Timeline Of Clothing And Textiles Technology
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This timeline of clothing and textiles technology covers events relating to
fiber Fiber (spelled fibre in British English; from ) is a natural or artificial substance that is significantly longer than it is wide. Fibers are often used in the manufacture of other materials. The strongest engineering materials often inco ...
and flexible woven material worn on the body. This includes the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, and manufacturing systems (
technology Technology is the application of Conceptual model, conceptual knowledge to achieve practical goals, especially in a reproducible way. The word ''technology'' can also mean the products resulting from such efforts, including both tangible too ...
).


Fibers and fabrics

* Research remains ongoing as to when people started wearing clothes. *c. 50,000 BC – A discovered twisted
fibre Fiber (spelled fibre in British English; from ) is a natural or artificial substance that is significantly longer than it is wide. Fibers are often used in the manufacture of other materials. The strongest engineering materials often incorp ...
(a 3- ply cord fragment) indicates thinge likely use of clothing, bags, nets and similar technology by
Neanderthals Neanderthals ( ; ''Homo neanderthalensis'' or sometimes ''H. sapiens neanderthalensis'') are an extinction, extinct group of archaic humans who inhabited Europe and Western and Central Asia during the Middle Pleistocene, Middle to Late Plei ...
in southeastern
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. *c. 27000 BC – Impressions of textiles,
basketry Basket weaving (also basketry or basket making) is the process of weaving or sewing pliable materials into three-dimensional artifacts, such as baskets, mats, mesh bags or even furniture. Craftspeople and artists specialized in making baskets ...
, and nets left on small pieces of hard clay in Europe. *c. 25000 BC –
Venus figurines A Venus figurine is any Upper Palaeolithic statue portraying a woman, usually carved in the round.Fagan, Brian M., Beck, Charlotte, "Venus Figurines", beliefs '' The Oxford Companion to Archaeology'', 1996, Oxford University Press, pp. 740– ...
depicted with clothing. *c. 8000 BC – Evidence of
flax Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. In 2022, France produced 75% of t ...
cultivation in the
Near East The Near East () is a transcontinental region around the Eastern Mediterranean encompassing the historical Fertile Crescent, the Levant, Anatolia, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and coastal areas of the Arabian Peninsula. The term was invented in the 20th ...
. *c. 6000 BC – Evidence of woven textiles used to wrap the dead at Çatalhöyük in
Anatolia Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
. *c. 3000 BC – Breeding of
domesticated Domestication is a multi-generational mutualistic relationship in which an animal species, such as humans or leafcutter ants, takes over control and care of another species, such as sheep or fungi, to obtain from them a steady supply of reso ...
sheep Sheep (: sheep) or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are a domesticated, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to d ...
with a wooly fleece rather than hair in the Near East. *c. 2500 BC – The
Indus Valley civilisation The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation, was a Bronze Age civilisation in the Northwestern South Asia, northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 Common Era, BCE to 1300 BCE, and in i ...
cultivates
cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...
in the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
. *c. 1988 BC – Production of
linen Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is very strong and absorbent, and it dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. Lin ...
cloth in
Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...
, along with other
bast fiber Bast fibre (also called phloem fibre or skin fibre) is plant fibre collected from the phloem (the "inner bark", sometimes called "skin") or bast surrounding the stem of certain dicotyledonous plants. Some of the economically important bast fibr ...
s including rush, reed,
palm Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae ** List of Arecaceae genera **Palm oil * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music ...
, and
papyrus Papyrus ( ) is a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, ''Cyperus papyrus'', a wetland sedge. ''Papyrus'' (plural: ''papyri'' or ''papyruses'') can a ...
. *c. 1000 BC – Cherchen Man was laid to rest with a
twill Twill is a type of textile Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and d ...
tunic and the earliest known sample of
