Beetling is a textile finishing process, where linen or cotton fabric is pounded to produce a flat, lustrous effect.
Process
Beetling is a textile finishing method used to obtain an aesthetic finish (i.e. lustre) in cotton- or linen-based fabrics. The fabric is wetted and treated with potato starch, and then hammers repeatedly rise and fall on exposed fabric for over 100 hours. The finish imparts a lustrous and absorbent effect which is ideal for linen dishcloths. It also changes the texture of the fabric, stiffening it somewhat so that it is similar to leather.
History
Within Ireland, beetling was first introduced by Hamilton Maxwell in 1725. Beetling is part of the finishing of the linen cloth. The hammering tightens the weave and gives the cloth a smooth feel. The process was gradually phased out, in lieu of calendering. One similarity between beetling and calendering is the compression; however, with calendering, the finish does not remain for the life of the cloth, which distinguishes it from beetling.
Beetling mill
William Clark and Sons, based in Upperlands, Northern Ireland, are the last commercial beetling mill in the world and have been beetling on the same site since 1736.
21st century
In the 2020s, there was a surge of interest in beetled fabric, largely due to a 2020 Alexander McQueen collection focused on beetled linen.
See also
References
- Yotka, Steff (2020-04-09). "At Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton Celebrates the Importance of a Little-Known Craft". Vogue. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
- Joseph, Marjory L. (1992). Joseph's introductory textile science. Internet Archive. Fort Worth : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers. p. 340. ISBN 978-0-03-050723-6.
- ^ "Beetled linen, a one-off leather jacket and Angela Scanlon's new silver jewellery take centre stage at Brown Thomas CREATE showcase". Irish Independent. 2022-07-02. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
- Robert Whan, The Presbyterians of Ulster, 1680-1730, (Woodbridge, The Boydell Press, 2013), 80.
- "William Clark finishes for cotton and linen material". William Clark. Archived from the original on 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- "Alexander McQueen Utilizes Beetled Linen in an Elevated Spring 2020 Collection". V Magazine. 2020-03-31. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
- "Beetling back to relevance in 2021". www.innovationintextiles.com. Retrieved 2024-12-30.
External links
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