These fabrics, initially called Scotch cambrics to distinguish them from the original French cambrics, came to be referred to as cotton cambrics or batistes. Some authors increased the confusion with the assumption the word batiste could come from the Indian fabric bastas. In the 19th century, the terms cambric and batiste gradually lost their association with linen, implying only different kind of fine plain- weave fabrics with a glossy finish. In 1907, a fine cotton batiste had 100 ends per inch in the finished fabric, while a cheap-grade, less than 60.
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Crommelin was assisted by his brothers, and the linens and cambrics could replace imported textiles. In 1705 a factory was opened at Kilkenny, under the management of William Crommelin. Crommelin expanded operations, with the manufacture of hempen sailcloth at Rathkeale and other locations. He was given a pension in 1716, and died at Lisburn on 14 July 1727, aged 75.
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The Whitins had a history in the textile industry dating as far back as 1809, and are for whom the Northbridge village of Whitinsville is named. At the time of Linwood's development they owned virtually all of the textile industry in Northbridge. The Linwood property was built to process cotton, and produced cambrics, sateens, and shirting fabric. The original mill was a 3.5 story brick structure, which was expanded c.
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Chambray was often produced during this period by the same weavers producing gingham. White linen cambric or batiste from Cambrai, noted for its weight and luster, was "preferred for ecclesiastical wear, fine shirts, underwear, shirt frills, cravats, collars and cuffs, handkerchiefs, and infant wear". Technical use sometime introduced a difference between cambric and batiste, the latter being of a lighter weight and a finer thread count. In the 18th century, after the prohibition of imports into England of French cambrics, with the development of the import of Indian cotton fabrics, similar cotton fabrics, such as nainsook, from the Hindi nainsukh ("eyes' delight"), became popular.
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He was apprenticed in Bristol to Walter Stephens, a linendraper and iconoclast. Holloway set up in trade for himself, and carried on business with the West Indies. When the importation of French linens was forbidden, he formed a scheme for the improvement of English linen manufacture. He established a business in Warwickshire, and employed some hundreds of workpeople; but, in spite of the prohibition, French cambrics were still largely imported, and Holloway, having lost money, gave up. In 1679 he pressed the Bristol chamber to help him to carry out his scheme in the city, offering to employ Bristol people only, and to find steady work for five hundred of them. On 8 May the chamber agreed to his proposals, and decided to erect a workhouse for the purpose at the east end of the Bridewell. A letter, however, was sent to them on the 25th by Sir John Knight, alderman, and one of the Members of Parliament for the city, pointing out that the prohibition of French linens would terminate in March 1681. Holloway then went to London to advocate his plan.
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