Western Plaid & Flannel Shirts

(Flannel is a type of Fabric Weave) Flannel is a soft woven fabric, of varying fineness. Flannel was originally made from carded wool or worsted yarn, but is now often made from either wool, cotton, or synthetic fiber. Flannel is commonly used to make tartan clothing, blankets, bed sheets, sleepwear, and several other uses. Flannel may be brushed to create extra softness or remain unbrushed. Brushing is a mechanical process wherein a fine metal brush rubs the fabric to raise fine fibres from the loosely spun yarns to form a nap on one or both sides. If the flannel is not napped, it gains its softness through the loosely spun yarn in its woven form. The term "flannel shirt" is often mistakenly used to refer to any shirt with a plaid or tartan pattern. However, 'flannel' refers simply to the fabric; not all flannel shirts are plaid and not all plaid shirts are flannel. (Plaid is a Fabric Design Pattern) A synonym for tartan cloth, primarily in North American English. Outside of Scotland, tartan is sometimes also known as "plaid" (particularly in North America). (Tartan is a type of Fabric Design Pattern) Tartan which is Scottish is a patterned cloth with crossing horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours, forming simple or complex rectangular patterns. Tartans originated in woven wool, but are now made in other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland, and Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns.