Jean Cloth & other Fabric definitions:
Jean: A cloth made of Vertical (Warp) Cotton fibers, with Horizontal (Weft) Wool fibers, with more Wool fibers than cotton, in a diagonal (Twill) weave. Jean also was produced in all cotton, much like our modern Denim material, and presents a different face on the front than the back. Also, because of the type of weave, Jean is some of the strongest natural fabric you can produce.
Ifyou look at a piece of Jean Cloth, you will note that the
WOOL thread is passing
over 2 cotton threads, then going
under 1 cotton thread, then
over 2 Cotton...
With having MORE cotton threads UNDER (Backside) the Wool filler threads, you see a LIGHTER color on the BACKSIDE of your material, because the cotton is lighter colored.
Now, the interesting part is that ONE of the 2
cotton threads passing under the wool thread, is then separated from it's "partner" and goes OVER the next wool thread, hence the SINGLE Cotton thread on the front…sort of "INTERLOCKING" everything together.
There will be differences in thread thickness, color, & texture, from one lot of jean material to another. But for now this helps break it down to the basics.
When you read a description of a Jacket made of Jean material, or other type of fabrics used, you will have an idea on what they are talking about. Such as this example as on Geoff Walden’s Columbus Depot Jacket Website…
http://authentic-campaigner.com/articles/walden/cdjacket.htm
“surviving originals were all made on a pattern of 6-piece bodies, with 1-piece rather full sleeves tapering to the cuffs. The body pieces curve into a short rounded "tail" in the center of the back on most of the jackets. All are made of a wool-cotton jean cloth (a woolen weft on a cotton warp, apparently unbleached or brown in some of the jackets), woven to a 1/2 twill. (In other words, the loom was filled with a foundation (warp) of the cotton threads, then the wool threads were woven into these, passing over two and under one of the cotton threads; the jean twill effect comes from alternating the cotton warp thread that shows through on the finished side.) The jackets have collars and straight cuff trim about 2-1/2 inches wide of a medium or indigo blue kersey weave wool (not jean). The linings were made from a white or unbleached cotton tabby weave osnaburg.”
So what about all these other fancy words Geoff uses in describing the material these Jackets were made of?
Read on…
Kersey: A coarse twill woven narrow woolen cloth, fulled to hide the cotton threads & finished with a short nap. Often having a pronounced diagonal ribbing.
Satinette: Coat weight material that is cotton warp, wool weft, made to appear uniform (smooth) and fine like broadcloth.
Broadcloth: A densely woven wool cloth, fulled to a smooth, short nap that obscures the weave, to the point of being almost light reflective.
Cassinette: An extremely fine version of Satinette, with the weave dense enough to not be discernable.
Cassimere: A plain or
2/2 twill woolen or cotton cloth used for suits or Jackets.
Cottonade: Plain woven twilled coat-weight cotton cloth with a nap.
Osnaburg: A plain unfinished appearing cotton weave material.
Weft: Horizontal threads in fabric
Warp: Vertical threads in fabric
Full: Practice or raising fibers from the fabric to obscure the weave.
Nap: Fibers raised from fabric to obscure the weave.
Twill: fabric woven in such a manner that the weave is diagonal.
Tabby: A weave that is a simple "square" pattern of one thread under, one over, as opposed to the twill pattern of jean or kersey
Worsted: A smooth compact yarn of long wool fibers for firm napless fabrics. (Wool suit material is often “worsted”)
There are other definitions, but these seem to be ones that you see when you read about Uniform material. I hope this helps!
Kevin Dally