tartan Tartan or plaid ( ) is a patterned cloth consisting of crossing horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours, forming repeating symmetrical patterns known as ''setts''. Originating in woven wool, tartan is most strongly associated wi ...
fabric. *c. 200 AD – Earliest
woodblock printing Woodblock printing or block printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of textile printing, printing on textiles and later on paper. Each page ...
from China. Flowers in three colors on
silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...
.Shelagh Vauinker in Anne Farrer (ed), "Caves of the Thousand Buddhas", 1990, British Museum publications, *247 AD –
Dura-Europos Dura-Europos was a Hellenistic, Parthian Empire, Parthian, and Ancient Rome, Roman border city built on an escarpment above the southwestern bank of the Euphrates river. It is located near the village of Al-Salihiyah, Deir ez-Zor Governorate, S ...
, a Roman outpost, is destroyed. Excavations of the city discovered early examples of naalebinding fabric. *11th century – Broadcloth first produced in the
Duchy of Brabant The Duchy of Brabant, a Imperial State, state of the Holy Roman Empire, was established in 1183. It developed from the Landgraviate of Brabant of 1085–1183, and formed the heart of the historic Low Countries. The Duchy comprised part of the Bu ...
(now
Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...
). *1275 – Approximate date of a
silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...
burial cushion
knit Knitting is a method for production of textile fabrics by interlacing yarn loops with loops of the same or other yarns. It is used to create many types of garments. Knitting may be done by hand or by machine. Knitting creates stitches: ...
in two colors found in the tomb of Spanish royalty. *1493 – The first available reference to
lace Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is split into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...
is in a will by one of the ruling Milanese Sforza family. *1550-1600 – Armazine and Bombazine introduced for the first time in United Kingdom. *1590 – First reference to Cambric fabric. *1840 –
Barathea Barathea, sometimes spelled barrathea, is a soft fabric, with a broken twill weft rib, giving a surface that is lightly pebbled or ribbed, with the effect of a twill running both left and right. Originally developed as a cloth for mourning clothe ...
developed as a cloth for
mourning Mourning is the emotional expression in response to a major life event causing grief, especially loss. It typically occurs as a result of someone's death, especially a loved one. The word is used to describe a complex of behaviors in which t ...
clothes. *1892 – Cross, Bevan & Beadle invent
Viscose Rayon, also called viscose and commercialised in some countries as sabra silk or cactus silk, is a semi-synthetic fiber made from natural sources of regenerated cellulose, such as wood and related agricultural products. It has the same molecula ...
. *1938 – First commercial
nylon Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers characterised by amide linkages, typically connecting aliphatic or Polyamide#Classification, semi-aromatic groups. Nylons are generally brownish in color and can possess a soft texture, with some varieti ...
fiber production by
DuPont Dupont, DuPont, Du Pont, duPont, or du Pont may refer to: People * Dupont (surname) Dupont, also spelled as DuPont, duPont, Du Pont, or du Pont is a French surname meaning "of the bridge", historically indicating that the holder of the surname re ...
. Nylon is the first
synthetic Synthetic may refer to: Science * Synthetic biology * Synthetic chemical or compound, produced by the process of chemical synthesis * Synthetic elements, chemical elements that are not naturally found on Earth and therefore have to be created in ...
, non-cellulosic fiber on the market. *1938 – First commercial
PTFE Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, and has numerous applications because it is chemically inert. The commonly known brand name of PTFE-based composition is Teflon by Chemours, a spin-off fro ...
fiber production by DuPont. *1953 – First commercial
polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain one or two ester linkages in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include some natura ...
PET fiber production by DuPont. *1958 –
Spandex Spandex, Lycra, or elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is a polyether- polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1958 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPont. Name The name ''spandex'', which is an anagram of t ...
fiber invented by DuPont's Joseph Shivers. *1964 –
Kevlar Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s as ...
fiber invented by DuPont's Stephanie Kwolek.


