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FLANNEL
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FLANNEL , a woollen stuff of various degrees of See also:weight and fineness, made usually from loosely spun See also:yarn. The origin of the word is uncertain, but in the 16th See also:century flannel was a well-known See also:production of See also:Wales, and a Welsh origin has been suggested. The See also:French See also:form flanelle was used See also:late in the 17tli century, and the Ger. Flanell See also:early in the 18th century, See also:Baize, a See also:kind of coarse flannel with a See also:long See also:nap, is said to have been first introduced to See also:England about the See also:middle of the 16th century by refugees from See also:France and the See also:Netherlands. The manufacture of flannel has naturally undergone changes, and, in some cases, deteriorations. Flannels are frequently made with an admixture of See also:silk or See also:cotton, and in See also:low varieties cotton has tended to become the predominant See also:factor. Formerly a See also:short See also:staple See also:wool of See also:fine quality from a Southdown variety of the See also:Sussex breed was principally in favour with the flannel manufacturers of See also:Rochdale, who also used largely the wool from the See also:Norfolk breed, a See also:cross between the Southdown and Norfolk See also:sheep. In Wales the short staple wool of the See also:mountain sheep was used, and in See also:Ireland that of the See also:Wicklow variety of the Cottagh breed, but now the New See also:Zealand, Cape and See also:South See also:American wools are extensively employed, and See also:English wools are not commonly used alone. Over 2000 persons are employed in flannel manufacture in Rochdale alone, which is the historic seat of the See also:industry, and a See also:good See also:deal of flannel is- now made in the Spen Valley See also:district, See also:Yorkshire. Blankets, which constitute a See also:special See also:branch of the flannel See also:trade, are largely made at See also:Bury in See also:Lancashire and See also:Dewsbury in Yorkshire. Welsh flannels have a high reputation, and make an important industry in See also:Montgomeryshire. There are also flannel manufactories in Ireland. A moderate export trade in flannel is done by See also:Great See also:Britain. The following table gives the quantities exported during three years: 1904. 1905. 1906. Yards . . 9,758,300 9,220,500 8,762,200 In 1877 the export was 9,273,429 yds., so it appears that this trade has varied comparatively little. The imports of flannel are not very large. Many so-called flannels have been made with a large admixture of cotton, but the Merchandise Marks See also:Act has done something to limit the indiscriminate use of names. Unquestionably the development of the flannel trade has been checked by the great increase in the production of flannelettes, the better qualities of which have become, formidable competitors with flannel. There must, however, be a See also:regular and large demand for flannel while theory and experience confirm its value as a clothing particularly suitable for immediate contact with the See also:body. Additional information and CommentsThere are no comments yet for this article.
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