Cotton or wool fiber prepared in sheets or layers, commonly used for padding in quilts, blankets, or stuffed items.
From Middle English 'bat' (possibly from Old French 'batte'), referring to a bundle or beaten mass of fibers. The '-ing' suffix indicates the material or process. The term evolved from textile-making practices where fibers were literally beaten flat into sheets.
Batting was historically made by hand-carding fibers, and the process was so labor-intensive that batting became a luxury item—wealthy families could afford thicker, fluffier quilts while poorer families made do with thinner padding or scraps.
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