Tools and machines


Ancient and prehistoric

*c. 28000 BC – Sewing needles in use at Kostenki in Russia. *c. 6500 BC – Approximate date of Naalebinding examples found in Nahal Hemar Cave,
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
. This technique, which uses short separate lengths of thread, predated the invention of
knitting Knitting is a method for production of textile Knitted fabric, fabrics by interlacing yarn loops with loops of the same or other yarns. It is used to create many types of garments. Knitting may be done Hand knitting, by hand or Knitting machi ...
(with its continuous lengths of thread) and requires that all of the as-yet unused thread be pulled through the loop in the sewn material. This requires much greater skill than knitting in order to create a fine product.Theaker 2006. *4200 BC – Date of
Mesolithic The Mesolithic (Ancient Greek language, Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic i ...
examples of Naalebinding found in
Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
, marking spread of technology to
Northern Europe The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other ge ...
. *200 BC to 200 AD – Approximate date of earliest evidence of "Needle Knitting" in
Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
, a form of Naalebinding that preceded local contact with the Spanish. *298 AD – Earliest attestation of a foot-powered
loom A loom is a device used to weaving, weave cloth and tapestry. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the Warp (weaving), warp threads under tension (mechanics), tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads. The precise shape of ...
, with a hint that the invention arose at Tarsus.


Medieval period

*500s – Handheld roller
cotton gin A cotton gin—meaning "cotton engine"—is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation.. Reprinted by McGraw-Hill, New York and London, 1926 (); ...
s invented in the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
. *500-1000 –
Spinning wheel A spinning wheel is a device for spinning thread or yarn from fibres. It was fundamental to the textile industry prior to the Industrial Revolution. It laid the foundations for later machinery such as the spinning jenny and spinning frame, ...
invented in the Indian subcontinent. *1000s – Finely decorated examples of
cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...
socks made by true knitting using continuous thread appear in Egypt. *1000s – The earliest clear illustrations of the spinning wheel come from the
Islamic world The terms Islamic world and Muslim world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is ...
. *1100s-1300s – Dual-roller
cotton gin A cotton gin—meaning "cotton engine"—is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation.. Reprinted by McGraw-Hill, New York and London, 1926 (); ...
s appear in India and China.Baber, Zaheer (1996). ''The Science of Empire: Scientific Knowledge, Civilization, and Colonial Rule in India''. Albany: State University of New York Press. p. 57. . *1200s-1300s – The
worm gear A worm drive is a gear train, gear arrangement in which a worm (which is a gear in the form of a Screw thread, screw) meshes with a worm wheel (which is similar in appearance to a spur gear). Its main purpose is to translate the motion of two p ...
roller cotton gin invented in the Indian subcontinent during the early
Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate or the Sultanate of Delhi was a Medieval India, late medieval empire primarily based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for more than three centuries.
era. *1400s-1500s – The incorporation of the crank handle in the cotton gin, first appeared in the Indian subcontinent some time during the late Delhi Sultanate or the early
Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...
. *1562 – Date of first example of use of the purl stitch, from a
tomb A tomb ( ''tumbos'') or sepulchre () is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be called '' immurement'', alth ...
in
Toledo, Spain Toledo ( ; ) is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality of Spain, the capital of the province of Toledo and the ''de jure'' seat of the government and parliament of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castilla†...
, which allows knitting of panels of material. Previously material had to be knitted in the round (in a tubular form) and cut open. *1589 – William Lee invents
stocking frame A stocking frame was a mechanical knitting machine used in the textiles industry. It was invented by William Lee of Calverton near Nottingham in 1589. Its use, known traditionally as framework knitting, was the first major stage in the mechanis ...
, the first but hand-operated weft
knitting machine A knitting machine is a device used to create knitting, knitted fabrics in a semi or fully automated fashion. There are numerous types of knitting machines, ranging from simple spool or board templates with no moving parts to highly complex mec ...
.


