Products / Tactical Fleece & Mid Layers
A fleece or mid layer is not simply a warmer shirt. It is the layer that has to hold warmth while the wearer is moving and release moisture before that moisture reaches the insulation above it, and in a base, mid, insulation and shell system it sits directly over the base layer and directly under the insulation. That position decides everything about it: it has to fit closely enough to move moisture off the base layer, vent enough to dump heat during exertion, and stay thin enough at the shoulders that it does not add bulk where the wearer needs arm movement. This is the layer most often left out of a specification, and its absence is a common reason a system that looks correct on paper feels cold while the wearer is working.
Gallery
Design purpose
Build a mid layer on the buyer's pattern that manages warmth and moisture while the wearer is moving, and that interfaces correctly with the base layer underneath it and the insulation or shell above it.
Applications
Interactive map
Tactical Fleece Mid Layer Jacket: select a marker to see what can be specified at that part of the garment — all 10 mapped areas are also listed in full below the map, so nothing is hidden behind an interaction.
Customization by garment part
Select a marker to see the customization options available at that part of the garment. Every option below is a manufacturing decision you control.
Materials
4 material options for Tactical Fleece Mid Layer Jacket, specified per garment area — a single fabric cannot serve heat management and abrasion resistance at the same time.
Fleece construction
Grid fleece trades a little warmth for much better moisture release, which is why it is usually the right choice where the wearer is moving. Brushed knit is warmer and softer but slower to dry.
Face and backer
Where the mid layer is commonly worn on its own, the face has to shed a little wind and light abrasion. Where it is always under a shell, that requirement disappears and the fabric can be chosen purely for warmth and drying speed.
Stretch and movement
Stretch and articulation are alternative answers to the same problem. Where stretch is not wanted in the fabric, the pattern has to carry the movement instead.
Reinforcement
Reinforcement adds weight and reduces breathability locally. It is placed against the wearer's reported contacts rather than applied as standard.
Construction
How each of the 8 parts of Tactical Fleece Mid Layer Jacket is assembled, and why that choice was made.
Fit as the layer between two layers
The mid layer is cut to fit over the base layer without compressing it and under the insulation or shell without binding in the shoulders. That volume is a pattern decision, and it is confirmed in the stack rather than on a single garment.
Ventilation and heat dumping
Where the role involves sustained movement, the mid layer carries the ventilation that the base layer cannot: a full-length front zip, chest or underarm vents, or a combination. Position is set against the equipment the wearer carries.
Collar and neck
Collar height is set against whether a shell hood will sit over it, so the two do not fight, and the collar edge is finished so it does not irritate the neck when worn zipped to the top under a base-layer collar.
Front closure
Full-length zip with a chin guard and a zip garage, or a deep half zip where the buyer prefers it, specified for operation with gloves and for staying closed without a flap.
Cuff and hem finish
Cuffs are elasticated, adjustable or plain, according to whether the mid layer has to seal over a glove or simply sit under a shell cuff. Hem finishing is set so the garment does not ride up when the wearer reaches.
Seam and stitch specification
Seam types and stitch density are chosen for a knit rather than copied from a woven technical shirt, because a knit garment that is assembled like a woven one loses its stretch and its shape.
Pocket placement
Pocket positions are set clear of load-bearing equipment and of the straps that would cover them, with closures that stay shut when the wearer is moving and can be operated with gloves.
Labelling and care
Care labelling is specified against the laundry cycle the programme uses, including whether tumble drying is permitted, because some fleece constructions pill or shrink when heat-dried.
Features
The 6 functional features of Tactical Fleece Mid Layer Jacket each exist to solve a specific problem in use, and where a feature is a trade-off rather than a pure gain that is stated.
The mid layer has to move moisture off the base layer and hand it on to the layer above. Its fit, fabric and ventilation are set against that job rather than against warmth alone.
Grid and channel constructions are selected where the wearer is moving, because a mid layer that holds water makes the insulation above it less effective rather than more.
Stretch or articulation is used to keep shoulder rotation and reach despite the added layer, and the choice between the two is deliberate rather than whichever the fabric range happened to offer.
