The process of cleaning, thickening, and strengthening cloth by moistening, heating, and pressing it to make it dense and durable.
From Middle English 'fullen,' derived from Old French 'fouler' and Latin 'fullo' (fuller). Originally a hand-based process that became mechanized with water mills in medieval times.
Fulling mills powered by water wheels were so revolutionary that towns literally fought wars over water rights to run them—controlling fulling mills meant controlling the entire textile economy.
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