Where Can I Buy Antron Fleece AKA Muppet Fleece?

Where Can I Buy Antron Fleece?

Antron Fleece aka Muppet Fleece is available from several suppliers online. Including:

• Dharma Trading Company sells Antron Fleece by the yard or by the bolt.
• Georgia Stage Supply They have white and flesh colored Antron Fleece. If you want to dye your own, this is the least expensive option.
• Puppet Pelts has a wide selection of dyed Antron Fleece. More expensive, but convenient. I buy most of my Antron Fleece from them.
• The Weird Kid Store is a Canadian supplier of Antron Fleece

What is Antron Fleece?

Antron fleece is a 12 oz nylon fleece. It was originally developed for use in military clothing. Today, it’s major use is puppets and mascot building.
Antron Fleece has a thick, soft pile on one side and a smooth underside.

Why Use Antron Fleece?

Antron fleece is the puppet maker’s favorite for several reasons

• It is easy to hide seams with Antron Fleece. Once you have sewed your seams, you can use a needle or a piece of Velcro to pick the fleece out from under the thread and it will fluff over the thread.
• It is stretchy. The fleece has a one-way stretch. This stretch is great for draping the fleece over a puppet head. You can get a tight fit on your puppet by using the stretch.
• Antron fleece is easy to dye. RIT dye works great with Antron fleece. For more about how to dye your fleece, see my article HERE

What Colors Is Antron Fleece Available in?

Antron Fleece comes in white. You will need to dye it the color you want.
Unlike most fleece from fabric stores, Antron Fleece is nylon, not polyester. Polyester fleece will not take dye very well. Antron Fleece does dye very well. Just using RIT dye, you can get virtually any color you want.

Dharma Trading Company has 70 different Acid Dyes available if you want to dye your own fleece. Acid Dyes work great on Antron Fleece.
But, there are a couple of suppliers that sell Antron Fleece that has been dyed for you. Puppet Pelts has a wide variety of colors available and they are very economical.

Dying Antron Fleece

The main objective of dying is to get an even color. Using two large plastic storage containers for a normal-sized project. Fill one with clean water. Fill the other with hot tap water. Make the dye bath deep enough to cover the fabric.

Before lowering the fleece into the dye bath, soak it in the clean bath. Try not to squeeze the water out. Place the fleece quickly into the dye. Soak the fleece.

Just like a tie-dyed tee shirt, if the fleece is folded or twisted, the dye won’t soak up those areas.

You will need to gently stir the dye bath to ensure even coverage. Do not overwork it or it will cause the fleece to pill (Pilling is when a fabric mats into little balls).

Instead of a single “dip” with a strong color, make multiple dips, darkening the fleece little by little. This method works especially well when dying darker colors. Rinse the fleece.

After the fleece has been artificial the specified color, remove it from the dye bath. Rinse underneath running water till the water squeezed from the material is obvious.

Lay the fleece flat to dry overnight. Do not put it in a dryer.
Drying Antron fleece in a drier can cause the fleece to pill up.

Can I get A Custom Dyed Color of Antron Fleece?

Puppet Pelts can make custom dyed Antron Fleece for you. If you want a special color, you will need to supply them with a Pantone swatch or color description.

The Pantone swatch is the best way to go if you want a color to be exact. Pantone is the standard for colors and is used by many major US distributors.

You will need to pay a setup fee, in addition to paying for the fleece. So unless you are ordering a large quantity, or getting a really big check for a custom puppet, you will want to order several yards.
Puppet Pelts says it takes about two weeks to fill custom orders, so plan ahead.

Is there a substitute for Antron Fleece?

No. For building a fabulous foam head puppet, there is no substitute for Antron Fleece. But it is expensive.

Puppet Pelts recently developed a polyester fleece that is a good fleece for puppets. It is not quite as fluffy as Antron, but it does hide seams very well.

As Antron fleece, aka nylon fleece, is becoming harder to get, the new Puppet Pelts Polyester Fleece is a good replacement. This link will save you 10% off your Puppet Pelts purchase.

For hobbyists, Polar Fleece, available at JoAnn Fabrics and other fabric stores works fine. It has enough pile to hide seams, though not as well as Antron Fleece. It has a stretch and is easy to work with.

For professional puppets, Antron is still the puppet maker’s choice.

Do I Need To Shave My Antron Fleece?

If your fleece has pilled, and you want a smooth surface, shave it.
Here are some guidelines:

• Use double-bladed disposable razors or a beard clipper.
• Shaving one puppet head will dull blades quickly and it will take several razors to achieve a smooth, even surface.
• Be extra careful anywhere the puppet has uneven surfaces, including seams, corners, and folds of the puppet head.

The result of shaving fleece is a creamy finish that is lovely. However, if the fleece is shaved too short, it limits the fabric’s ability to hide seams as effectively.

Stitching Antron Fleece

You can use a machine but for the best results, hand stitching is the way to go. Keep in mind that stitches should be very close to the edge of the fabric, but not so close that the edge will unravel; the stitches have to be fairly small, and the tension of the stitches has to be reasonably consistent. Other stitches can be used but the whip stitch is easiest and the fastest.

Be sure to check out my RESOURCES page here to find the materials and tools I use. CLICK HERE

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