Fabric question

Dear Cindy,

Real barkcloth is just what the name says; it's a cloth made from pounded bark. The bark has resin and fibers in it to hold it together. However, there are home dec fabrics that resemble bark and are called bark cloth, but are made from the usual fabrics. If it's all cotton, the "bark" effect will be removed with washing. It's also scratchy, and wouldn't be suitable for Hawaiian shirts.

Teri

Cloth made from bark is called tapa or kapa, depending on dialect. (I've probably spelled that wrong.) Making tapa is a *lot* of work, and it isn't washable, so it's very rarely used for clothing if cotton or linen is available, even though rumor has it that tapa is much more comfortable in hot weather than any other fabric. (The only sample I've seen was a very coarse specimen made to sell to tourists.)

(Sudden thought: some of the better grades of modern paper would probably be a good substitute for tapa. I wonder whether anyone still knows how to wear it?)

When people say "barkcloth", they mean an irregular weave that resembles bark. Those that I've seen were meant for drapes, but washed up very soft and wrinkle-shed and made good clothing, though perhaps a bit warm for short-sleeved shirts.

But it's been many years since I've seen cotton barkcloth, and fabric names aren't fixed: down through the ages, fabric vendors have subscribed to Humpty-Dumpty's philosophy: "words mean what I want them to mean". In particular, the names of thick fabrics get applied to thinner and thinner fabrics, and cheap fabrics will be given the names of fabrics they are supposed to resemble: "flannel" used to be a woolen fabric, and when rayon was cheap, a thick, plain-woven rayon was called "butcher linen". (Nowadays they don't even put in a warning adjective, so it's best to check the fiber content of any "linen" you buy.)

A new fabric, such as 200-count, may steal the name of an older fabric, such as percale. Or an ancient fabric is given a new name so that it may be marketed as an innovation. (Azlon becoming "soy silk", for example.)

Threads vary too: dental tape, though better than floss for cleaning teeth, is always marked "floss" on the box, which is rather annoying for those who want floss for sewing on buttons -- and even more annoying for those with a popcorn husk stuck in tightly-spaced teeth that shred floss.

Joy Beeson

Cotton barkcloth here:

, where it says "It's termed "Barkcloth" because this fabric has a texture similar to, but much less pronounced than the bark of a tree. Made of 100% cotton, it has a very rich look and feel! It's also a very versatile fabric....you can create everything from stylish shirts, shorts, and dresses...to custom curtains, pillow cases, and upholstery for your favorite chair or sofa. Barkcloth is thicker, more substantial than a standard cotton or poly/cotton fabric. Also known as "Dobby"...it is extremely durable, and long lasting."

It's not what I think of as dobby, which is a small repeated woven motif on a plain woven background.

There are lots of other Hawaiian fabrics on the same site. I've never ordered from them but I've heard they're good.