Buckram is a stiff cotton, or occasionally, linen or Horsehair cloth with a plain, usually loose, weave, produced in various weights similar to muslin and other plain weave fabrics.
Etymology
In the
Middle Ages, "bokeram" simply designated a fine cotton cloth. The etymology of the term remains uncertain; the
Oxford English Dictionary considers the commonly mentioned derivation from the name of the city of
Bokhara unlikely.
[An example of the "Bokhara" etymology:
]
[
Citing: Constantini Porphyrogeniti Imperatoris de Cerimoniis Aulae Byzantinae Libri Duo Graece et Latine, edited by Niebuhr (1829) from the recension by Reiske, Volume II.]
Use in bookbinding
Several of buckram's qualities make it attractive for
bookbinding. Highly durable, buckram does not allow the bookbinder's paste to seep through and discolor or stain the book's front and back covers.
Pyroxylin-impregnated buckram is often favored due to its resistance to water, insects, fungi, and general wear. This is especially important for library binding, where many people will be repeatedly handling the same books.
Use in millinery
Hatmaking buckram is impregnated with a starch which allows it to be softened in water, pulled over a
hat block, and left to dry into a hard shape.
Millinery buckram comes in many weights, including lightweight or baby buckram (often used for children's and dolls' hats),
single-ply buckram, and double buckram (also known as
theatrical buckram or
crown buckram).
External links
