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 woolen cloth, manufactured in this area from the 11th century, mainly used to make blankets, outdoor (army) 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 (a broadcloth), 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 that a type of overcoat made from the cloth and manufactured in England got the name Duffel coat.

Notable natives

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