National Flannel Day Date in the current year: February 10, 2024

Flannel is a type of soft fabric that is woven in either a twill weave or plain weave and then napped. It can be made of wool, cotton, or synthetic fiber. A fabric similar to flannel originated in Wales around the 16th century. Originally known as “Welsh cotton”, the fabric was made from wool despite its name and had a fluffed surface similar to modern flannel.

Modern soft flannel gradually replaced coarse “Welsh cotton” in the 17th century. The spread of carding mills, which made it possible to produce high-quality worsted yarn, led to the expansion of flannel production across Wales. Towns that were particularly noted for their flannel were Hay-on-Wye, Llanidloes and Newtown.

The first use of the French word flanelle was recorded in the late 17th century, and the German term Flanell was first used in the early 18th century. Flannel made from a mixture of cotton and wool or cotton and silk became common in the 20th century.

There have been different associations with flannel throughout its history. Flannel trousers were popular in sports, especially cricket, until the late 1970s, whereas flannel shirts were associated with ruggedness and blue-collar workers during much of the 20th century. In the 1990s, plaid flannel shirts became an attribute of the grunge music scene thanks to bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana. In the 21st century, plaid shirts, often made from flannel, became a popular element of hipster fashion.

Today, flannel is commonly used to make plaid shirts. Because of this, the terms “flannel shirt” and “plaid shirt” are sometimes used interchangeably, but this is just a common mistake. The term “flannel” refers to the fabric, whereas the term “plaid” refers to the pattern; not all flannel shirts are plaid, and not all plaid shirts are made from flannel.

The origins of National Flannel Day are unclear, but it has been observed since at least 2010. We don’t know who came up with the idea of celebrating this holiday, but there is no doubt that flannel deserves to be celebrated because of its immense popularity among people of different ages and backgrounds.

The best way to celebrate National Flannel Day is, of course, to wear flannel. If you don’t own any flannel items, you should definitely buy some! By the way, it doesn’t have to be a plaid shirt. If you’re not a fan of plaid (and not everyone is), you can buy a fancy flannel hat, cozy pajamas, flannel bed sheets for the cold season, or a warm flannel blanket.

Other ways to celebrate the holiday include having a country-inspired photoshoot with your friends or family where you all will be wearing flannel, learning more about the history of flannel and its role in fashion, and sharing photos of yourself wearing flannel on social media with the hashtags #NationalFlannelDay and #FlannelDay to spread the word about the holiday.