Mid layer venting is positioned and built so it can be opened with gloves and stays closed in use, and is not blocked by the equipment the wearer is carrying.
Collar height, cuff type and overall volume are developed alongside the shell, so the two work as a pair instead of the shell compressing the mid layer at the shoulders.
Where the mid layer is commonly the outermost garment worn, the face fabric and pocket layout are specified for that use rather than treated as an under-layer only.
Customization
12 customization lines for Tactical Fleece Mid Layer Jacket: branding, colour, camouflage and packaging are all part of the specification, and every item is confirmed on the pre-production sample.
Fleece type
Weight
Stretch
Front closure
Ventilation
Collar
Cuff
Hem
Pockets
Reinforcement
Colour
Labelling and packing
Colour
Camouflage
Sizing
Mid layer sizing is developed as the middle garment in a stack rather than as a standalone jacket. It has to sit over the base layer without compressing it and under the insulation or shell without binding at the shoulders, so chest, shoulder width, sleeve length and body length are all set against the layers on either side. Arm length is especially affected, because two or three layers together reduce effective reach. A size set is produced and fitted as a stack on a wearer before bulk.
Branding
Your pattern, your fleece and weight specification, your ventilation and pocket layout, your hardware and your packaging. Labels, trims and cartons can be left blank, so the range ships as your own product with the specification held on file against every repeat order.
Logistics
Sample development
Development of Tactical Fleece Mid Layer Jacket runs in 7 stages, each risk removed before the next step commits cost.
Specification review
We agree the fleece type and weight, stretch approach, ventilation placement, collar and cuff construction, and the layers the garment must sit between, in writing before anything is cut.
Fleece selection against the trade-offs
Grid, brushed and micro fleece options are presented with the warmth, drying speed and pill resistance each one buys and gives up, so the buyer chooses deliberately.
Pattern development
The pattern is developed on the buyer's size range with the layer stack in mind, and with articulation or stretch placement built in from the start.
Proto sample
A first sample proves fit over the base layer and under the intended shell, and tests whether the vents can be reached and operated.
Fit sample
A revised sample is produced with the agreed corrections and assessed on a wearer while moving continuously, which is the only condition in which a mid layer's moisture behaviour becomes apparent.
Size set
A set across the size range is produced so grading of chest, shoulder, sleeve and body length is confirmed, not only the base size.
Sealed sample
The approved sample is sealed and retained as the reference for inline and final inspection, including the fleece specification and ventilation construction.
Bulk production
7 stages of bulk production for Tactical Fleece Mid Layer Jacket — where the approved specification is either held or lost.
Material receipt and inspection
Fleece lot, weight and finish, zip, elastic, drawcord and trims are checked against the sealed sample before cutting, and colour is verified against the approved standard in daylight.
Cutting
Panels are cut to the approved pattern with the fleece nap and any print placement controlled on the marker, so panels match in direction and appearance.
Assembly and ventilation
Body, gussets and ventilation openings are assembled in the correct sequence, with knit-appropriate seams and stitch density rather than woven settings carried over.
Closure and trim assembly
Zip, chin guard, garage, cuff finishing and hem adjustment are attached and function-checked, including operation with gloves where required.
Inline inspection
Garments are measured against approved tolerances at defined points through the run, so a drift in body length or sleeve is caught while it can still be corrected.
Finishing and labelling
Care labels, size marking and issue identification are applied to agreed positions, and loose threads, zip function and seam appearance are finished to the sealed sample.
Final inspection and packing
Final inspection follows the approved specification and the AQL agreed with the buyer, and approved goods are packed and marked to the buyer's carton instructions.
Quality control
The 7 checks applied to Tactical Fleece Mid Layer Jacket, each measured against an agreed standard rather than against opinion.
Incoming material check
Fleece construction, weight and finish, zip, elastic, drawcord and trims are recorded against the specification, and fabric lots are retained for reference.
Colour verification
Production colour is compared with the approved standard and the sealed sample under agreed lighting, and shade variation across rolls is recorded before cutting.
