Broadcloth

Broadcloth is mainly used to describe a closely woven woollen material with a velvety nap and a high lustre called ‘Wool Broadcloth’ or a plain weave cotton fabric with a very fine crosswise rib, named ‘Cotton Broadcloth.’ The term broadcloth can also be a generic name for closely woven fabrics made from other materials such as silk and synthetic fibres. The name Broadcloth originates from the Middle Ages where it was used to refer to a high quality, dense woollen fabric made on a wide loom. The term now usually refers to a fabrics quality rather than its width as the phrase ‘Broadcloth’ suggests.