FLANNEL

an all-wool fabric, woven plain, and at one time largely used for all kinds of underwear. Its only defect was the natural property of shrinking brought about by the milling or fulling action due to absorption of perspiration and to repeated washings. The wool may now be treated to minimizo this defect, but within the last two decades such cloth has been largely supplanted by various kinds of hosiery fabrics, and somewhat similar openwork woven fabrics for next-to-skin wear. Flannel cloth is still largely used for children’s underwear, sports suits, shirts, and the like, either in whites, greys, fawns, or decorated with coloured stripes. The cloth is made in all the countries of the United Kingdom, but principally in West Yorkshire, East Lancashire, West of Kngland, and Wales. Union flannel (so-called) shirtings are often striped with cotton threads for cheapne and to minimize shrinkage.