A low-quality worsted fabric with a stiff finish, historically used for making garments and furnishings.
From French 'harratain' or possibly from Arabic 'kharrah' (rough). The term refers to a specific textile production method developed in Europe, with origins in trade contact with the Middle East and North Africa.
Harrateen was the 'fast fashion' of the 17th-18th centuries—cheap, stiff fabric that didn't last long but was affordable for ordinary people. The name's murky origins reflect how textile trade was so widespread that we don't even know exactly where the word came from!
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