Buckram



Buckram is a stiff cotton (occasionally linen or horse hair) cloth with a plain, usually loose, weave, produced in various weights similar to muslin and other plain weave fabrics. For buckram, the fabric is soaked in a sizing agent such as wheat-starch paste, glue (such as PVA glue), or pyroxylin (gelatinized nitrocellulose, developed around 1910), then dried. When rewetted or warmed, it can be shaped to create durable firm fabric for book covers, hats, and elements of clothing.

Etymology
In the Middle Ages, "bokeram" (as the word was sometimes spelled in Middle English) designated a fine cotton cloth, not stiff. The etymology of the term remains uncertain; the Oxford English Dictionary considers the commonly mentioned derivation from the name of the city of Bokhara unlikely.

Use in bookbinding
In bookbinding, buckram has several attractive qualities. In addition to being highly durable, buckram does not allow the bookbinder's paste to seep through and cause discoloration or stains on the book's front and back covers.

In bookbinding, pyroxylin-impregnated buckram is often favored due to its resistance to water, insects, fungi, and general wear. This is especially important for library binding, where many people will be repeatedly handling the same books. However, pyroxylin fabrics are less chemically stable than starch-filled fabrics and can be affected by extreme temperatures.

Use in millinery
Millinery buckram is impregnated with a starch which allows it to be softened in water, pulled over a hat block, and left to dry into a hard shape. Millinery buckram comes in many weights, including lightweight or baby buckram (often used for children's and dolls' hats), single-ply buckram, and double buckram (also known as theatrical buckram or crown buckram).