Woolen Cloth

Kochan & Phillips Historical Textiles
In the 1980's James Kochan and Sean Phillips were independently doing primary-source research on the cloth being produced and used for miliary and naval dress of the 18th and 19th century. James has been active in the reenacting community since the 1980's, and is well known as an author of several books and articles, a dealer in 18th and 19th C. militaria, and was the former curator at Morristown NHP, and several other prominant American historic sites. Sean is a historian from England and his family has been involved in the Yorkshire woolen trade for generations. Both James and Sean wished to reproduce the quality woolen cloth that was equal in weave, milling, finish and hand to the original cloth samples and clothing artifacts that they had examined in numerous museums, archives, and private collections. James and Sean pooled their research and found a mill in England willing to produce the cloth to their specifications.

So after many years of research on the cloth being produced and used for the 18th century military, James Kochan and Sean Phillips are having custom woven in England broadcloths and kerseys unlike any other cloth commercially available today. This cloth is woven using the instructions laid out in a notebook of a weaver who supplied the British Army in 1812 and made cloth to meet their specifications. This weaver's notebook specified every detail of manufacture, from the type of sheep used to create the yarn, to the weight and width of the raw cloth, to the fulling and napping procedures. To achieve authentic colors, spectral color analysis was used to create dyes to match the colors of original cloth swatches in museums, archives, and on original uniforms. The result is cloth that has the same appearance, weave, milling, finish and hard hand to cloth made in the late 18th century and that will wear and drape much better than any other cloth available today. If you are making a military uniform or civilian clothing and want the most authentic cloth available, this is the cloth to use. If you need a color not stocked, even just a few yards, it can be provided for approximately $10 more per yard. Please inquire for more information.

Most colors listed below will be kept in stock at all times. However, inevitably I will err on predicting demand and will occasionally run out of a particular color. This is no reflection on the ability of Kochan & Phillips to produce the cloth, just my lack of a good crystal ball to know when I need to order more of a particular color. Once I realize that a certain color is needed it generally takes a few months to get the cloth, but may take longer if the color is not in high demand. Some of the colors will be special orders, and run in smaller yardages which will result in a higher price per yard. Other merchants are now stocking Kochan & Phillips cloths, so if I am out of stock or you are looking for a color or weave I don’t list, please check with Needle & Thread of Gettysburg PA (www.woodedhamlet.com) or William Booth, Draper of Racine WI (www.wmboothdraper.com).

Broadcloth was produced in various grades ranging from Common to Superfine. The grade is dependent upon the quality of wool used, the number of threads per inch, and the weight per square yard. Common broadcloth is the heaviest and made from the coarsest wool yarns, and have the fewest ends and picks (warp and weft) per inch. Common Broadcloths are plain weave, approx 15-17 oz per square yard, .07" thick, and 52-56" wide. Kerseys are twill weave, approx 15-16 oz per square yard, .07" thick, and 50-56" wide. Common Broadcloth was primarily used to make uniform coats, civilian coats, and smallclothes. Kersey was used to make smallclothes, jackets, cloaks, watchcoats, and some of the French contract/lottery coats. Thus for many applications, the use of either broadcloth or kersey is authentic, and both will hold a raw edge. The broadcloth and kersey are well fulled and napped so you cannot see the weave on their top side, the broadcloth is also fulled and napped on the reverse side, whereas the kersey reverse side is finished so the twill weave is visible.

All the Broadcloth and Kersey are $56.00/yd.
Special order Broadcloths and Kerseys are $60.00/yd

Silk Thread to match these textiles can be found on the Thread page.

Natural White - Excellent for smallclothes and coat facings. The Natural White Kersey matches original War of 1812 period US Army samples and also closely matched to British clothier patterns. Kersey was typically used for British other ranks vests and legwear during the 18th to early 19th century. Available in broadcloth or kersey 56" wide (only 3 ½ yds kersey in stock). A 10" wide piece of broadcloth, enough for facings, is available for $12.

Pale Buff - special order broadcloth. A color match to 27th and 40th Regiment of Foot c.1768 facing cloth and a 27th Regiment of Foot c.1812 tailors pattern.

Buff - A color match to an original 1812 US Army Quartermaster samples of captured British buff broadcloth, and an original 1812 coat of the British 104th Regiment of Foot. Among the many uses are British or American facings and smallclothes. 53" wide.

Pale Yellow - From a circa 1811 British pattern for regimental facing cloth. This is a special order broadcloth currently in stock.

Bright Yellow - A color match to the facing color for the 10th and 29th Foot. This is a special order broadcloth currently in stock.

Deep Indigo Blue - Formerly listed as Dark Blue or Federal Blue. The blue cloth ordered by the various State and Continental agents from French, Dutch, and Spanish sources varied in shade. Not all blue cloth used by the Continental Army was French Royal Blue, though that shade was specified by written contract for the lottery coats. This shade of blue was used on coats worn by Gansevoort, Tilghman, civilians, and perhaps by many Continental units with blue regimental coats that were not part of the French 1778 and later contracts. This matches cloth samples for the Federal period, US Army uniform coats and trousers of the period 1806-1840's, and Royal Artillery cloth samples of the early-mid 19th century. 50" wide.

