A fleece blanket is an insulating blanket made of a synthetic fabric blend. The term fleece often causes confusion, because it is sometimes used to describe part of the wool of sheep. Fleece in the context of a fleece blanket refers to a specific polyester fabric with no wool content whatsoever. Polar fleece is the most well known type of fleece, though a number of varieties exist.

The fabric of a fleece blanket is made by taking polyester yarn and twisting it tightly. The resulting fabric is then brushed with rough wire to tighten it and raise the surface a bit, then sheared to even the entire thing out. Virtually all types of fleece blanket are made with a high grade of fleece known as non-pill. Non-pill fleece doesn't ball up after being washed a few times, and in general the surface texture is nicer.

A good fleece blanket can come in a wide range of textures, each processed slightly differently. The top side may be almost smooth, or may have a nice velvet feel to it, while the bottom side is usually even smoother, with a texture greatly resembling felt. Many people make their own fleece blanket, because of the ease of using fleece as a 'no-sew' material. Beginners love fleece because it never ravels the way most materials do, making it difficult to ruin a length of fabric.

There are three main weight categories of fleece which can be used for a fleece blanket, depending on how warm a blanket is desired. Microfleeces are the lightest, and are not really suitable for anything but a light fleece blanket meant to be used underneath a heavier blanket. Hundred-weight fleeces are the next weight category, and are about as heavy as an average pair of sweatpants. Medium-weight fleeces are often used for jackets and vests, and are ideal for a blanket used in cold conditions.

Fleece is a great material for blankets because of its excellent weight-to-insulation ratio. It is soft and comfortable, retains heat well and is light enough to be carried on backpacking trips or stored away easily in a closet. In camping situations, the polyester material of a fleece blanket helps to pull moisture away and keeps the campers drier than other blanket materials. While perhaps not as ideal as some high-tech alternatives, for the price fleece simply can't be beat.