Corduroy has been around for centuries and is the choice fabric for many rugged individuals. Here are a few fun facts about it:
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Corduroy is a type of fabric recognized for its distinctive ribbed texture. Equally as distinctive, is the super cool noise when you walk, proudly announcing to the world that you, in fact, are wearing corduroy.
A similar popular fabric called ‘fustian’ dates back to 200 AD. It was creatively named after a city it was made in; Fustat, a city near Cairo. Fustian was very popular locally but as the Middle Ages continued, more and more people liked the fabric. It really began to catch on in Europe thanks to some Italian traders who began selling Fustian fabrics to the cold Europeans. Once there was a market for the fabric, enterprising folks out of Manchester began producing what we know today as corduroy.
No one is sure where the word “corduroy” came from or why it has stayed around for so long. One popular theory is that it’s a combination of the words cord, which refers to an actual braided rope, and duroy, which refers to a type of durable wool fabric. Some people say the word comes from the French word “corde du roi” which means “king’s cord.” This is not the case.
Over the years Corduroy has been among other well-liked fabrics, mainly because it feels soft and cozy, yet remains durable. To make the fabric, thin threads are woven in one direction, which creates loops. After weaving, these loops are cut and the brushed causing the thread to tuft. Think of tufting as a controlled form of matting resulting in a fuzzy texture.
Ever want to know what to call the ribs on corduroy? Wales. The ribs, or wales, have different names based on the width of the wales. The more wales per inch there are, the finer the ribbing.
From the widest rib to the finest you have: Broadwale, Midwale, Pinwale, and Babycord.
Corduroy has been a popular fabric throughout the ages. It first grew in popularity in the 1700’s. And as you may remember, or not, I don’t know how old you are, the 1970’s saw a huge resurgence in it’s popularity. Think of bell bottoms and jackets in all kinds of colors. It has never reached that level of popularity since, which many are very thankful for.
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