# corduroy ![[220px-mansestr.jpg|300]] cotton corduroy ![[220px-cord1.jpg|300]] cotton and woolen corduroy corduroy is a textile with a distinctively raised "cord" or wale texture. modern corduroy is most commonly composed of tufted cords sometimes exhibiting a channel (bare to the base fabric) between them. both velvet and corduroy derive from fustian fabric. corduroy looks as if it is made from multiple cords laid parallel to each other # etymology the word corduroy is from cord and duroy a coarse woollen cloth made in england in the 18th century. although the origin of duroy is not attested and although its likely meaning is du roi (of the king) it does not follow that the full phrase corde du roi derives from the cord of the king. this is probably a false etymology # variations corduroy is made by weaving extra sets of fibre into the base fabric to form vertical ridges called wales. the wales are built so that clear lines can be seen when they are cut into pile corduroy is considered a durable cloth and is found in the construction of trousers jackets and shirts. the width of the wales varies between fabric styles and is specified by wale count - the number of wales per inch. a wale is a column of loops running lengthwise corresponding to the warp of woven fabric. the lower the number the thicker the wales' width (eg 4-wale is much thicker than 11-wale.) wale count per inch can vary from 1.5 to 21 although the traditional standard is usually between 10 and 12. wide wale is more commonly used in trousers and furniture upholstery (primarily couches); medium narrow and fine wale fabrics are usually found in garments worn above the waist ![[corduroycomparisonmacro.jpg|300]] graphite-coloured standard corduroy to the left showing approx 7 wales-per-inch with brown needlecord at 16 wales to the inch the primary types of corduroy are **+** standard wale at 11 wales/inch available in many colours **+** pincord (also called pinwale or needlecord) the finest cord with a count at the upper end of the spectrum (above 16) **+** pigment dyed/printed corduroy- where the fabric is coloured or printed with pigment dyes. the dye is applied to the surface; then the garment is cut and sewn. when washed during the final manufacturing phase the pigment dye washes out in an irregular way creating a vintage look. because of these subtle colour variations no two garments of pigment-dyed corduroy are exactly alike and ir colour becomes softer with each washing ![[corderoys-1756.jpg|300]] 1756 advertisement mentioning "cordesoys" corduroy is traditionally used in making british country clothing even though its origin lies in items worn by townspeople in industrial areas. although it has existed for a long time and has been used in europe since the 18th century only in the 20th century did it become global notably expanding in popularity during the 1970s # other names other names are often used for corduroy. alternative names include: corded velveteen elephant cord (the thick-stripes version) pin cord manchester cloth and cords in continental europe corduroy is known as "cord" "rib cord" or "rib velvet" - in parts of europe such as germany the czech republic slovakia the netherlands and belgium it used to be simply known as "manchester" - that still remains the current name for corduroy in swedish. in portugal corduroy is associated with a completely different type of fabric "bombazine" and is referred to as such. in greece and cyprus they are known as kotle pants. in iran they are referred to as "makhmal kebrity" (velvet matchstick) or just "kebrity" (matchstick) pants as the width of a cord resembles that of a matchstick # see also **+** bedford cord **+** corduroy road **+** corduroy children's picture book by don freeman **+** corduroy countryside book by adrian bell published in 1930 **+** passwords used to check for possession by supernatural forces // republic of bob