Duffel


Duffel is a municipality in the Belgian province of Antwerp.
The municipality comprises the town of Duffel proper. On 1 January 2020, Duffel had a total population of 17,664. The total area is 22.71 km2, which gives a population density of 778 inhabitants per km2.
The area is the eponym of a coarse woollen cloth, manufactured in this area from the 11th century, mainly used to make blankets, outdoor coats and tote bags. Duffel became a household name during and after World War II in the meaning of a coat designed with toggle-and-loop fastening and roomy hood.
The etymology of Duffel is from "dubro" and "locus", from the Gaulish dubrum, dubron – "water".
In 1836, the Duffel railway station opened on the Brussels-North to Antwerp railway line.

Duffel cloth

The town gives its name to a type of heavy woolen cloth generally used to make blankets and overcoats, especially for the armed forces, and a type of luggage. In the Middle Ages, an important part of the region's industry was the manufacturing of Flemish laken, while the cloth produced in Duffel was a thicker variation. The manufacturing process was brought to England by Flemish emigrants in the 1500s. The name for the cloth was so well-known, a type of overcoat made from the cloth and manufactured in England received the name Duffel coat.

Notable natives

  • Jan Van Der Roost, composer
  • Kevin De Weert, cyclist
  • Andreas Pereira, footballer
  • Metejoor, singer
  • Cornelis Kiliaan, lexicographer and poet
  • Hendrik Hondius I, engraver, cartographer and publisher
  • Rocky Bushiri, footballer for Hibernian FC
  • Gaëtan De Knyff, racing driver

    Climate