Broadcloth

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Wool broadcloth jacket, c.1830. LACMA M.65.8a-d Broadcloth detail on a Man's Military Uniform LACMA M.65.8a-d.jpg
Wool broadcloth jacket, c.1830. LACMA M.65.8a-d
King Gustav II Adolf's dress of dark purple broadcloth and gold. Brollopsdrakt tillhorig Gustav II Adolf - Livrustkammaren - 30920.tif
King Gustav II Adolf's dress of dark purple broadcloth and gold.
Littoinen broadcloth factory, Finland Verkatehdas.JPG
Littoinen broadcloth factory, Finland

Broadcloth is a dense, plain woven cloth, historically made of wool. The defining characteristic of broadcloth is not its finished width but the fact that it was woven much wider (typically 50 to 75% wider than its finished width) and then heavily milled (traditionally the cloth was worked by heavy wooden trip hammers in hot soapy water) in order to shrink it to the required width. The effect of the milling process is to draw the yarns much closer together than could be achieved in the loom and allow the individual fibres of the wool to bind together in a felting process, which results in a dense, blind face [lower-roman 1] cloth with a stiff drape which is highly weather-resistant, hard wearing and capable of taking a cut edge without the need for being hemmed.

Contents

The manufacturing process originates from Flanders, the type of cloth was also made in Leiden and several parts of England at the end of the medieval period. [1] The raw material was short staple wool, carded and spun into yarn and then woven on a broad loom to produce cloth 1.75 yards wide. It was then fulled, usually in a fulling mill. When fulled, the fibres of the cloth would felt together, resulting in a smooth surface. [2]

Etymology

The word "broadcloth" was originally used just as an antonym to "narrow cloth", but later came to mean a particular type of cloth. [3] The 1909 Webster's dictionary (as reprinted in 1913) defines broadcloth as "A fine smooth-faced woolen cloth for men's garments, usually of double width (i.e., a yard and a half [140 cm]);—so called in distinction from woolens three quarters of a yard wide. [69 cm]", [4] thus giving both the old breadth-based distinction and the newer definition based on the type of cloth.

Since the early 1920s, the American market has used the term "broadcloth" to describe a plain-woven, usually mercerised fabric woven with a rib and a slightly heavier filling yarn, used for shirt-making, made from cotton or a polyester-and-cotton blend. [5] This fabric was introduced in the early 1920s as an import from the United Kingdom, where it was called poplin, but it was arbitrarily renamed "broadcloth" as it was thought that "poplin" had connotations of heaviness. [5] Another version of this fabric, woven in rayon or polyester-and-rayon, is called fuji. [5]

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States uses the unambiguous terms "broadwoven" and "narrow woven", with a breadth cutoff of 30 centimeters (about 12 inches). By this definition, the US government estimates that 70–75% of all cloth production globally, by weight, is broadwoven. [6]

Historical manufacture

The broadcloth market at 's-Hertogenbosch, near the historic Duchy of Brabant, circa 1530 De lakenmarkt te 's-Hertogenbosch circa 1530 - Noordbrabants Museum.jpg
The broadcloth market at ’s-Hertogenbosch, near the historic Duchy of Brabant, circa 1530
1743 coat in green broadcloth, probably Swedish Rock - Livrustkammaren - 42874.tif
1743 coat in green broadcloth, probably Swedish

Broadcloth (Flemish Laken) was produced in the Duchy of Brabant (now Flanders) from the 11th century and throughout the medieval period. [7]

After 1400 Leiden in Holland (now The Netherlands) became the most important place for broadcloth industry in Europe. There for the first time the production became industrialised. This means that the production process didn't take place entirely in one single factory anymore but according to a precise task allocation, where in several stages intermediate goods were produced. The entire process was strictly supervised, resulting in a constantly high quality, making Leiden broadcloth very popular. In 1417 the Hanseatic League decided that only approved broadcloth from Leiden was to be sold. From 1500 competition from other parts of Europe, especially England, grew and Leiden lost its leading role. In Italy Florence became an important center of broadcloth industry.

Around 1500, broadcloth was made in a number of districts of England, including Essex and Suffolk in southern East Anglia, the West Country Clothing District (Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, east Somerset—sometimes with adjacent areas), at Worcester, Coventry, Cranbrook in Kent and some other places.

This was the best English cloth, and large quantities were exported by the merchants of the Company of Merchant Adventurers of London, principally to Antwerp as white (i.e. undyed) cloth. It was finished and dyed in Flanders, and then marketed throughout northern Europe. The cloths might be short (24 yards long) or long (30 yards long).

