Where does Barathea come from?

Barathea comes from the United Kingdom, England, first documented in the 1800s.

Plate No. 098fabric

The pebbled matte surface of the correct evening cloth.

First documented: 1800s
Origin: England, United Kingdom
Fiber: wool, silk
Weave: broken-rib pebbled weave
Family: twills

Plate No. 098 · fabric

Barathea

Barathea is a finely pebbled cloth with a soft, broken-rib texture and almost no sheen, woven on a small twill-derived hopsack-like structure that scatters light into a granular matte surface. In black silk it is the correct cloth for the dinner jacket's lapels and the bow tie; in fine wool it makes regimental and club neckties and quiet formal suits. Its whole job is to be richly textured and utterly without shine, the discreet formal alternative to satin.

Illustration: a gentlemens club cloakroom at night, black dinner jackets on a rail, a brass lamp, dark panelled walls — A gentlemens club cloakroom at night, black dinner jackets on a rail, a brass lamp, dark panelled walls.

Named for

A coined trade name of the nineteenth century, of no certain root.

Common questions

What is Barathea made of?: Barathea is a finely pebbled cloth with a soft, broken-rib texture and almost no sheen, woven on a small twill-derived hopsack-like structure that scatters light into a granular matte surface. It is traditionally made of wool or silk.
Where does Barathea come from?: Barathea comes from the United Kingdom, England, first documented in the 1800s.
What is Barathea named after?: A coined trade name of the nineteenth century, of no certain root.