Early modern period

*c. 1600 – The modern spinning wheel comes together with the addition of the treadle to the flyer wheel. *1725 –
Basile Bouchon Basile Bouchon () (or Boachon) was a textile worker in the silk center in Lyon who invented a way to control a loom with a perforated paper tape in 1725. The son of an organ (music), organ maker, Bouchon partially automated the tedious setting u ...
in
Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
invents punched
paper data storage Paper data storage refers to the use of paper as a data storage device. This includes writing, illustrating, and the use of data that can be interpreted by a machine or is the result of the functioning of a machine. A defining feature of paper da ...
as a means for controlling a loom. *1733 – John Kay
patent A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling discl ...
s the
flying shuttle The flying shuttle is a type of weaving shuttle. It was a pivotal advancement in the mechanisation of weaving during the initial stages of the Industrial Revolution, and facilitated the weaving of considerably broader fabrics, enabling the p ...
. *1738 – Lewis Paul patents the draw roller. *1745 –
Jacques Vaucanson Jacques de Vaucanson (; February 24, 1709 – November 21, 1782) was a French people, French inventor and artist who built the first all-metal lathe. This invention was crucial for the Industrial Revolution. The lathe is known as the mother of ma ...
in
Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
invents the first fully automated
loom A loom is a device used to weaving, weave cloth and tapestry. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the Warp (weaving), warp threads under tension (mechanics), tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads. The precise shape of ...
. *1758 –
Jedediah Strutt Jedediah Strutt (1726 – 7 May 1797) or Jedidiah Strutt – as he spelled it – was a hosier and cotton spinner from Belper, England. Strutt and his brother-in-law William Woollat developed an attachment to the stocking frame that allowed ...
adds a second set of needles to Lee's stocking frame to create the rib frame. *1764 –
James Hargreaves James Hargreaves ( – 22 April 1778) was an English Weaver (occupation), weaver, carpenter and inventor who lived and worked in Lancashire, England. Hargreaves is credited with inventing the spinning jenny in 1764. He was one of three men re ...
or Thomas Highs invents the
spinning jenny The spinning jenny is a multi- spindle spinning frame, and was one of the key developments in the industrialisation of textile manufacturing during the early Industrial Revolution. It was invented in 1764–1765 by James Hargreaves in Stan ...
(patented 1770). *1767 – John Kay invents the
spinning frame The spinning frame is an Industrial Revolution invention for spinning thread or yarn from fibres such as wool or cotton in a mechanized way. It was developed in 18th-century Britain by Richard Arkwright and John Kay. Historical context In 1 ...
. *1768 – Josiah Crane invents the hand-operated warp knitting machine. *1769 –
Richard Arkwright Sir Richard Arkwright (23 December 1732 – 3 August 1792) was an English inventor and a leading entrepreneur during the early Industrial Revolution. He is credited as the driving force behind the development of the spinning frame, known as ...
's
water frame The water frame is a spinning frame that is powered by a water-wheel. History Richard Arkwright, who patented the technology in 1769, designed a model for the production of cotton thread, which was first used in 1765. The Arkwright water f ...
. *1769 – Samuel Wise solves the mechanization of W. Lee's stocking frame. *1779 – Samuel Crompton invents the
spinning mule The spinning mule is a machine used to spin cotton and other fibres. They were used extensively from the late 18th to the early 20th century in the Cotton mill, mills of Lancashire and elsewhere. Mules were worked in pairs by a minder, with th ...
. *1784 – Edmund Cartwright invents the power loom. *1791 – The Englishman Dawson solves the mechanization of the warp knitting machine. *1793 – Samuel Slater of
Belper Belper () is a town and civil parish in the local government district of Amber Valley in Derbyshire, England, located about north of Derby on the River Derwent. Along with Belper, the parish includes the village of Milford and the hamlets ...
establishes the first successful cotton spinning mill in the United States, at Pawtucket; beginnings of the " Rhode Island System" *1794 –
Eli Whitney Eli Whitney Jr. (December 8, 1765January 8, 1825) was an American inventor, widely known for inventing the cotton gin in 1793, one of the key inventions of the Industrial Revolution that shaped the economy of the Antebellum South. Whitney's ...
patents the
cotton gin A cotton gin—meaning "cotton engine"—is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation.. Reprinted by McGraw-Hill, New York and London, 1926 (); ...
. *1798 – The Frenchman Decroix (or Decroise) patents the circular bearded needle knitting machine. *1801 – Joseph Marie Jacquard invents the Jacquard punched card loom, which would later lead to the invention of the computer. *1806 – Pierre Jeandeau patents the first latch needle (for the knitting machine). *1808 –
John Heathcoat John Heathcoat (7 August 1783 – 18 January 1861) was an English inventor and politician. During his apprenticeship he made an improvement to the warp-weighted loom, so as to produce mitts of a lace-like appearance. He set up his own business ...
patents the bobbin net machine. *1812 – Samual Clark and James Mart constructs the pusher machine. *1813 – William Horrocks improves the power loom. *1814 – Paul Moody of the Boston Manufacturing Company builds the first power loom in the United States; beginnings of the " Waltham System". *1823 – Associates of the late Francis Cabot Lowell of the Boston Manufacturing Company begin operations at the
Merrimack Manufacturing Company The Merrimack Manufacturing Company (also known as Merrimack Mills) was the first of the major textile manufacturing concerns to open in Lowell, Massachusetts, beginning operations in 1823. History After the death of Francis Cabot Lowell ...
at East
Chelmsford, Massachusetts Chelmsford () is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Chelmsford was incorporated in May 1655 by an act of the Massachusetts General Court. When Chelmsford was incorporated, its local economy was fueled by lumber mills, ...
. In 1826, East Chelmsford becomes incorporated as the town of
Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, United States. Alongside Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge, it is one of two traditional county seat, seats of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in ...
, the first factory city in the United States. *1828 – Paul Moody develops the leather belt and pulley power transmission system, which would become the standard for U.S. mills.


