Butcher's linen

Butcher's linen (Butcher linen) was a strong heavy linen cloth. It was a strong and durable fabric used primarily for butchers' aprons.^[1][2]

Weave

It was a plain weave fabric made with coarse linen yarns.^[1] The fabric was rough, stiff and heavy. Linen was mostly used for Butcher's Linen due to its simple washability, but cotton was also used in some cases.^[3][4]

Use

Butcher's linen was initially used for aprons of waitresses and butchers^[4] jackets,^[5] and later used as a dress material and backing for starched shirt fronts.^[1]

References

1. Darby, William Dermot (1926). Linen, the Emblem of Elegance: A Survey of Linen Manufacture from the New Material to the Finished Product, Including a Brief History of Linen and a Dictionary of Linen Fabrics, Supplemented by Chapters on the Merchandising, Display, and Advertising of Linens in the Store. Dry Goods Economist. p. 55.
2. "Definition of BUTCHER LINEN". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
3. Dyer, Elizabeth (1927). Textile Fabrics. Houghton Mifflin. p. 280.
4. Reich, Edward; Siegler, Carlton John (1947). Consumer Goods, how to Know and Use Them. American Book Company. p. 81.
5. Lewandowski, Elizabeth J. (2011). The Complete Costume Dictionary. Scarecrow Press. p. 43. ISBN 978-0-8108-4004-1.