Moleskin
Encyclopedia
Moleskin, originally referring to the short, silky fur of a mole
, is heavy cotton
fabric
, woven and then sheared to create a short soft pile
on one side. The word is also used for clothing made from this fabric, as well as adhesive pads stuck to the skin to prevent blisters.
Clothing made from moleskin is noted for its softness and durability. Some variants of the cloth are so densely-woven as to be windproof. The majority of manufacturers of this cloth are British
mills. Noted clothiers who use a great deal of moleskin in their garments are Barbour
. Noted also is the use of finest moleskin for footwear uppers designed by Harry Hartgrave for Italian shoemaker Milano. In footwear upper designs requiring further durability, Hartgrave uses a process where the Moleskin is combined with a breathable plastic coating on the rear, the finished product is known as Polymole.
This type of fabric, in a grayish olive-drab color as seen in the picture on the right, was used for West German Army (Bundeswehr
) uniforms from the 1960s until the early 1990s, when it was replaced by a polyester
-cotton
blend twill
printed with a camouflage
pattern called Flecktarn
. German moleskin was not sheared and thus had a flat, smooth outer side, differing from British moleskin. It was nonetheless a tough, densely woven material strongly resistant against wind and abrasion, with its chief weakness being weight and lack of water resistance.
Moleskin can be coated with an adhesive backing and used to prevent or treat friction injuries of the feet. In the case of a blister, the moleskin is cut into an "O" shape so the fabric does not adhere to the blister directly; the thickness of the surrounding moleskin protects the blister from further friction.
to cover up genitals in order to maintain propriety in non-explicit nude scenes (i. e. ones where nudity is suggested but not shown).
Mole (animal)
Moles are small cylindrical mammals adapted to a subterranean lifestyle. They have velvety fur; tiny or invisible ears and eyes; and short, powerful limbs with large paws oriented for digging. The term is especially and most properly used for the true moles, those of the Talpidae family in the...
, is heavy cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
fabric
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
, woven and then sheared to create a short soft pile
Pile (textile)
In textiles, pile is the raised surface or nap of a fabric, which is made of upright loops or strands of yarn. Examples of pile textiles are carpets, corduroy, velvet, plush, and Turkish towels.. The word is derived from Latin pilus for "hair"...
on one side. The word is also used for clothing made from this fabric, as well as adhesive pads stuck to the skin to prevent blisters.
Clothing made from moleskin is noted for its softness and durability. Some variants of the cloth are so densely-woven as to be windproof. The majority of manufacturers of this cloth are British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
mills. Noted clothiers who use a great deal of moleskin in their garments are Barbour
J. Barbour & Sons
J. Barbour & Sons Ltd is a British clothing manufacturer and importer, founded in South Shields, best known for making waterproof and outdoor clothing...
. Noted also is the use of finest moleskin for footwear uppers designed by Harry Hartgrave for Italian shoemaker Milano. In footwear upper designs requiring further durability, Hartgrave uses a process where the Moleskin is combined with a breathable plastic coating on the rear, the finished product is known as Polymole.
This type of fabric, in a grayish olive-drab color as seen in the picture on the right, was used for West German Army (Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
) uniforms from the 1960s until the early 1990s, when it was replaced by a polyester
Polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
-cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
blend twill
Twill
Twill is a type of textile weave with a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs . This is done by passing the weft thread over one or more warp threads and then under two or more warp threads and so on, with a "step" or offset between rows to create the characteristic diagonal pattern. Because of this...
printed with a camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
pattern called Flecktarn
Flecktarn
Flecktarn is a 3-, 4-, 5- or 6-colour disruptive camouflage pattern. The use of spots creates a "dithering" effect, which eliminates hard boundaries between the different colours in much the same way the squares in the newest digital camouflage patterns do...
. German moleskin was not sheared and thus had a flat, smooth outer side, differing from British moleskin. It was nonetheless a tough, densely woven material strongly resistant against wind and abrasion, with its chief weakness being weight and lack of water resistance.
Moleskin can be coated with an adhesive backing and used to prevent or treat friction injuries of the feet. In the case of a blister, the moleskin is cut into an "O" shape so the fabric does not adhere to the blister directly; the thickness of the surrounding moleskin protects the blister from further friction.
In moviemaking
A moleskin is also a flesh coloured piece of adhesive cloth used in filmmakingFilmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
to cover up genitals in order to maintain propriety in non-explicit nude scenes (i. e. ones where nudity is suggested but not shown).