Calico
Calico is a fabric made from unbleached, and often not fully processed, cotton. It may contain unseparated husk parts, for example. The fabric is less coarse and thick than canvas or denim, but owing to its unfinished and undyed appearance, it is still very cheap.
Etymology
The name Calico is derived from the name of the city of Calicut, Kerala, India.
Some history
In 1700, Britain banned importation of cotton cloth (or calico) from India, in an effort to prop up British textile industry. Indian textiles were superior. The ban failed, and was strengthened in 1720. It almost destroyed the Indian textile industry, and India was forced to buy British textiles.
A type of cat
Calico also describes a variety of domestic cat. See Tortoiseshell cat.
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