# Chamois vs. Flannel



## ButchHusy (Dec 2, 2005)

Can someone please explain the difference in material between a chamois shirt and a flannel shirt? Thanks.


----------



## cglex (Oct 23, 2006)

Chamois shirts sell for more, are usually solid in color and are sometimes thicker than shirts labeled as flannel. I suspect at the end of the packing line somewhere in asia, boxes labeled flannel go to low end stores that sell to construction workers and boxes labeled chamois, go to high end stores. Same shirt in many cases.


----------



## rojo (Apr 29, 2004)

I have the Holiday 2007 L.L. Bean catalogue right here. Let's see what it says.

"Bean's Chamois Cloth Shirt" is on pp. 12-13. It is "Made with Premium Portuguese Flannel" with a "remarkable resemblance to high-grade chamois leather." It's a 7.5 oz fabric. On the next page is the "Scotch Plaid Flannel Shirt," which is made from "high-quality Portuguese cotton." Weight of the fabric is not given, although it looks lighter than the chamois shirt.

_Ergo_ chamois cloth is a particularly heavy variety of cotton flannel.


----------



## jackmccullough (May 10, 2006)

I've had lightweight and heavyweight chamois cloth shirts. I think the defining characteristic of chamois cloth is some process that makes the texture similar to the texture of real chamois.


----------



## Naval Gent (May 12, 2007)

Chamois from LL Bean and Woolrich (which I have experience with) are more substantial that what I usually think of flannel shirts. Kind of like the difference in a Brooks Brothers OCBD and something from the Dollar Store. Chamois are usually solids, and the ones I mentioned are very well made. I'm wearing a LL Bean Chamois as I type this.

Hang up to dry. They will shrink

Scott


----------



## katon (Dec 25, 2006)

In theory, chamois is a type of suede and flannel is a napped wool, but in practice (barring legal restrictions) shirts labeled "chamois" or "flannel" are both imitations made out of cotton.


----------

