Performance Polyester Fleece for Training Wear
- Est. 2005 · Sialkot, Pakistan
- MOQ 20–25 pcs per design · no limit for brands
- Free 24h digital mockup
- Sample 5–7 days, credited on bulk
- Bulk 15–25 business days · express 7–12
- DHL/FedEx/UPS 5–10 days
- 🛡️ Free remake within 3 days
What performance polyester fleece is
Performance polyester fleece is a 100% polyester knitted fleece, brushed on the back for warmth, that ZipaSports runs at 240–300 GSM for training wear. It weighs less than cotton-polyester fleece, dries faster, and because every fibre is polyester it takes full-garment dye sublimation.
The construction is the same three-thread fleece knit used for cotton hoodies, but with polyester in every position: a fine filament face yarn that gives a smooth, slightly lustrous surface, and a textured loop yarn on the back that is brushed into a pile. Polyester absorbs under 1% of its own weight in water, against roughly 7–8% for cotton, so sweat stays on the fibre surface and evaporates instead of soaking in. That is what makes the fabric suitable for garments worn during a warm-up, not only before and after it.
On supplier quotes it appears as poly fleece, tech fleece, sublimation fleece or micro fleece. Micro fleece usually means a finer, lower-pile cloth toward 240 GSM; the 280–300 GSM cloths have a fuller pile and are the ones used for bench jackets and winter tracksuits. Whatever the name, compare quotes on composition and GSM together.
GSM options from 240 to 300
Performance fleece is specified between 240 and 300 GSM, a lighter band than the 280–350 GSM used for cotton-polyester fleece, and each step in weight changes what the garment is for.
| Weight | Character | Suited to | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 240 GSM | Light, fine pile, close to a heavy training top | Training hoodies for warm climates, dance and cheer warm-ups, layering pieces under a shell | Quickest drying; sublimated colours read brightest on the flatter face |
| 260–280 GSM | Mid-weight, full pile | Presentation tracksuits, quarter-zip midlayers, academy travel kit | The standard tracksuit weight |
| 300 GSM | Heaviest in the range, dense pile | Bench jackets, winter training hoodies, touchline wear for coaching staff | Warmest of the three; still dries faster than cotton fleece at the same weight |
Weight is chosen per garment, not per order: a club kit often pairs a 280 GSM tracksuit with a 240 GSM training hoodie so the hoodie can be worn on the pitch. The fabric GSM chart lists the weight band for every garment group, and the fabric reference sets performance fleece alongside the other knit families.
Performance fleece vs cotton-polyester fleece
Performance polyester fleece and cotton-polyester fleece are both brushed-back knits, but they behave differently in wear, in the wash and under the printing press. The table below is the comparison buyers ask for most often.
| Property | Performance polyester fleece | Cotton-polyester fleece |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | 100% polyester | Cotton-polyester blends, typically 50/50 to 80/20 |
| Weight range | 240–300 GSM | 280–350 GSM |
| Drying | Fast; polyester absorbs under 1% water | Slow; cotton absorbs around 7–8% |
| Dye sublimation | Yes, full-garment all-over print | No; cotton fibre rejects the dye |
| Embroidery, screen print, DTF, puff | Yes | Yes |
| Shrinkage | Minimal; polyester is dimensionally stable | Needs compacted fabric and a pattern allowance |
| Hand feel | Smooth, slightly lustrous face | Soft, matte cotton face |
| Warmth when damp | Pile keeps its loft | Cotton loses insulation once wet |
| Pilling | Low with filament yarns | Possible where short cotton fibres work loose |
| Colour options | Any colour, gradient or pattern by sublimation; solid-dyed also available | Solid-dyed colours matched to a Pantone reference |
| Typical use | Tracksuits, training hoodies, quarter-zips, bench jackets | Retail hoodies, club leisurewear, work sweats |
Choose performance fleece when the garment is worn during activity, carries an all-over design or sponsor panels, or travels in a kit bag. Choose cotton-polyester fleece when the buyer wants a retail cotton hand feel and the decoration is a crest or a single print.
Sublimating performance fleece
Performance polyester fleece can be fully sublimated because every fibre in it is polyester, unlike cotton-rich fleece. The panels are printed before sewing: artwork is printed onto transfer paper, pressed onto the cut fabric on a calender or flatbed heat press, and the dye turns to gas at around 200 °C and bonds inside the fibre. The print has no surface layer, so it cannot crack, peel or fade, and there is no limit on the number of colours.
Three production points matter on fleece in particular. The print goes on the smooth face, not the brushed back, and the face yarn must be white or light polyester for colours to read true. Heavier fleece needs a longer dwell under the press than a 160 GSM jersey, so press settings are set per GSM. And side panels, sleeves and hoods are printed as separate pieces and matched at sewing, so any stripe or gradient that crosses a seam is aligned on the pattern before printing.
Sublimation is often combined with embroidery on the same garment, for example an all-over sublimated body with an embroidered club crest on the chest; ZipaSports runs both in-house and carries out colour-fastness and wash-fastness checks on sublimated fabric. See dye sublimation and embroidery.
