Corduroy is a fabric that contains centuries of history, from 200BC to present day, It is always loved because of its timeless and unique characteristics.

Corduroy’s earliest ancestor was a cotton weave known as “fustian” which was developed in the Egyptian city of Fustat in 200 BC. It was locally popular for centuries, but it soared during the Medieval period when Italian merchants introduced the fabric to nobles throughout Western Europe. The aristocracy clamored for its warmth in the days before heating, including most notably, England’s King Henry VIII.

 

Corduroy is made by weaving extra sets of fiber into the base fabric to form vertical ridges called wales. The wales are built so that clear lines can be seen when they are cut into pile.

Corduroy is considered a durable cloth, and is found in the construction of apparel and home goods. The width of the wales varies between fabric styles, and is specified by wale count—the number of wales per inch. The lower the number, the thicker the wales' width (e.g., 4-wale is much thicker than 11-wale). Wale count per inch usually can vary from 1.5 to 21, the traditional standard is usually between 10 and 12, but at Corde du Roi, you can find pieces made with corduroy fabric that is 28 wale count per inch. Wide wale is more commonly used in pants and furniture upholstery (primarily couches); medium, narrow, and fine wale fabrics are usually found in garments worn above the waist.

The primary types of corduroy are:
  • Standard wale, at 11 wales/inch, available in many colors
  • Pincord (also called pinwale or needlecord), the finest cord, with a count at the upper end of the spectrum
  • Pigment dyed/printed corduroy/Reactive dyed, where the fabric is colored or printed with pigment dyes. The dye is applied to the surface, then the garment is cut and sewn. When washed during the final manufacturing phase, the pigment dye/reactive dye washes out in an irregular way, creating a vintage look. Because of these subtle color variations, no two garments of pigment-dyed/reactive-dyed corduroy are exactly alike, and their colors become softer with each washing.

 

Sulfuration is usually used in the process of corduroy. However, this process creates a large amount of toxic elements that harm the environment.

Corde du Roi promises that NO sulfide fabrics are used.

 

At Corde du Roi, premium quality corduroy is always promised.

we are proud of our products and are honored to start this magical journey with you.