The raw material for broadcloth from Worcester was wool from the Welsh border counties of Herefordshire and Shropshire, known as Lemster (i.e. Leominster) wool. That for the West Country came from the Cotswolds. In both cases, the high quality was the result of the comparatively poor pasture, which (probably aided by selective breeding) led the sheep to grow wool with the desired qualities.

English exports of broadcloth reached their highest level in the mid 16th century, after which some regions began producing other kinds of cloth. Difficulties were encountered in export markets in the mid-1610s, partly due to currency difficulties in eastern Europe, and partly to the ill-conceived Cockayne Project. Broadcloth production, thus declined in the 17th century.

Worcester remained a centre for the production of white broadcloth. Other areas, such as Ludlow and parts of the Cotswolds started to produce similar cloth, known as 'Worcesters'. The market suffered major setback in the 18th century, when the trade of the Levant Company with Turkey was obstructed by French competition. From this time, the production of broadcloth lost its importance. [8] [9]

Types of broadcloth

1878 woman's riding habit/hunting dress in dark green habit cloth. Scotland. LACMA M.2007.211.779.1a-b Hunting Dress LACMA M.2007.211.779.1a-b (1 of 4).jpg
1878 woman's riding habit/hunting dress in dark green habit cloth. Scotland. LACMA M.2007.211.779.1a-b
Drape of the cloth in the above riding habit Hunting Dress LACMA M.2007.211.779.1a-b (4 of 4).jpg
Drape of the cloth in the above riding habit

Modern uses

Wool broadcloth with its felted, velvet-like feel, has been used to upholster furniture and car interiors. [27]

Notes

  1. A 'blind face' cloth is one in which, unlike twill or worsted, the underlying weave pattern cannot be seen on the surface.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poplin</span> Strong, plain-weave fabric with a fine cross-rib

Poplin, also called tabinet, is a fine wool, cotton or silk fabric with crosswise ribs that typically give a corded surface. Nowadays, the name refers to a strong material in a plain weave of any fiber or blend.

Lawn cloth or lawn is a fine plain weave textile, made with fine combed cotton. Terms also used include batiste and nainsook. Originally the name applied to plain weave linen, and linen lawn is also called "handkerchief linen". The term lawn is also used in the textile industry to refer to a type of starched crisp finish given to a cloth product. The finish can be applied to a variety of fine fabrics, prints or plain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crêpe (textile)</span> Any of various fabrics with twisted threads, often crinkled surface

Crêpe, also spelled crepe or crape, is a silk, wool, or synthetic fiber fabric with a distinctively crisp and crimped appearance. The term "crape" typically refers to a form of the fabric associated specifically with mourning. Crêpe was also historically called "crespe" or "crisp".

Dowlas was a strong coarse linen cloth of the 16th and 17th centuries, and initially, it was manufactured in Brittany. In the 18th century the fabric was also produced in England and Scotland. Dowlas was identical to sailcloth. The cloth was also imitated in cotton for the same use.

Sendal, cendal or sandal is a thin and light silk material, chiefly used to make ceremonial clothing, church vestments, and banners. The word derives from Greek σινδων (sindōn), "fine linen"; the old French word is cendal. The word often describes a fabric woven of a linen warp and a silk weft.

Eolienne is a lightweight fabric with a ribbed (corded) surface. Generally made by combining silk and cotton or silk and worsted warp and weft, it is similar to poplin but of an even lighter weight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crash (fabric)</span> Woven textile

Crash is a coarse fabric with a rough, irregular surface, made from thick, uneven yarns. Crash fabric is coarse linen-based rugged material made from both dyed and raw yarns. The yarns used are often grey or white in color. Crash fabrics are indistinct woven. Linen is generally used for the warp, while blends of linen and jute, cotton, and wool, etc. were used for the filling. The weave structure may vary from plain, twill to fancy. Crash fabric was very thick, strong, rough and because of linen's characteristics it is absorbent also.

Bourette is a silk fabric with bumps often blended with other yarns made of Bourette fibers. The name "Bourette" is from its constituting fiber. It has a rough surface incorporating multicolored threads and knots of spun silk. The fabric is made with silk bourette and wool or cotton yarn. Bourette is a lightweight single cloth with a rough, knotty, and uneven surface.

Khasa was a high-quality variety of calico cloth that was manufactured and used for clothing in the Mughal Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sussi (cloth)</span> Striped cloth.

Sussi or susi is a term for multicolored striped or checked cloth produced mainly in Sindh. Sussi is thin handloom fabric made of cotton, silk, or a blend of the two, with colored warp stripes. Sindh region was known for its production and exports during the Mughal period. Sussi was most often made with red and blue, blue and white, or green and white stripes, but other patterns were also produced. The fabric was exported to England, where sousaes were in great demand in the 18th century.