Grass Green - This shade of green is a match to French-made patterns for the Continental Marines and Continental Light Dragoons, French dragoons and hussars, and an exact match to an original 18th C. German Jaegers coat, and the color of the Tarleton jacket. Many Provincial/Loyalist troops could use grass green, though the darker full green cloth may be preferable to some units. The grass green color also is a match to an 1812 cloth pattern for the US Army, a circa 1810 NY militia rifle coatee, and an 1832 US Marine Corps coat. Out of Stock - I don't know when more will be available.

Full Green - A darker shade of green broadcloth, but not as dark as bottle green. This may be the proper shade of green for some Provincial/Loyalist infantry coats. The color was taken from a pattern in a British military tailors notebook for the11th Regiment of Foot, c.1810. Out of Stock - I don't know when more will be available.

Bottle Green - Taken from a pattern in a tailors notebook for a British rifle corps c.1800. The British rifle coats were made of broadcloth and their pantaloons and trousers were made of kersey. Available in broadcloth, 53" wide.

Mixed Gray - Prior to the 1740's Mixed Gray kersey was used for Royal Navy sailor jackets and breeches, and specified in all of the slop contracts that survive from the 1710-1730s, plus it was probably the most common color, followed by madder, for the English Civil War armies. Mixed Gray has a long tradition of usage, especially for the the dress of sailors, tradespeople, farmers, laborers, etc. This color was used by British naval and some Continental troops, such as the 3rd New York Reg't. This broadcloth has a different weave when compared to the other broadcloths listed here, but is an exact match of the weave of original mixed gray British Army pantaloons and other 18th C. civilian and military coatings of mixed gray. Available in 56" wide broadcloth, or 55" wide kersey.

Black - For use in regimental facings, spatterdashes/half-gaiters and civilian clothing. Available in broadcloth, 53" wide.

Madder Red - Primarily intended for use on British regimentals. This shade of madder is the most common found on extant British military coats of the mid to late 18th C. This color is matched to three original British Army other ranks coats of the late 18th - early 19th C., and an original pattern swatch for British infantry coats, circa 1820, found in War Office records. Available in broadcloth and kersey. Madder Red kerseys were used for Royal Navy slop jackets.

Dark Madder Red - This shade of madder is also found on extant British military coats of the 18th and 19th C., but not as common seen as the Madder Red listed above. This broadcloth is also used by some recreated Rev War and 1812 British units that wish a madder on the dark end of the acceptable madder color range. The color is obtained from a receipt for madder red published in 1809. Out of Stock - I don't know when more will be available.

Brown - Matched to an original late 18th C. coating swatch in a French military clothier's book in the A.S.K. Brown Military Collection (Brown University, Providence R.I.) This is great for for French made Lottery coats or early war American bounty coats. The kersey is correct for F&I and Rev War slop/sailors jackets. Available in 54" wide broadcloth or kersey. A 40" length of 53" wide broadcloth is available for $50.

Pale (Jersey) Drab - This is referred to as "cloth colored" in deserter, runaway, and other period clothing descriptions. Today you would call this color taupe or camel. This drab broadcloth is correct for F&I Provincials, early Rev War (such as the 3rd New Jersey), and working men's dress. Out of Stock - I don't know when more will be available.

NEW !

Bay - commonly used for coat linings (body and skirt) in the British and German marching regiments until 1802. Bay is plain weave, with a worsted warp and woolen weft. Warp is the thread that runs the length of the fabric, weft runs between the selvedge edges. Bay does not have a nap, unlike Baize which is like a thick flannel. Bay and Baize are quite different fabrics, and unfortunately the similiar sounding names were often misspelt and incorrectly used in period texts.

Unlike broadcloth and kersey, where you can lay out your pattern at slight angles to the warp, with bay you should lay out your pattern along the straight of goods (ie the warp). This is because the weft is shorter and coarser fibers, and thus relatively weak as compared to the warp. When setting in pockets, be sure to line around the pocket opening with Osnaburg or similiar fabric. This was done on an early 19th C. British army militia/fencibles jacket we examined. This will help keep the bay from sagging or tearing.

Bay is now available in Natural White ($32/yd) and colors ($36/yd): Mock Scarlet, British Blue, Buff, and Pale Buff. Bay is 52" wide, 5 oz/sq yd, .03" thick

Serge - natural white color, 8 oz/sq yd, 0.03" thick, 60" wide, From Abimelech-Hainsworth in England, this is a lightweight worsted twill used for coat linings (body and skirt) for British Foot Guards, horse units, and NCO's. Serge was also used by the French and Continental Army regiments, and in British standing army regiments of foot after 1802 when it replaced bay. $32/yd

Serge in Madder Red, Deep Indigo Blue, French Royal Blue, Buff, and Pale Buff may be available from James Kochan.

Officers Cloth from Kochan & Phillips Historical Textiles
James Kochan now has available various colors of superfine which is a superior quality plain weave English cloth used by officers and gentlemen. The price is approx $90 per yard. He also has glazed shalloon in various colors, which is used to line officers garments, for approx $46 per yard. I don't expect to be stocking these fabrics until late 2010, so contact James with your needs at JamesKochan@comcast.net