Late modern period

*1830 –
Barthélemy Thimonnier Barthélemy Thimonnier (19 August 1793 in L'Arbresle, Rhône (department), Rhône - 5 July 1857 in Amplepuis) was a French inventor, who is attributed with the invention of the first sewing machine that replicated sewing by hand. He was born in L ...
develops the first functional
sewing machine Diagram of a modern sewing machine Animation of a modern sewing machine as it stitches A sewing machine is a machine used to sew fabric and materials together with thread. Sewing machines were invented during the first Industrial Revolutio ...
. *1833 – Walter Hunt invents the lockstitch sewing machine, but is dissatisfied with its function and does not patent it. *1842 –
Lancashire Loom The Lancashire Loom was a semi-automatic power loom invented by James Bullough and William Kenworthy in 1842. Although it is self-acting, it has to be stopped to recharge empty shuttles. It was the mainstay of the Lancashire cotton industry for a ...
, a semi-automatic power loom, is developed by Bullough and Kenworthy. *1842 – John Greenough patents the first sewing machine in the United States. *1844 – John Smith of Salford granted a patent for a shuttleless rapier loom. *1846 – John Livesey adapts John Heathcoat's bobbinet machine into the curtain machine *1847 –
William Mason William, Willie, or Willy Mason may refer to: Arts and entertainment *William Mason (poet) (1724–1797), English poet, editor and gardener *William Mason (architect) (1810–1897), New Zealand architect *William Mason (composer) (1829–1908), Ame ...
Patents his "Mason self-acting" Mule. *1849 – Matthew Townsend patents the variant of latch needle which has been the most widely used needle in weft knitting machines. *1855 – Redgate combines a circular loom with a warp knitting machine. *1856 – Thomas Jeacock of Leicester patents the tubular pipe compound needle. *1857 – Luke Barton introduces a self-acting narrowing mechanism on S. Wise's knitting machine. *1857 – Arthur Paget patents a multi-head knitting machine called "Paget-machine". *1859 – Wilhelm Barfuss improves on Redgates machine, called Raschel machines (named after the French actress Élisabeth Félice ''Rachel''). *1864 – William Cotton patents the straight bar knitting machine named after him ("Cotton machine"). *1865 – The American Isaac Wixom Lamb patents the flat knitting machine using latch needles. *1865 – Clay invents the double-headed latch needle which has enabled to create purl stitch knitting. *1866 – The American Mac Nary patents the circular knitting machine (with vertical needles) for fabrication of socks and stockings with heel and toe pouches. *1878 – Henry Griswold adds a second set of needles (horizontal needles) to the circular knitting machine enabling knitting of rib fabrics as cuff for socks. *1881 – Pierre Durand invents the tubular pipe compound needle. *1890s – Development of the Barmen machine


