Cretonne

By | May 18, 2016
Cretonne in a textile mill's sample book, dated 1872. Source: V&A Museum.

Cretonne in a textile mill’s sample book, dated 1872. Source: V&A Museum.

Part of the ‘Antique Fabrics’ series, this fabric isn’t necessarily extinct, but it was more popular in the past than the present.

A sturdy fabric woven with a hemp warp and linen weft. Used for coats and harder-wearing clothes in the 19th century.

Today, cretonne is a mid-weight fabric, usually cotton, printed with a floral motif. One of my books insist that all cotton cretonnes are percale cotton. It can also be made with linen and synthetic fibers.

Cretonne, calico, chintz and percale are all the same fabrics when they come off the loom, but they are differentiated by their various finishes.

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