What is baize fabric?
What is baize fabric? Gaming tables are frequently covered with baize, a woven, felted fabric. Although baize and felt are similar in appearance, they are fundamentally different and have pretty diverse uses.
Baize is often made of woven and felted wool fibres, but cheaper varieties may be made of cotton or even synthetic fibres. Although baize is typically green, any colour may theoretically be dyed into it.
| Fabric name | Baize |
| The fabric is also known as | Baize felt, woven felt, bocking flannel |
| Fabric composition | Wool, cotton, acrylic, or other synthetic fibres |
| Fabric breathability | Medium |
| Moisture-wicking abilities | High |
| Heat retention abilities | High |
| Stretchability (give) | Low |
| Prone to pilling/bubbling | Low |
| Country, where the fabric was first, produced | France |
| Biggest exporting/producing country today | Australia or China |
| Recommended washing temperatures | Cold or dry clean |
| Commonly used in | Pool table covers, other gaming tables, costumes, writing desk covers, soundproofing insulation, museum cases, altar cloth protectors, dresses |
Baize is not frequently utilised in clothing, in contrast to other kinds of felted materials. Baize is increasingly frequently used for industrial, commercial, and recreational purposes. Baize is more resilient and thinner than felt.
History of baize
Despite having a French provenance, the word “baize” has been used in English since at least 1578. The word “baize” is first used in a drinking song from England from the year 1525, which also includes “hops, heresies, bays [baize], and beer.” Therefore, it is not unexpected that baize continues to be connected to alcoholic pursuits like billiards and gambling.
One of the first uses for baize is still among the most common. Immediately after it arrived in England, proprietors of taverns and gambling houses began covering billiards tables with it. Billiards had quickly become one of the most popular past times in both England and France.
Billiards maces weren’t replaced with cues until much later since they were far easier to use, despite having a higher propensity to scratch baize tablecloths. Baize has been the standard material for billiards tables throughout all the modifications that the game of billiards has seen over the years.
Manufacturers of gaming tables have been utilising this cloth for baccarat tables and other gaming table surfaces for a while now. Baize also rose in popularity as a surface material for writing desks in the 19th century.
“The green baize door”
Starting in the mid-1700s, baize took on another purpose that has made this fabric idiomatically associated with the dividing line between the upper and lower classes. Recognizing the unique sound-muffling properties of this textile, members of the British upper class started applying baize to the doors dividing servants’ quarters from the family’s living space.
The “green baize door” quickly came to signify the dividing line between the world of the servants and the world of the masters of a wealthy English home, and servants taught their children to never step beyond the confines of this door. Usually tacked onto the door with brass tacks, this green baize later came to more generally symbolize the division between the haves and the have-nots and the great lengths that members of the servile class would take to accomplish their tasks unnoticed and without getting in the way.
Baize today
Although some ancient homes still have baize-covered doors, this use of baize is out of style right now. Instead, baize is more frequently used to cover pool tables, other gaming tables, or even straightforward folding card tables. Different sorts of baize may be used depending on the game for which a table is intended, but regardless of its intended usage, baize cloth always comes in green.
How is baize fabric made?
How is baize fabric used?
Where is the baize fabric produced?
The majority of baize fabric is still made of wool, however cheap baize has traditionally been made of cotton. Baize makers have started employing synthetic fibres more recently, but they have not gained as much popularity as synthetic felt since baize wool has special qualities that make it perfect for gaming tables.
The vast majority of synthetic fabrics are made in China, which also leads the world in overall textile manufacturing. But India produces more cotton than any other country, and Australia is the world’s largest exporter of wool. Large quantities of raw textile fibres from Australia and India are exported to China for finishing.
How much does baize fabric cost?
Baize is a reasonably expensive member of the wool fabric family due to the complex processes necessary to make this textile product. Cotton baize is, on average, slightly less expensive than wool baize, and baize fabrics made with synthetic fibres are the least expensive. Since the properties of synthetic baize are so dissimilar to the properties of wool or even cotton baize, however, baize made with acrylic or rayon should almost be considered a different fabric altogether.
What different types of baize fabric are there?
How does baize fabric impact the environment?
The environment is either not affected at all or is slightly harmed by wool baize. Wool production can be completely sustainable if producers treat their animals with compassion and take good care of the soil. However, the wool business is tainted by environmental abuses such as soil erosion and animal suffering.
Similar to hemp, cotton has the potential to be completely sustainable, but many cotton farmers use agrochemicals including pesticides, fertilisers, and other agrochemicals that are bad for regional ecosystems. The cotton production industry is also replete with worker exploitation, and pervasive poverty has a negative impact on the environment.
The version of this fabric that is most detrimental to the environment is synthetic baize. While acrylic, acrylonitrile, and rayon are not biodegradable, cotton and wool are, and each of these synthetic textiles releases microfibers into the hydrosphere when worn.
