The History of Corduroy Pants

Corduroy’s predecessor, a cotton weave known as fustian, was developed in the Egyptian city of Fustat in 200 BC. After Italian merchants introduced the fabric to nobles in Western Europe, it became popular among aristocrats who valued its warmth – even King Henry VIII of England wore it. Corduroy as we know it today was created as factory wear in Manchester, England in the late 18th century. It remained a working-class fabric until the 1960s, when it was adopted by college students and beatniks. In the late 1970s and 1980s, corduroy pants became popular among preps and surfers, and in the 1990s, they were absorbed into the grunge scene. Corduroy isn’t as on-trend as it once was, but perhaps corduroy pants will make a fashion comeback in the near future.