What does flannelette mean?
Flannelette is a soft, lightweight cotton fabric whose surface has been lightly brushed to raise a nap, giving it the warm, fuzzy feel of wool flannel at a fraction of the cost. Developed in the nineteenth century as an economical imitation of flannel, it became a staple of everyday domestic life, prized for sheets, pillowcases, pyjamas, nightgowns, and shirts. The word is used mainly in Britain and other Commonwealth countries; American speakers generally refer to similar cloth simply as flannel or brushed cotton. Flannelette carries cosy connotations of winter beds and comfortable old clothes, though its raised fibres also make it more flammable than smooth cotton — a concern significant enough to inspire British nightwear safety regulations. As a term it remains firmly attached to homely comfort rather than high fashion.
nounA soft, lightweight cotton fabric with a slightly napped surface that imitates wool flannel, used especially for shirts, nightwear, and sheets.
- A soft, napped cotton fabric resembling wool flannel, typically used for sheets, shirts, and nightwear.
"She changed the bed to warm flannelette sheets as soon as the cold weather set in."
"The nurse smoothed a clean flannelette sheet over the hospital bed."
"He wore an old flannelette shirt against the chill of the early morning."
Rarely used; flannelette normally functions as an uncountable material name, with plural reference expressed through items such as 'flannelette sheets'.
"The linen cupboard held several soft flannelettes for the winter months."
Flannelette was once so beloved for British children's nightclothes that it prompted national safety legislation — its brushed surface caught fire so easily that the UK introduced dedicated nightwear flammability regulations.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of flannelette
Flannelette arose in the nineteenth century from 'flannel', a soft woven fabric long made of wool, combined with the French-style diminutive suffix '-ette' to signal a lighter, cheaper cotton imitation. The ultimate source of the word 'flannel' itself is uncertain, though it is often traced to Welsh 'gwlanen', meaning a woollen article. The '-ette' element links flannelette to a family of coined fabric and object names such as leatherette.
How flannelette is actually used
The term is chiefly British and Commonwealth usage; in North America the equivalent fabric is more often simply called 'flannel' or 'brushed cotton'. It is an everyday, non-technical word associated with warmth, comfort, and modest household budgets.
Easily confused with flannelette
Flannel traditionally refers to a soft woven fabric of wool or a wool blend, whereas flannelette is a cheaper all-cotton fabric given a flannel-like nap by brushing.