Broadcloth

This article examines the history, manufacture, and cultural significance of woollen cloth with white undyed “saved lists,” a distinctive feature highly valued by the Plains Indians from the 18th to 19th centuries. It explores the English origins of the cloth, traditional natural dyes (notably indigo and cochineal), the economic reasons for preserving undyed selvedges, and how Indigenous peoples transformed these waste edges into prominent decorative and symbolic elements. The persistence of this design feature—maintained even after synthetic dyes rendered the practice obsolete—reflects both its aesthetic appeal and its enduring role in trade relations.