Garments: tracksuits, training hoodies, quarter-zips and bench jackets
Performance fleece at 240–300 GSM is the fabric ZipaSports uses for four training-wear garments, most often ordered as part of a matching club or academy kit.
| Garment | Typical build | Ordered by | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation tracksuit | Full-zip top with stand collar, contrast shoulder or side panels, zip pockets; tapered joggers with ankle zips; 260–280 GSM | Clubs, academies, tournament squads, universities | Football, Rugby, Cricket, Basketball |
| Training hoodie | Pullover or full-zip, lined hood, kangaroo or zip pockets, optional thumb loops; 240–280 GSM | Gyms, football academies, dance and cheer teams | Hoodies & jackets, Dance warm-ups |
| Quarter-zip midlayer | Slim fit, half-length zip, stand collar, sponsor print on chest and back; 240–260 GSM | Coaching staff, golf and cricket clubs, corporate sports days | Golf, Netball |
| Bench jacket / touchline top | Longer body, full zip, 300 GSM fleece as the body or as the lining inside a woven shell; sublimated or embroidered crest | Football and rugby clubs, ice hockey and field hockey teams | Ice hockey, Field hockey |
All four are cut with computer-controlled fabric cutting so panel-printed pieces match across sizes, sewn on overlock, coverstitch and lockstitch lines, and finished with your own woven neck labels and printed size tags. Adult XS–5XL, women's XS–4XL and youth sizes are standard, with fully custom size charts on request.
Recycled and solid-dyed options
Performance fleece is available in GRS-certified recycled polyester on request, at the same 240–300 GSM range and with the same sublimation capability as standard polyester; certificate copies are available on request. Recycled fleece suits startup brands and university clubs that want a sustainability line on their product pages, and the fabric behaves the same in wear and under the press.
Not every fleece garment needs an all-over print. Solid-dyed performance fleece in navy, black, grey or a club colour is used for the body, with sublimated contrast panels or an embroidered crest carrying the design. This keeps the printed area small and simplifies production. The factory matches the body colour and the panel print to the same Pantone reference, so a sublimated sleeve and a solid-dyed body read as one colour on the finished tracksuit.
See recycled polyester for the GRS option in full, and moisture-wicking fabric for how polyester moves sweat in the jerseys worn under a fleece layer.
Ordering performance fleece training wear from ZipaSports
Performance fleece garments are made to order in Sialkot, Pakistan, from 20–25 pieces per design; lower quantities are possible on request, and there is no MOQ limit for sportswear brands and companies. Send the size breakdown across adult, women's and youth ranges with your enquiry and the quantity per design is confirmed with the quotation.
The process starts with a free digital mockup within 24 hours from your logo, colours or reference photo, with unlimited free revisions before approval. A physical sample follows in 5–7 days, charged at sample cost and credited against the bulk order. Bulk production takes 15–25 business days after design approval, or 7–12 days on express at additional cost. Air freight by DHL, FedEx or UPS delivers in 5–10 days worldwide; sea freight takes 3–6 weeks. Export documentation, including the commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin, is prepared in-house.
Quality Guarantee: if any garment arrives with a manufacturing defect, we remake it free of charge — the remake goes into production within 3 days of your report. Print faults, stitching faults and wrong sizes against the approved specification all qualify; report with photos and your order reference within 7 days of delivery and the replacement pieces ship at no charge. Pricing depends on GSM, quantity and decoration, so send your garment list for a quotation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is polyester fleece good for tracksuits?
Yes. Performance polyester fleece at 260–280 GSM is the standard presentation tracksuit fabric because it is warm, light, dries quickly and can be sublimated in club colours with sponsor panels. It also resists shrinkage, so a tracksuit stays true to the size chart through a season of washing.
Can polyester fleece be sublimated?
Yes. Performance fleece is 100% polyester, so sublimation dye bonds inside every fibre and the print cannot crack, peel or fade. Panels are printed on the smooth face before sewing, on a white or light base, and matched at the seams. Cotton-rich fleece cannot be sublimated.
Which is warmer, polyester fleece or cotton fleece?
At the same GSM the two are close when dry, but polyester fleece stays warmer in use because its pile keeps its loft when damp, while cotton loses insulation once it absorbs sweat or rain. Cotton-polyester fleece is heavier at 280–350 GSM, so it feels warmer at rest.
What GSM should a training hoodie be?
A training hoodie worn during warm-ups should be 240–280 GSM in performance polyester fleece. 240 GSM suits warm climates and layering, 280 GSM suits cold-weather training. A hoodie worn only before and after activity can go heavier, up to 350 GSM in cotton-polyester fleece.
Does polyester fleece pill?
Performance fleece made from filament polyester yarn pills very little on the face, because there are no short fibre ends to work loose. The brushed pile inside the garment can flatten with wear but is not abraded. For heavy bag-strap contact, specify the 280–300 GSM end of the range, which resists surface abrasion better than 240 GSM.
Does polyester fleece shrink?
Not to a measurable degree in normal washing. Polyester fibre does not swell in water, so performance fleece garments hold their cut measurements far better than cotton-rich fleece. Finished garments are still measured against the approved size specification, with a tolerance of ±1–1.5 cm.
Is performance fleece waterproof or windproof?
No. Performance fleece is a knit, so wind and rain pass through it; it is an insulating midlayer, not a shell. For touchline and bench wear in wet weather, specify a fleece-lined jacket with a woven outer shell, or pair a fleece top with a separate rain jacket.
Can a tracksuit be made in my club's exact colours?
Yes. Sublimated performance fleece prints any colour, gradient or pattern, matched to your Pantone reference, and solid-dyed body fabric is matched to the same reference. Send your crest, colours and sponsor logos and ZipaSports returns a free digital mockup within 24 hours.
What is the minimum order for custom tracksuits?
Minimum order is 20–25 pieces per design, lower quantities are possible on request, and there is no MOQ limit for sportswear brands and companies. Send your squad size breakdown with the enquiry and ZipaSports confirms the quantity per design before the mockup stage.
Is recycled performance fleece available?
Yes. GRS-certified recycled polyester fleece is available on request at the same 240–300 GSM range and prints by sublimation exactly like standard polyester. Certificate copies are available on request. Confirm availability and lead time for the recycled option with your enquiry.