FLANNEL (OF. flonelle, of doubtful origin, possibly connected with OF. 'Mine. pillow-case. which seems to be derived from the Celtic; Tr. olann, wool. Welsh mobil?, Corn. glean, Bret.
gloan, linen, Lat. lane, Eng. wool; with Fr. /1 for ('elt. rl, as in Fr. arrow, from Ir. /km:). A woven fabric used chiefly for ing and other garments. Flannels are usually made of wool, with which may be combined or woven silk, linen, cotton, or worsted yarns. They are dyed in all shades of solid colors, and many are printed or embroidered with various designs and patterns. Vegetable or chemical coloring agents are largely used for dyeing, and in recent years the variety and brilliancy of coloring has been greatly increased. All-wool flannels, which were largely used years ago by working people, have not been manu factured recently so extensively, owing to the cheaper and more attractive fabrics produced by the admixture or use of cotton, although all-wool blue and scarlet flannels are still used largely by firemen, miners, sailors, and laborers. French
flannels are made of wool and worsted, or wool with silk warps in various grades, and are extensively used for women's garments. Canton flannels, so called, although made entirely of cot ton, have the face of the goods carefully napped or teasled. The fibres are fulled or felted and combed out so as to make a soft and fleecy sur face. Outing flannels are loosely woven fabrics of cotton which have been manufactured within the past twenty years, and have a napped face, and are made in many designs with attractive color ings. Domett flannels arc made with eaton warp and woolen filling, being manufactured in both plain and fancy colorings.
For detailed description of manufacture of flannels and other fabrics, see Wool AND Won STED MANUFACTURES.