1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Padding

PADDING, the term in textile manufacture used for the stiffening of various garments. The most useful and flexible material for this purpose is hair cloth, but this is too expensive to be used for the padding of cheap clothing. Hence many kinds of fibrous material are employed for the same purpose. Hair, cotton, flax, tow, jute and paper are used, alone and in combination. The fabrics are first woven, and then starched to obtain the necessary degree of stiffness and flexibility.