Narrow cloth

Historically, human factors and ergonomics limited the width that could practically be woven by a single weaver on a handloom.

[4][5] Wider widths once had to be woven with a person on each side of the loom, usually the master weaver and an apprentice, throwing the shuttle back and forth between them.

Flying shuttles made it possible for a single hand weaver to weave widths greater than their armspan, halving the labour required to make broadcloth.

[1] The 1909 Webster's dictionary (as reprinted in 1913) defines broadcloth as "A fine smooth-faced woolen cloth for men's garments, usually of double width".

It defined two English ells (then 74 inches, 190 cm[11][better source needed]) as the only legal breadth for woolen cloth.

There shall also be a standard width of dyed [generally wollen] cloth, russet, and haberject, namely two ells within the selvedges.

"[12] In the reign of Edward I (1272 - 1307), an official called the king's alnager was appointed to enforce the law, and all towns were required to have an accurate ellwand (measuring stick one ell in length).

[14] James Bischoff noted in his 1842 publication, A Comprehensive History of the Woollen, and Worsted Manufactures, that British woolens were imported into Ireland with two different descriptions, broadcloth and narrow cloth.