Corduroy facts for kids
Corduroy is a strong and popular fabric. It is made from twisted fibers woven together. When you look closely, you'll see parallel ridges, which make corduroy look striped. This special fabric is used for many things. You can find it in clothes like trousers, jackets, and shirts. It's also used for furniture, such as comfy couches.
The unique ridges you see on corduroy are called "wales." These wales can be wide or narrow. The number of wales is measured per inch. Corduroy can have anywhere from 1.5 to 21 wales per inch. Most often, it has between 10 and 12 wales per inch.
- Corduroy with fewer, wider wales is often used for trousers and furniture.
- Corduroy with more, narrower wales is usually found in shirts and jackets.
Some people believe the name corduroy comes from the French words corde du roi. This means the cord of the King. However, there is no real proof that this story is true.
Other Names for Corduroy
Corduroy is known by a few different names around the world. Here are some of them:
- Corded velveteen
- Elephant cord (for wider wales)
- Pin cord (for narrower wales)
- Manchester cloth
- Cords
In many parts of Europe, people often call corduroy "Manchester" or simply "Cord."
Images for kids
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Cotton corduroy fabric.
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Examples of cotton and woolen corduroy.
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An advertisement from 1756 mentioning "corderoys."
In Spanish: Pana para niños
