Textile fragment

Description

The Berkeley Company, located in Cumberland, Rhode Island, manufactured this cotton cloth sometime in the early 20th century. This section of cloth includes the bolt end, with manufacturer information printed in blue ink and a label still attached. Textile manufacturers would put information on bolt ends to identify their products, as well as communicate their uses, to both retailers and consumers. The name “Berkeley Company” is printed on both the silver beaver label and on the bolt end itself. Text below identifies the cloth as “Nainsook” – a variety of soft cotton fabric – and suggests its use: “For Infants Wear and Fine Underwear.” This object is one of a large group transferred to Winterthur from the American Textile History Museum when it closed in 2017.