Calico
Heavy plain-woven cotton fabric from Calicut, India.
Calico is a heavy plain-woven textile made from unbleached, and often not fully processed, cotton, sometimes containing unseparated husk parts. It is coarser than muslin but less coarse and thick than canvas or denim, and remains very cheap owing to its unfinished and undyed appearance. The fabric originated in the city of Calicut in southwestern India, where it was made by traditional weavers called cāliyans, and its dyed and printed versions became popular in Europe.
- Origin
- Calicut, India (11th century)
- Also known as
- chaliyan
- Field
- Textile manufacturing
- Notable for
- Cheap plain-woven cotton fabric; basis for calico printing and calico cat coat color
- Historical role
- Subject of British Calico Acts and trade disputes
- Production peak
- 20,000,000 pieces of printed cloth in Lancashire in 1850
Lore & Background
Calico originated in Calicut, India, during the 11th century, where it was known as 'chaliyan'. The cloth was woven using Gujarati cotton from Surat for both warp and weft. By the 15th century, calico from Gujarat appeared in Cairo, then capital of the Mamluk Sultanate, and trade with Europe followed from the 17th century onwards.
In the 18th century, cheap calico prints imported by the East India Company from Hindustan became popular in England, threatening the domestic woollen industry. This led to the Calico Acts, starting in 1700, which prohibited import of dyed or printed calicoes from India, China, or Persia. Demand then shifted to imported grey cloth (unfinished calico), which was printed in southern England. Lancashire manufacturers produced fustian (linen warp with cotton weft) and exploited exemptions in later acts, such as the 1736 Manchester Act.
Calico printing evolved from early Indian chintz produced with painting techniques to wooden block printing, and later to copper roller printing patented by Thomas Bell in 1783. By 1850, Lancashire produced an estimated 20,000,000 pieces of printed cloth. In the late 19th century, overcapacity led to industry combines, including the Calico Printers' Association in 1899, which represented 85% of British printing capacity. A trade association set minimum prices until 1954, when it was challenged by the government Monopolies Commission.
Reader's Guide
Calico holds significance as a foundational textile in global trade and industrial history. Originating in 11th-century India, it became a major commodity in European markets, particularly after the 17th century. Its cheapness and versatility made it popular, but also sparked protectionist legislation in England—the Calico Acts of 1700 and 1720—which aimed to shield the domestic woollen industry. These acts inadvertently spurred innovation in Lancashire, where manufacturers developed fustian and later dominated cotton printing. The evolution of calico printing from hand-painting to block printing and then to mechanized roller printing (patented in 1783 and commercially applied by 1785) dramatically increased production, from 50,000 pieces in 1750 to 20 million in 1850. This industrialization foreshadowed the broader textile mechanization of the Industrial Revolution. Calico also played a role in political protests: the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves in calico as Indians during the Boston Tea Party, and participants in the Anti-Rent War used similar disguises. Linguistically, the term 'calico' diverged: in Europe it refers to the fabric, while in the United States it denotes the printed design, giving rise to the term 'calico cat' for a coat color pattern. The fabric's legacy persists in modern terminology for bags, crabs, and goldfish.
Did You Know?
- Calico was originally made by traditional weavers called cāliyans in Calicut, India.
- The first of the Calico Acts in 1700 prevented import of dyed or printed calicoes from India, China, or Persia.
- Thomas Bell patented a copper-roller printing technique for calico in 1783.
- In the US, 'calico' refers to the printed design, not the fabric itself, and gave its name to the calico cat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is Calico?
Calico is a sturdy, plain-woven cotton textile made from unbleached and often only partially processed cotton, sometimes with small husk fragments still visible in the threads. It sits between muslin and canvas in coarseness, and its raw, undyed finish keeps the cost very low.
Where and when did Calico originate?
The fabric traces back to the city of Calicut in southwestern India, where local weavers known as cāliyans (also called chaliyan) were producing it by the 11th century. Its dyed and printed variants later became widely popular across European markets.
How does Calico differ from similar fabrics like muslin or denim?
Calico is noticeably coarser than muslin yet thinner and less dense than canvas or denim. Its defining trait is the lack of full processing and dyeing, which gives it a plain, unfinished look and keeps production costs minimal.
What role did Calico play in British trade and legislation?
The fabric became the target of the British Calico Acts, a series of laws that restricted the import and use of printed Indian cotton to shield domestic wool and silk producers. By 1850, Lancashire alone was turning out roughly twenty million pieces of printed calico cloth, underscoring how central the trade had become.
What lasting legacy does Calico have beyond textiles?
The name "calico" also describes the multicolored coat pattern found in certain cats, and the printing techniques first perfected on calico cloth helped shape modern textile printing. It stands as one of India's most recognizable contributions to global material culture.
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