Ventilation and construction check
Vents, gussets and collar assemblies are inspected for correct position and clean finishing, since these are the features most likely to be simplified during production.
Measurement check
Chest, shoulder, sleeve length, body length, collar and hem are measured against approved tolerances during the run, including graded sizes rather than the base size alone.
Zip and closure function testing
Zips, garage, chin guard and adjusters are operated repeatedly on sampled garments to confirm they run smoothly, stay closed and can be operated with gloves.
Wash and pill check
Sampled garments are washed on the care cycle specified for the programme and checked for shrinkage, pilling and shape retention, because this is how a fleece mid layer fails.
Final inspection and records
Final inspection results, inspection records and retained samples stay with the order, so a repeat order is produced against evidence rather than against memory.
Specifications
18 specification rows for Tactical Fleece Mid Layer Jacket: only confirmed items are listed, so a row that depends on your programme is omitted rather than filled with an estimate.
| Product type | Tactical fleece or knit mid layer jacket |
|---|---|
| Layer position | Mid layer, directly over the base layer and directly under the insulation or shell |
| Fleece construction | Grid fleece, brushed knit, micro fleece or light lofted knit, to specification |
| Fabric weight | Selected against warmth, drying speed and pill resistance, to buyer specification |
| Stretch | Mechanical stretch through the body, stretch side panels, stretch gussets, or an articulated pattern instead |
| Front closure | Full-length or deep half zip, with optional chin guard and zip garage |
| Ventilation | Chest, underarm or back vents, or full-length front opening only, placed clear of equipment |
| Collar | Stand, high stand or low collar, with height set against the shell hood |
| Cuff | Elasticated, adjustable hook-and-loop, plain or inner storm cuff, to specification |
| Hem | Elasticated, drawcord adjuster, plain or drop tail |
| Pockets | Zipped hand pockets, chest, sleeve or internal security pockets, or none, to specification |
| Reinforcement | Shoulder, elbow or woven patches, placed against reported wear points, or none |
| Size range | EU or US runs including extended sizes, cut to sit between the buyer's base layer and shell |
| Colour | Solid colourways or two-tone panels, matched to an approved standard |
| Labelling | Woven main label, printed care label, size and issue marking as required |
| Packing | Poly bag, individual carton and buyer-specific cartons |
FAQ
Grid fleece usually wins where the wearer is moving. The raised grid traps air for warmth and the channels between it move moisture away faster, which matters because a mid layer that holds water makes the insulation above it less effective. Brushed knit is warmer and softer for the same thickness but dries more slowly, so it suits static cold better. We present both with the warmth, drying speed and pill resistance each one buys and gives up, and record the choice.
It is the layer most often left out of a specification, and its absence is a common reason a system that looks correct on paper feels cold while the wearer is working. Without it, heat generated during movement has nowhere to be released except through the insulation, and the wearer either overheats or wets out the layer above. Whether your programme needs it depends on how much the activity level changes during the day.
We do not publish thermal resistance values. A figure of that kind is only meaningful from a controlled test on the finished garment construction, not from a material datasheet, and how warm a mid layer feels also depends on activity, wind, humidity and what is worn on either side of it. Where your tender requires a figure, the correct sequence is to agree the test method and have it produced on the actual construction.
That is the first thing we check, and it is why we ask for the actual measurements of the shell rather than its nominal size. A mid layer that binds at the shoulders compresses the layers beneath it and restricts reach, and the problem only appears when the whole stack is worn. We develop the mid layer against your shell and confirm the stack on a wearer before approval.
Yes, if the wearer is moving. Vents in the mid layer let heat out at the point where it is generated, which the shell's own vents cannot do if they are covered. The important detail is position: a vent placed under a pack strap or plate carrier is blocked by exactly the equipment the wearer is carrying, so we place venting around the role's load-bearing system.
It can, where the face fabric and pattern are specified for it. Worn as an outer garment, the mid layer has to shed a little wind and light abrasion, and it needs pockets and a hem finish that suit that use. Where it is always worn under a shell, those requirements disappear and the fabric can be chosen purely for warmth and drying speed — which is usually a better garment for the same money.
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