Plural of flannel; soft woolen fabrics, or trousers made from flannel material (especially in British usage).
From Middle English and Welsh 'gwlanen,' the word came into English in the 1600s from Wales where the fabric was first produced. Flannel originally referred to coarse woolen cloth.
Flannel was revolutionary textile technology—Welsh weavers created this fabric that combined warmth with breathability, and it became so popular that 'going to buy flannels' in 1950s Britain meant buying trousers!
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