Flannel

Flannel is a soft, woven fabric used for many different purposes. It is prized for its warmth and comfort in various items. People use it to create blankets, bed sheets, and sleepwear. It is also a common choice for making tartan clothing. While many people associate flannel with plaid patterns, that is a common mistake. Flannel is the name of the specific fabric itself. A shirt can have a plaid pattern without being made of flannel. Conversely, a flannel shirt does not have to be plaid.

The way flannel is made determines how it feels against the skin. It can be woven using a plain weave or a twill weave. The yarns used can be wool, cotton, or synthetic fibers. Some flannel is soft because the yarn is spun very loosely during weaving. Other types undergo a mechanical process called brushing to increase softness. In this process, a fine metal brush rubs the fabric. This action raises tiny fibers from the loosely spun yarns. This raised layer of fibers is known as a nap. The nap can appear on one side or both sides of the cloth. Often, the fabric is napped, then bleached or dyed, and then napped a second time.

There are several distinct types of flannel-like fabrics. Flannelette is a cotton fabric that imitates the texture of real flannel. It achieves this by creating a nap from the weft, which is the horizontal yarn. In flannelette, the weft is generally coarser than the warp, or vertical yarn. Other specialized types exist for specific needs. Baby flannel is a lightweight version used for childrenswear. Diaper flannel is a stout cotton fabric that is napped on both sides. There is even vegetable flannel, which was invented by Léopold Lairitz in Germany. Instead of using animal or plant fibers, it uses fibers from the Scots pine.

The history of flannel is closely tied to Wales. As early as the 16th century, a similar fabric was well known there. It was called "Welsh cotton," though it was actually a coarse woolen material. This material had a fluffed surface similar to modern flannel. During the 19th century, several Welsh towns became centers for production. These towns included Newtown, Montgomeryshire, Hay on Wye, and Llanidloes. The expansion of flannel production was linked to the rise of carding mills. Carding is the process of preparing wool for spinning. This was one of the first parts of wool production to be mechanized. The Drapers Company of Shrewsbury largely controlled the marketing of these Welsh goods.

Flannel gained significant popularity in the United States during the Civil War. It was imported as a sturdy and inexpensive material for soldiers. These soldiers used the fabric for basic coats and undershirts. An American entrepreneur named Hamilton Carhartt helped popularize flannel garments in the USA. He opened the first textile plant focused on flannel in Detroit in 1889. Following this, the American middle class began using flannel shirts as a staple for workwear. Different regions once produced unique styles of flannel. Welsh, Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Irish flannels differed based on the grade of raw wool used. Some were much finer and softer than others.

Colors in flannel are determined by the use of dyes. This was historically achieved by mixing white, blue, brown, and black wools. Makers used different proportions of these colors to create specific shades. To create lighter shades, makers used bleaching with sulphur dioxide. In the 20th century, the composition of flannel changed. While it was originally made of fine, short staple wool, mixtures of silk and cotton became common. In 1957, designer Sybil Connolly created the "Red Flannel" skirt. This design was inspired by traditional Irish peasant kilts from Aran Island.

Flannel has also been a significant part of sports and modern fashion. Flannel trousers were very popular in cricket. They were used extensively in the sport until the late 1970s. In the early 1990s, flannel plaid shirts became a major trend for teenagers. This was part of the grunge style of music. Famous bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam helped make this style a cultural phenomenon. Today, the fabric remains a versatile material used across many different industries and styles.