cotton hank

When people are depicted in heraldry their clothing and appearance are often described in some detail Understanding Signs & Symbols – Heraldry, S. Oliver & G. Croton, Quantum, London, 2013, P174. We also find individual items of clothing used as charges in a coat of arms, and cotton hank is a good example of this. Sometimes these items are drawn in a somewhat stylised fashion, but this helps with recognition, important in distinguishing arms.