Ailesham cloth was a fine linen cloth made in England during Middle Ages.

Beaver cloth is a heavy woolen cloth with a napped surface. Beaver is a double cloth; it resembles felted beaver-fur and is suitable for outer garments such as coats and hats. The fabric was formerly made in England.

Tapsel was a coarse cotton and silk cloth. It was a woven variety with a striped pattern, and usually a blue color. The fabric dated back to the 18th century and was made in western India.

Balzarine (Balzorine) was a cotton and worsted fabric of the 19th century. It was a lightweight union cloth made of cotton and wool.

Barege (Barège) was a lightweight, sheer fabric matching a gauze. It was a union fabric made of silk and wool. Barege was a 19th-century fabric and originated from southwestern France. It takes its name from the town of Barèges but was mostly made in the town of Bagnères-de-Bigorre.

Segovienne was a Spanish flannel cloth used for upholstery in the 14th to 17th centuries. It was produced in Segovia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salembaree</span> Strong fabric used to make tents

Salembaree is an obsolete variant of cotton cloth that was a coase, stout and heavy fabric. It was made in the Indian subcontinent. The cloth was used for tents in India and Pakistan. Kathee was an alternative name for Salembaree. John Forbes Watson mentions these fabrics under the Canvas category in his work titled Textile Manufactures and Costumes of the people of India.

Biretz, also known as “electoral cloth”, was a double cloth with a twill pattern on one side and a cord pattern on the other. It was a reversible construction. Biretz was made from wool, silk or other wool combinations. The material was used to make dresses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nun's veiling</span> A lightweight, thin, sheer, wool cloth

Nun's veiling was a lightweight cloth made of wool. It was a plain weave fabric used mainly for women veils and dresses. Nun's veiling got its name from the fact that it was used in Veils by several religious orders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faille</span> Type of corded fabric

Faille is a type of cloth with flat ribs, often made in silk. It has a softer texture than grosgrain, with heavier and wider cords or ribs. Weft yarns are heavier than warp, and it is manufactured in plain weaving. It was especially popular in the 19th century.

References

  1. "Een kleine dekengeschiedenis" (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  2. Thursfield 2001, p. 63.
  3. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Alnage" (free fulltext), from the Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 01 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 719; lines two and three from end.
  4. "Webster's 1913". www.websters1913.com.
  5. 1 2 3 Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (17 September 2013). The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles. A&C Black. ISBN   9781609015350.
  6. Freund, Kimberlie and Norton, Marjorie J.T., Broadwoven Fabrics , USITC Publication 3410: 4 ISBN   1-4289-5826-6. Free public-domain fulltext.
  7. Pedersen & Nosch 2009, p. ix.
  8. Ponting 1971, pp. 3–34.
  9. B. Supple, Commercial crisis and change in England 1602–1642: a study in the instability of a mercantile economy (1959); J. de L. Mann, The cloth industry in the West of England (Oxford 1971).
  10. Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (17 September 2013). The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles. A&C Black. p. 41. ISBN   9781609015350.
  11. Lewandowski 2011, p. 39.
  12. Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (17 September 2013). The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles. A&C Black. p. 75. ISBN   9781609015350.
  13. Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (17 September 2013). The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles. A&C Black. p. 105. ISBN   9781609015350.
  14. Lewandowski 2011, p. 56.
  15. Lewandowski 2011, p. 93.
  16. Lewandowski 2011, p. 119.
  17. Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (17 September 2013). The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles. A&C Black. p. 259. ISBN   9781609015350.
  18. 1 2 Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (17 September 2013). The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles. A&C Black. p. 277. ISBN   9781609015350.
  19. Lewandowski 2011, p. 170.
  20. Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (17 September 2013). The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles. A&C Black. p. 339. ISBN   9781609015350.
  21. Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (17 September 2013). The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles. A&C Black. p. 475. ISBN   9781609015350.
  22. Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (17 September 2013). The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles. A&C Black. p. 596. ISBN   9781609015350.
  23. Lewandowski 2011, p. 282.
  24. Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (17 September 2013). The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles. A&C Black. p. 608. ISBN   9781609015350.
  25. 1 2 Tortora, Phyllis G.; Johnson, Ingrid (17 September 2013). The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles. A&C Black. p. 612. ISBN   9781609015350.
  26. Lewandowski 2011, p. 289.
  27. Mattson, Fred (2017). Automotive Upholstery and Interior Restoration. CarTech. p. 20. ISBN   9781613253311.

Bibliography