Flannelette is a cotton fabric used to make, among other things,
pyjamas, sheets and long-sleeved shirts. Flannelette sheets and pyjamas
are used during the winter months because, although being slightly thicker,
they are substancially better at keeping heat than polyester/cotton
fabrics.
"Flannos", or flannelette shirts, have their own history and culture. They tend to have a crisscrossed, tartan design.
They feature in prominence amongst working class Australians due to their
utility (thicker fabrics tear less easily and so last longer), cheap price
and wide availablity. To some, the flanno is a badge that says "I don't care about fashion, brand names or colour coordination, I just need a shirt".
Flannos are often worn in conjunction with ugg boots and denim jeans (or tracky dacks).
Flannelette shirts become fashionable with the popularization of grunge in the early 1990s. Flannelette is not the same as flannel. Flannelette is 100% cotton, whereas the fabric for flannel is a weave which may contain a mixture of silk, cotton and linen in wool.