Cord Fabric

The Rib Is the Working Feature

A ribbed surface is not decoration pasted onto a cloth; it changes how the cloth performs. Raised cords take abrasion first, sparing the ground weave between them, which is one reason cord fabrics earned their reputation for durability in trousers and work clothing. The channels between cords trap still air, adding warmth without weight — the reason corduroy is favored in colder seasons. And the rib gives a plain-colored cloth visual depth, since each cord catches light on one side and shadows on the other, so a cord garment reads as textured rather than flat even in a single dye lot. Specifying a cord fabric therefore starts with the rib: its width, its height and whether it is made of cut pile, as in corduroy, or of weave structure alone, as in whipcord and Bedford cord.

Cord's Family: Corduroy, Whipcord and Bedford Cord

Three fabrics cover most of what the trade means by cord. Corduroy builds its ribs from extra weft yarns that are cut after weaving to stand as tufted pile, graded by wale — wide wale for trousers, fine or needlecord for shirts and dresses. Whipcord builds its rib from the weave itself, a steep, hard twill traditionally in worsted wool for breeches, uniforms and hard-wearing suits; nothing is cut, so nothing can shed, and the rib is sharper and more diagonal. Bedford cord sits between them, a woven rib with the cords formed by paired warp threads and no pile at all, used for trousers and uniforms where a corduroy look is wanted with a flatter, tougher surface. A buyer told a garment is cord should ask which of the three is meant — their care, cost and lifespan differ more than their silhouettes do.