A stiff, coarse fabric typically made from cotton or linen and treated with starch or glue, used as interfacing to provide structure and support in garments. It is commonly used in hat-making, waistbands, and collar construction.
From Old French 'boquerant', possibly derived from Bukhara, the Central Asian city famous for its textiles. The fabric was originally a fine linen but evolved into the stiffened material we know today by the 14th century.
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