Fibers Throughout History

By MapleFan
  • 28,000 BCE

    Flax and linen fibers used in garments

    Scientist have found the oldest linen and flax fibers to date back to 30,000 to 34,000 years ago.
  • 2700 BCE

    Silk fiber was discovered.

    Empress His Ling Shi was said to be the first person to find silk fibers.
  • 800 BCE

    Cotton cloth brought to Europe by merchants.

    Arab merchants brought cotton cloth to Europe at 800 A.D.
  • 400 BCE

    First wool garments made

    The first wool garments are made.

  • Rayon is discovered

    Count Hillaire de Chardonnet discovers nitrocellulose from rags or wood pulp could be turned into fiber. Later this became known as rayon.

  • Acrylic manufactured for first time

    Acrylic was manufactured for the first time in Germany.

  • Wallace Carothers invents nylon

    Nylon stockings are later sold in store in 1939.

  • Christian Dior’s “New Look” returns to silk

    Christian Dior returned femininity after World War II by using fabric that women gave up for the war.

  • Farbenfabriken Bayer patents spandex

    Farbenfabriken Bayer patents spandex after many years of experimenting.

  • Sally Fox reinvents colored cotton

    Sally Fox reinvented naturally colored cotton due to her passion for natural fibers.