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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 century flannel was a well-known production of See also: Wales, and a Welsh origin has been
suggested
.
The French See also: form flanelle was used See also: late in the 17tli century, and the Ger
.
Flanell early in the 18th century, Baize, a kind of coarse flannel with a 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 low varieties cotton has tended to become the predominant factor
.
Formerly a See also: short See also: staple 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 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 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 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 Montgomeryshire
.
There are also flannel manufactories in Ireland
.
A moderate export trade in flannel is done by See also: Great 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
.
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No mention on the connection "textile flannel" and alchemist Nicholas Flannel. Why ?
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