Why are Chinos called “Chinos”?

First the simplest kind of definition – appearance. The classic Chino is a simple men’s trouser made from “Twill”, a classic cotton fabric that you can also find in jeans and denim fabrics. But twill is naturally rather light and therefore perfect for warmer temperatures. Explaining the history of the Chino can be more difficult though, as there are two distinct theories about the origins of this trouser. Here are both theories at a glance:

1. The ‘Chino’ got its name in the Philippines – during Spanish colonial rule in the 19th century. In the Philippines, members of the army liked to wear trousers made from twill. Twill has its roots in China and at that time was almost exclusively imported from there. Spanish was the official language of the country at that time and the word “Chino” is the Spanish word for “Chinese”. Because of the Twill fabric’s origin ‘Chino’ became a nickname for the trousers, and this name quickly grew from a nickname to the common name.
2. The name comes from the (South American) Spanish word for “roasted”, which in turn comes from Persian and alludes to the typical “khaki” color.

As we’ve just mentioned, Chinos were first used as military trousers from the middle of the 19th century onwards. After the return of American soldiers from the Spanish-American war in 1898, these trousers were also introduced to everyday civilian wear. In order to save fabric, Chinos were tapered and traditionally did not have pleats (back then, the background was to make the most of limited resources and pleats would have meant a senseless waste of materials). These characteristics have survived in classic models and you can still see if a Chino is the “real” thing, as is shouldn’t have pleats.