Shoddy, a rag wool obtained from old blankets, stockings, carpets, flannels, etc, and now largely employed together with the similar article called mungo, obtained from old woollen garments and tailors' clippings, in mixing with new wool for manufacturing blankets, druggets, carpets, table covers, pilot cloths, petershams, etc. In some of these rag wool constitutes nine tenths of the whole material, and in others not more than one tenth. Its use in some degree is the cause of the apparent cheapening of many kinds of woollen goods within a few years. In some parts of England the business of working up woollen rags is very extensive. About one third of the whole amount is produced at Batley, Yorkshire, and the remainder in neighboring towns. The rags pass through a number of hands in the course of preparation for the powerful machines employed in tearing them to fibres. In the United States shoddy has become a manufacture of considerable importance, and the article is also imported from England. The manufacture in Germany is also extensive. Its presence is detected in wearing garments by the collection of rolls of short wool between the cloth and the lining.

Unless the admixture is excessive, the wear of the cloth is not materially affected.