'Down under', that is in Australia and New Zealand, calico is the name given for a plain cream or bleached 100% cotton fabric, comes in 90cm width up to 240cm, used to back curtains or for craft or to try a pattern out on before cutting into expensive fabrics etc. What we buy here is made in Pakistan. It shrinks and has a lot of dressing in it but is a very useful fabric, I use the better quality to back my quilts with.
Gal