Khaki

This article is about the fabric. For the color, see Khaki (color). For places in Iran, see Khaki, Iran. Kaki, another name for the persimmon, is often misspelled "Khaki".

Soldiers of 33rd Punjabis of British Indian Army in khaki.

Khaki (UK  /ˈkɑːkiː/, US /ˈkækiː/, in Canada /ˈkɑrkiː/) is a type of fabric or the color of such fabric. Khaki is a loanword incorporated from Hindustani ख़ाकी and Urdu خاکی (both meaning "ash-colored") and is originally derived from the Persian: خاکی [xɒːˈkiː] (khâk, meaning "dust, "ashes"), which came to English from British India via the British Indian Army.

Origin

In 1846 Sir Harry Lumsden raised a Corps of Guides for frontier service from British Indian recruits at Peshawar. Lumsden was of the view that the border troops were best dressed in their native costume, which consisted of a smock and white pajama trousers made of a coarse home-spun cotton, and a cotton turban, supplemented by a leather or padded cotton jacket for cold weather. For the first year, no attempt was made at uniformity. Subsequently, the material was dyed locally with a dye prepared from a native palm, called "mazari". This created a drab gray which was used historically by Afghan tribals for camouflaging themselves. However, mazari could not dye leather jackets, and an alternative was sought. Cloth was dyed in mulberry juice which gave a yellowish drab shade, today referred to as "khaki". Subsequently all regiments, whether British or Indian, serving in the region had adopted properly dyed khaki uniforms for active service and summer dress. The original khaki fabric was a closely twilled cloth of linen or cotton.

British Army

Khaki-colored uniforms were used officially by British troops for the first time during the Abyssinian campaign of 1867-68, when Indian troops traveled to Ethiopia (Abyssinia) under the command of general Sir Robert Napier to release some British captives and to "persuade the Abyssinian King Theodore, forcibly if necessary, to mend his ways".

"This was the first major campaign in which some of the troops wore khaki, which had been officially introduced as approved working dress in 1861. Although approval was withdrawn in 1864, many troops, particularly those who had seen active service on the North-West Frontier (Pakistan), continued to dye their white drill uniforms with tea leaves or other substances. Khaki ('dusty') was said to have been invented by Lieutenant (later Lieutenant-general) Harry Lumsden when, in December 1846, he founded the Corps of Guides."

Subsequently, the British Army adopted khaki for the campaign dress in 1897, and it was used in the Second Boer War (1899–1902). A darker shade of khaki serge was adopted for home service dress in 1902. The correct shade of "khaki" was also known as "Multani Mitti", meaning "the mud of Multan". Multan was a well known military cantonment of British India (now in Pakistan).

During the Second Boer War, the British forces became known as Khakis because of their uniforms. After victory in the war the government called an election, which became known as the khaki election, a term used subsequently for elections called to exploit public approval of governments immediately after victories.

US Army

Khaki is a common color in military uniforms

The United States Army adopted khaki during the Spanish American War (1898). It has become de rigueur for military uniforms of militaries the world over (e.g., the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps), as well as the police forces of many South Asian countries and U.S. states and counties. It has also spread to civilian clothing, where "khakis" since the 1950s has meant tan cotton twill pants/trousers.

"Khaki" has also become a common slang term in the United States Navy that refers to chief petty officers and officers (who wear a khaki-colored uniform).

Civilian use

Today, civilian "khakis" come in all ranges of colors and the term refers more to the particular design or cut of the pants/trousers. In this context, "Khakis" have become popular as business casual pants/trousers, and includes other cuts and fabric types (such as chinos).

See also

• Khaki election
• Khaki University
• Khaki drill
• Chino cloth
• Cargo pants

External links

• Origins of Khaki - The Khaki Cloth - Mangaloreans' Gift to the World
• What is khaki? - The story of the catechu's use as a dye for khaki clothing