TEXTILE ORIGINS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 9, 24 March 1947, Page 6

TEXTILE ORIGINS

ANCIENT NAMES RECALLED FRANCE’S CONTRIBUTION Many names common to the textile industry identify not only the fabric but also the method of weaving, place of origin or the inventor. France, more than any other country, developed combinations of textile fibres and devised new methods of weaving known fabrics and fibres. This and a patronage of a wealthy leisured class of Europeans gave France a primacy in fashion which has been retained for almost 500 years. Cambric, a soft white closely woven, thin cotton fabric, derived pts name from the French city of Cambrai) where it was first woven. Chambray, a fabric much used for shirts an children’s clothes, is also named from Cambrai, where it was originally fabricated for sunbonnets.

Chenille, a yarn with a fuzzy pile protruding from all sides, is named from the French word for a little caterpillar, or hairy worm. Chiffon, a short plain weave sheer fabric used for dresses and scarves, gets its name from the French word “chiffe,” which means flimsy cloth. Corduroy, a cut pile fabric used much for coats and sports clothes, although woven in England much earlier than in France, is so named from the French “couleur de roi,” or king’s colours. It was once looked upon as a kingly cloth. Cretonne, a dress or drapery fabric similar to chintz, was not named because of its origin in the Norman village of Creton.

; Denim, a firm twill-weave cotton fabric made of coarse yarn, was originally called “cloth d’Ninies” from the city in which it was first woven.

Gabardine, a tightly woven twilled material, obtained its name from the old French word “galvardine,” which meant pilgrim’s cloak. It was then a coarse, - loose material suitable for a cloak or mantle.

Georgette,, a sheer fabric with a crepy surface, obtained its name from Mme. Georgette de la Plante, a 13th century modiste who first used this fabric.

Grenadine, a fine, loosely woven fabric similar to marquisette, gets its name from the French word “gernadine,” a strongly perfumed flower, similar to our carnation. . Jeans, a sturdy twilled fabric in solid colours or stripes, is a corruption of Cean, the city in which it was first made. • Lawn derives its name from Lason in the Picardy district of France, which was famous for its very fine thin fabric much used by church dignitaries. Moire, a waved or watered effect on a textile fabric, quite logically gets its name from the French word “morer,” meaning wave. Pique from the French word “pique,” meaning pike or something which pierces, is not altered when applied to our cotton fabric having raised cords. Tulle, a very fine silk net used for veils and trimmings, is named for the City of Tulle, in which it was first fabricated.

Languages of India

Calico, a plain woven cotton cloth with figured patterns on one side, was named from Calcutta, a city on the Malabar coast of India, which in turn obtained its name from “cutta,” meaning temple, and “kali,” a Hindu goddess, Calcutta was long a chief port of India thi’ough which this type of cloth reached Europe. Cashmere, an extremely soft woollen fabric, gets its name from goats native to the Kashmir province of India.

Chintz, a Hindu word from the Sanskrit “Chitra,” meaning spotted or many coloured, describes India calico stained in a variety of colours on a white background. In modern interpretation, chintz is a glazed cotton fabric printed with gay figures or floral designs. Gingham, a linen or cotton cloth usually woven in stripes plaids or checks on two or more colours, also from India, has its roots in the Malayan word “ging gang,” which means striped. Khaki cloth, a wool or cotton fabric, is named for its peculiar colour, the word being an Indian designation for dusty or earth colour. About 1850 English troops in India purposely soiled their white uniforms to reduce visibility when on the march. Later they found a native cloth of approximately the same shade and have used it ever since.

Madras, a firm woven cotton fabric with stripes or checks, much like gingham, was first made for sailor headdresses at Madras, hence its name.

Muslin, a plain weave cotton cloth

ranging' in weight from batiste to percale, was so named from the City of Mosul, a place beyond the Kurdistan border, where this type of cloth was first manufactured. Some etymologists believe that the native pronunciation of Moslem is really Muslin and that the material used for dresses by followers of the Prophet determined the name of the fabric. \ Around tlie World Balgriggan was so named because it resembles unbleached hosiery formerly made at Balgriggan, Ireland. Baldachin, a rich embroidered fabric, gets its name from Baldacco, the Italian name for Baghdad. Bunting, a cloth fabric much like cheesecloth, obtained its name from the Saxon word meaning to sift, as this cloth was largely used for that purpose until fine wire mesh supplanted it. Felt comes from the German “faizen,” meaning to groove or join together, and accurately describes a characteristic of wool fibre. An old legend relates that the felting qualities of wool were discovered by St. Clement, fourth Bishop of Rome. When persecuted and forced to flee, he placed a layer of raw wool between his feet and his sandals to ease the pain from blisters. A combination 'of heat, moisture and pressure worked the wool into a compact mass which the Bishop caused to be widely used. St. Clement is still the patron saint of hatters. Jersey, a knitted elastic fabricusually of wool, cotton or rayon, and Kersey, a heavy pure wool double cloth, both received their names from the Island 6f Jersey, where, since the days of Queen Elizabeth, women have spun and knitted heavy woollen cloth for their fishermen.

Tweed, a rough-surfaced woollen material with a homespun effect, was originally called ‘‘twill.” The name “tweed” originated accidentally when a certain invoice for twill cloth became blurred in the copy press and a cloth merchant read the word as tweed. As the cloth has been woven on the banks of the River Tweed, this seemed appropriate and the name stuck.

Worsted yarn, made from longstaple, evenly combed wool, was first spun in England in 1340, at Worsted, a parish in Norfolk, and so earned its name. Stockings made from this “worsted” were, at first, used only by the common - people and a rather frequent form of contempt was to call a rival a “worsted” stocking knave.”