About The Corduroy Appreciation Club
The Corduroy Appreciation Club is a social club for people who like Corduroy fabric.
Emulating old, secret societies and social clubs, the Corduroy Appreciation Club seeks to create a community and, in turn, a sense of fellowship rooted in the historic and culturally significant fabric known as Corduroy. As a social club, the CAC has membership cards, traditions, by laws, strange rituals, a secret handshake and meetings.
Meetings of the CAC occur only on dates which resemble Corduroy. January 11th, or 1|11 is the first meeting date of the year and is followed by November 11th, 11|11, the date which most closely resemble Corduroy. Members must wear at least two items of Corduroy at meetings. To read more about what happens at meetings, go here.
To join the Corduroy Appreciation Club, please go here.
Mission Statement
The Corduroy Appreciation Club wishes to cultivate good fellowship by the advancement of Corduroy awareness, as well as, understanding, celebration, and commemoration of the fabric and all related items. Club events are held on dates which incorporate, resemble or refer to corduroy.
Symbols

The Corduroy Appreciation Club’s main public symbol is the whale. The whale is a homonym of wale. Wale, or wales, is the raised portion of Corduroy fabric—its most distinctive trait and what makes Corduroy, Corduroy. Whales also possess attributes the CAC and its membership wish to exude: strength, endurance, intelligence, sociability, and mystery. The Whale should always be facing left.
The number 11, being a figure which closely resembles Corduroy, is extremely important to the CAC’s iconography. Other non-public symbols incorporate the number 11.
Slogan
The Corduroy Appreciation Club’s slogan is “All Wales Welcome.” It is meant to inspire and invite Corduroy Appreciators of all kinds, be they wide wale wearers, pin wale wearers, high low wearers, horizontal Corduroy wearers, Cotton Corduroy wearers, Cashmere Corduroy wearers, whomever, “All Wales Welcome.”
Motto
“Hail the Wale” is the club motto. It is a popular chant at club meetings.
Usage of the word “Corduroy” and Dating Methodology
The word Corduroy should always be capitalized. A | (pipe key should be used instead of this / (slash) when writing 11|11 or 1|11.
Starting a Chapter
The Corduroy Appreciation Club seeks a presence the world over. If you would like to start a chapter, please contact us.
Club Size
A Corduroy Appreciation Club chapter should strive to maintain 11 members—the minimum membership required to receive a charter.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How can I start a chapter of the Corduroy Appreciation Club where I live?
- Aside from 1|11 and 11|11, are there any other dates you have meetings?
- What is the Corduroy Appreciation Club’s stance on horizontal corduroy?
- What’s The Whale’s name and why is it everywhere?
- Does the Corduroy Appreciation Club have a particular political slant?
- Is there such a thing as Corduroy underwear? If so, what side goes in?
- As a member, do I have to wear Corduroy all the time?
- I have an old Corduroy item that is basically threadbare, but I can’t bear to part with it. What should I do?
- Where can I find really high-quality Corduroy?
- Did you know that Corduroy means “the king’s cloth” in French?
- What are the Corduroy Appreciation Club’s thoughts on velvet?
- Where in the Corduroy Appreciation Club headquartered?
- What happens if I reveal some of the club secrets?
- What is the source or origin of The Corduroy Appreciation Club?
The Corduroy Appreciation Club wishes to thank the following people:
- Jordana Furcht-Rohan
- Arbor Moore Rohan
- Margot Bar-Del
- Aaron Hermann
- Alison Hermnan
- Timothy Rohan
- Mary Rohan
- Richard Kaplan
- Margaret Milnes
- Robert Lemon
- Halle Cisco
- David Root
- Jason Oranzo
- Ann Bobco
- Bill Wurtz
- Raina Moore
- Oona Stern
- Chris Lindland
- Russ Spina
- Craig Chin
- David Edwards
- Andy Edwards
- Scott Johnson
- Geoff Todebush
- Asha Fuller
- Alfonzo Pozzo
- Greg Hazley
- Phil Maguire
- Nicky Davidson
- David Valazzi
- Carol DerSarkissian
- Monique Ah-Sue
- Lydia Choy
- Passa Chattra
- Geoffrey Decas
- Ryan Kitson
- Vivan Tang
- Byron Penny
- Lara Salamano
- James Salerno
- Christina Stanley-Salerno
- Kate Holloway
- Sandra Pieloch
- Charles Von Simpson
- Ben McGrath
- Jennifer Bonfante
- Bradley Price
- Andrew Rosenstock
- Emily Gordon
- John Erickson
- Jonathan Ames
- Brian McCann
- Heather Marold Thomason
- Brad Thomason
If you feel you’ve been left off the list, we apologize. Let us know! Or you’d like to be removed, let us know too.