem: two-thread 220–320 g/m², brushed three-thread 280–420 g/m²). See the two-thread fleece entry for details.

What to specify when sourcing three-thread fleece

1. Write the composition as a percentage (for example the cotton-polyester ratio) and state whether the reverse is brushed or unbrushed.
2. Ask for the weight with its state of measurement: greige and finished values differ.
3. Ask for the pilling result: by ISO 12945-1 or -2, together with the acceptance grade.
4. Request shrinkage results for three-thread fleece: for the ISO 5077 change in width and length, the sample goes through ISO 6330 washing and drying procedures.

Frequently asked questions

Is three-thread fleece a winter fabric? Brushed three-thread is recommended for autumn and winter (Altunkaya, 2024; Fersan). Unbrushed and lighter types can also be used in the in-between seasons; look at the weight and the reverse.

What is the difference between two-thread and three-thread fleece? Three-thread has an extra filler yarn and a tie-in yarn, and the fabric is fuller and more stable (CottonWorks). Weight claims are generally higher.