Aloden cape is anovercoat ofTyrolean origin, made of a thick, water-resistant woolen material with a short pile known asloden cloth, first produced by peasants inAustria. This fabric is derived from the coarse, oily wool of mountain sheep and has a traditional earthy green colour. The name is derived fromMiddle High German "lode" or fromOld High German "lodo", meaning "coarse cloth".[1] It is a cloth of traditionalTracht worn inTyrol.
To produce loden cloth, strong yarns are woven loosely into cloth which then undergoes a lengthy process ofshrinking, eventually acquiring the texture of felt and becoming quite dense. It is then brushed with afuller's teasel and the nap is clipped, a process which is repeated a number of times until the resulting fabric provides good warmth for the weight, and is relatively supple, windproof, and extremely durable.[2] It is a subclass of the wools known as"melton".[3]
A similar type of woolen cloth manufacturing comes from theBelgian village ofDuffel, giving name to the BritishRoyal NavyDuffel coat, a coat that has most probably partly been produced from Melton wool.
