Definition
Broadcloth making refers to the traditional craft and later trade of producing woolen broadcloth — densely woven and subsequently fulled wool fabrics. Cloth makers wove wool yarns into a raw woven fabric and finished it through fulling, napping, and shearing, resulting in a closed, felt-like surface. This process was a central branch of European textile production for centuries and formed the basis for heavy, weather-resistant fabrics used in clothing and equipment.
Use in the textile industry
In the modern textile industry, the principles of broadcloth making continue in woolen yarn weaving and wool fabric finishing. Fulled wool woven fabrics are used today for outerwear such as coats and suits, for uniform fabrics, and for technical applications such as filter cloths and billiard table coverings. Key properties of these fabrics are their dimensional stability, thermal insulation, and the density achieved through fulling, which repels water and wind.
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