What does Manchester mean in Australia?

In Australia, Manchester means bed linen. It’s a throwback to when Manchester in northern England was the cotton capital of the world. It can be purchased at shops such as David Jones or Manchester and More.

At some point in Australia, you’ll have the misfortune to watch Australian television. In between the slivers of generally bad programming, you’ll get a near wall of adverts, mainly voiced by shouting men.

Sooner or later, you’ll get an ad for a department store, or cheapo shop that sells a bit of everything. At this point, the shouting man will announce a discount percentage for “Manchester” and non-Australians will be baffled.

Meaning of Manchester in Australia

So, what does Manchester mean in Australia? Well, it’s not a city, but it is a reference to a city. Manchester means bed linen in Australia. The Manchester section of a department store is where you go for fitted sheets, pillow cases, duvet covers and the like.

Historically, the term “Manchester” has applied to a wider range of fabrics. But now, you’ll usually only hear it in relation to bedsheets. More to the point, you’ll only hear Manchester in relation to bedsheets in shops. In the same way that no British person will ever say “haberdashery” but it still appears on shop signs, no normal Australian ever says “Manchester”.

Where does the name Manchester come from?

The name is a throwback to the Industrial Revolution, when the cotton mills of Manchester in Northern England were giant money-making machines. Manchester-made cotton became world famous, and during Australia’s early years, having cotton from Manchester was a sign of prestige.

If you do happen to be buying Manchester in Australia, then local brand Sheridan is one worth looking out for. Australia Travel Questions’ David Whitley uses Sheridan’s 500 thread count bedding at home – it feels luxurious while still being vaguely affordable. In Australia, you can buy it at David Jones department stores, but it can also be ordered online via the UK arm. If in Australia, Manchester and More is a reliable outlet for bedlinen.