Herringbone (cloth)

Herringbone, also called broken twill weave,^[1] describes a distinctive V-shaped weaving pattern usually found in twill fabric. It is distinguished from a plain chevron by the break at reversal, which makes it resemble a broken zigzag. The pattern is called herringbone because it resembles the skeleton of a herring fish.^[2] Herringbone-patterned fabric is usually wool, and is one of the most popular cloths used for suits and outerwear.^[3] Tweed cloth is often woven with a herringbone pattern.

Donegal tweed (an example of herringbone)

Reversible camouflage HBTs

Fatigue uniforms made from cotton in this weave were used by several militaries during and after World War II; in US use, they were often called HBTs.^[4][5]

History

Various herringbone weaves have been found in antiquity:

• A pair of woolen leggings found in the permafrost of the Italian-Austrian Alps have a 2:2 herringbone weave, dating to 800 to 500 BC.^[6]
• A dark blue cloth with a 2:2 herringbone weave was found at Murabba'at Cave in Israel, from the Roman period.^[6][7]
• A textile with a 2:2 herringbone weave was found at Pompeii, from 79 AD.^[6]
• An illustration of a cloth having a herringbone weave from Antinoöpolis in Greece from 130 AD.^[8]
• The Falkirk Tartan, a wool 2:2 herringbone tartan found at Vindolanda in England from around 240 AD.^[9][10]

See also

• Herringbone pattern