Historically, the processes involved in the production of woollen cloth were separate and strictly defined. Clothworking represented only one stage in the manufacture and is not synonymous with clothmaking.
The stages of production were shearing the sheep, carding the wool, spinning the thread (which could then be 'dyed in the wool'), weaving the cloth, fulling it, stretching it by drying it under tension, raising the nap using teasels, shearing off the nap and then planing or flattening the fabric.
Although now mechanised, these processes have remain the same from the middle ages to the present day. Even today the finest woollen fabrics, used for billiards tables, piano felts and Guardsmen's tunics are finished using natural teasels.
The stages of fulling and stretching were originally controlled by The Fullers' Company and the final stages by The Shearmen's Company. These two companies merged in 1528 to form The Clothworkers' Company.
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