Fleece Functions in Multiple Conditions
- What: Patagonia Fleece Cardigan
- When: 3 months to 5 years
- Why: Extremely durable
- Where: Patagonia
I firmly believe in fleece clothes for kids, starting from birth. Fleece resists not only dirt and moisture, but every bodily fluid I’ve come to expect with infants, from runny poops to regular regurgitations. Unlike most clothing fabrics, you wipe it off and the fleece looks clean. Messes don’t absorb into the fabric.
Fleece pants offer the most convenience, but if you happen upon a Patagonia fleece full zip hooded jacket, snap it up. I got one as a hand me down that went through two kids and looked brand new when I got it. All three of my kids wore it as a toddler and we’ve since passed it along to a sixth kid. You can’t tell the difference from when it hung pristine and unmolested by any kids in the store.
My firstborn at age one year enjoying the warmth of fleece indoors in November
I haven’t ever actually bought a Patagonia fleece for my kids because I can’t stomach the price tag, even on sale, and I know how fast kids grow out of clothes. But we’ve had several as gifts and hand me downs and had the same stellar experience with all of them. Plus, in addition to resisting wind and rain, they layer well under other coats to get extra insulation. The hood easily goes over a Zutano hat to provide plenty of winter warmth.
The same Patagonia fleece jacket outdoors on my next child at almost three years old.
They have roomy sizes, which means your kids can wear them longer before passing them along. I recommend fleece for adults, too. I wore a pair of fleece pants almost constantly with a particularly gushy infant. And fleece jackets and hoodies layer over anything for multiple seasons of wear.
