Flannel is a wool textile (the word comes from an old Welsh word for wool), sometimes blended with either a synthetic fabric or cotton. Sheets made from flannel are incredibly warm and insulating.

Flannel sheets are a favorite during the winter months for many people, because they epitomize a feeling of snugness and safety that appeals greatly during a blizzard or rainstorm. Most high-quality flannel sheets are made from a blend of wool and cotton — the wool ensures warmth, while the cotton adds a softness highly desired in bed sheets.

Like all sheets, thread-count is an important indicator of quality in flannel sheets. Lower-end, 80-120 thread-count flannel will have a rougher feel than the 200 range, and at the upper-end of 300-400 thread count, the softness of the sheets will be unsurpassed. Not all sheets have their thread count labeled, but you can get a rough idea of thread count by holding the sheets up to a light — the less light that passes through, the higher the thread count.

Some sheet manufacturers do not give thread count for flannel sheets because they feel it is less applicable to the material. Instead, they will give a measure in ounces of flannel per square yard. High-quality flannel sheets will have a measure in excess of 4 oz. / sq. yd. (113g / 0.9 sq. m).

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.