Contemporary

*1889 –
Northrop Loom The Northrop Loom was a fully automatic power loom marketed by George Draper and Sons, Hopedale, Massachusetts beginning in 1895. It was named after James Henry Northrop who invented the shuttle-charging mechanism. Background James Henry North ...
: Draper Corporation, First automatic bobbin changing
weaving Weaving is a method of textile production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. Other methods are knitting, crocheting, felting, and braiding or plaiting. The longitudinal ...
loom A loom is a device used to weaving, weave cloth and tapestry. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the Warp (weaving), warp threads under tension (mechanics), tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads. The precise shape of ...
placed in production. Over 700,000 would be sold worldwide. *1900 – Heinrich Stoll creates the flat bed purl knitting machine. *1910 – Spiers invents the circular bed purl knitting machine. *c. 1920 – Hattersley loom developed by George Hattersley and Sons. *1924 – Celanese Corporation produces the first
acetate An acetate is a salt formed by the combination of acetic acid with a base (e.g. alkaline, earthy, metallic, nonmetallic, or radical base). "Acetate" also describes the conjugate base or ion (specifically, the negatively charged ion called ...
fiber. *1928 – International Bureau of Standardization of Man Made Fibers founded. *1939 – US passes Wool Products Labeling Act, requiring truthful labeling of wool products according to origin. *1940 – Spectrophotometer invented, with impact on commercial textile dye processes. *1942 – First patent for fabric singeing awarded in US. *1949 – Heinrich Mauersberger invents the sewing-knitting technique and his " Malimo" machine. *1955 – Research begins on multi-phase weft insertion. Successful examples will not exist until the 80s and late 90s. *1956 – Du Pont Introduces a process for spinning sheaf yarn, a precursor to air-jet spinning. *c. 1960s. Existing machines become outfitted with computerized numeric control (CNC) systems, enabling more accurate and efficient actuation. *1960 – US passes Textile Fiber Products Identification Act, dealing with mandatory content disclosure in labelling, invoicing, and advertising of textile products. *1963 – Open-end spinning developed in Czechoslovakia. *1965 – Dunlop Rubber awarded patent for polyurethane sheets fused together using ultrasonic vibrations, a precursor to fusing of coated textiles. *1968 – Control device for the knives of a pleating machine patented in Germany. *1979 – Murata manufacturing demonstrates air splicing of yarn. *c. 1981 – Air jet spinning enters the US market. *1983 – Bonas Machine Company Ltd. presents the first computer-controlled, electronic, Jacquard loom. *1988 – First US patent awarded for a "pick and place" robot.


How has it evolved in current time?

The 20th century marked a new age of fashion production. The invention of the computer and robotics are the two most significant technological breakthroughs since the First Industrial Revolution. Digital technologies have introduced laser cutting, 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and robotics, allowing for the automation and digitization of many production processes. Computer-aided design and manufacturing helped enhance fashion design and production, from fabric weaving decisions and digital printing to becoming fully automated. Computer technology allows more creative use of colors, shapes, and patterns with more detail.


