Where does Worsted come from?

Worsted comes from Worstead, the United Kingdom, first documented in the 1100s.

Plate No. 090fabric

Combed yarn gives the clean, lean twill of suiting.

First documented: 1100s
Origin: Worstead, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Fiber: wool
Weave: twill or plain, from combed long-staple wool
Family: twills

Plate No. 090 · fabric

Worsted

Worsted is wool made smooth: the fibers are combed straight and parallel before spinning, the short ones combed out, so the yarn is fine, strong, and lean, and the cloth shows a clear weave and a crisp finish instead of a fuzzy nap. It is the opposite of woolen, where the fibers are left jumbled and lofty. Most tailored suiting is worsted, which is why a good suit holds a sharp line and a pressed crease; the cloth takes its name from the Norfolk village of Worstead, a medieval wool town.

Named for

Named for Worstead, the Norfolk village whose Flemish-settled weavers made the smooth combed-wool cloth.

Common questions

What is Worsted made of?: Worsted is wool made smooth: the fibers are combed straight and parallel before spinning, the short ones combed out, so the yarn is fine, strong, and lean, and the cloth shows a clear weave and a crisp finish instead of a fuzzy nap.
Where does Worsted come from?: Worsted comes from Worstead, the United Kingdom, first documented in the 1100s.
What is Worsted named after?: Named for Worstead, the Norfolk village whose Flemish-settled weavers made the smooth combed-wool cloth.