Treatments, dyes, and finishes

*500 AD – ''jia xie'' method for resist dyeing (usually silk) using wood blocks invented in China. An upper and a lower block is made, with carved out compartments opening to the back, fitted with plugs. The cloth, usually folded a number of times, is inserted and clamped between the two blocks. By unplugging the different compartments and filling them with dyes of different colors, a multi-colored pattern can be printed over quite a large area of folded cloth. *600s – Oldest samples of cloth printed by
woodblock printing Woodblock printing or block printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of textile printing, printing on textiles and later on paper. Each page ...
from Egypt. *1799 –
Charles Tennant Charles Tennant (3 May 1768 – 1 October 1838) was a Scottish chemist and industrialist. He discovered Calcium hypochlorite, bleaching powder and founded an industrial dynasty. Biography Charles Tennant was born at Laigh Corton, Alloway, Ayrs ...
discovers and patents bleaching powder. *1856 – William Henry Perkin invents the first synthetic
dye Juan de Guillebon, better known by his stage name DyE, is a French musician. He is known for the music video of the single "Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical ele ...
. *1921 – Georges Heberlein, of Switzerland, patents a treatment of cellulose with
sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen, ...
to create organdy. *c. 1945-1970 – Antimicrobial research enters a "golden" period. By the 1980s, antimicrobial treatments for textiles are developed and implemented in manufacturing. *1954 – Fiber reactive dye invented, with better performance for dyeing cellulosic fiber *1961 – Du Pont assigned patent for yarn fasciation. *1967 – Dow Chemical Co patents method for treating textile materials with a
fluorocarbon Fluorocarbons are chemical compounds with carbon-fluorine bonds. Compounds that contain many C-F bonds often have distinctive properties, e.g., enhanced stability, volatility, and hydrophobicity. Several fluorocarbons and their derivatives are ...
resin, offering water, oil, and stain repellency. *1970 – Superwash acid treatment of wool creates a more durable material that does not shrink in laundry. *1979 – US DoD's Natick Labs grants multi-millions of dollars for research in chemical and biological protection garments.


See also

*
Sewing Sewing is the craft of fastening pieces of textiles together using a sewing needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era. Before the invention of spinning yarn or weaving fabric, archaeo ...
* Clothing technology * Timeline of historic inventions


Notes


References

*Barber, E. J. W. ''Prehistoric Textiles: The Development of Cloth in the Neolithic and Bronze Ages with special reference to the Aegean''. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1991. (Barber 1991) *Barber, Elizabeth Wayland. ''Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years: Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times''. W. W. Norton & Company, new edition, 1995. (Barber 1995) *Bender Jørgensen, Lise. 'Stone-Age Textiles in North Europe'. In ''Textiles in Northern Archaeology, Textile Symposium in York, North European Symposium for Archaeological Textiles Monograph 3'' (NESAT III). London Archetype Publications, 1990. *Bennett, Wendell C. & Bird, Junius B. ''Andean Culture History. Handbook Series No. 15''. Second and revised edition. ©The American Museum of Natural History. A publication of the Anthropological Handbook Fund, New York, 1960. * * *Jerde, Judith. (1992). ''Encyclopedia of Textiles. Facts on File.'' *Theaker, Julie
''History 101''
(on the history of knitting) *Spencer, J. David. ''Knitting Technology''. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1983. *Modig, Niels. ''Hosiery Machines. Their development, technology, and practical use''. Meisenbach, Bamberg, 1988. *Matsuo, T. 'Innovations in textile machine and instrument.' In ''Indian Journal of Fibre & Textile Research''. Vol 33, September 2008, pp. 288–303.


Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Timeline Of Clothing And Textiles Technology
Clothing Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...
Weaving History of clothing *