Textiles

The history of textile market using natural fibers is ancient. You can select a period in history to learn about major developments in the textile industry during a particular era. Starting with 500 AD, the pages of textile history have grown richer with inventions and technical advancements to reach where it stands today.

The recorded oldest indication of fibre usage comes with the discovery of flax and wool fabrics at excavation sites of the swiss lake inhabitants in the 6th and 7th century BC. There are different vegetable fibres being used by ancient civilizations.

Silk culture was introduced in India in times as ancient as 400 AD, while reports of spinning of cotton date back to 3000 BC. The cultivation date of Hemp, known perhaps as the oldest fibre plant that originated in south-east Asia, and spread to China, dates back to 4500 BC.

We have heard of the traditional manufacture of silk in the Chinese culture. The invention and development of sericulture and the spin silk methods began at times as ancient as 2640 BC. Similarly, the art of spinning linen and weaving was not unfamiliar to the Egyptians. It was 3400 BC that Egypt had developed the art and was running it successfully.

The 18th and 19th centuries witnessed an era of industrial revolution and along came bustling technology with invention of machines for use in processing various natural fibres. The result was a tremendous upsurge in fibre production.

With introduction of regenerated cellulosic fibres, such as rayon, followed by completely synthetic fibres such as nylon, challenged the monopoly of natural fibres for textile and industrial use. It also opened up a window to different applications as synthetic fibres had specific properties that penetrated the market and created a competition for the earlier monopolized usage of natural fibres.

As competition always creates a better market, the competitive threat from synthetic fibres resulted in an in-depth research to develop new and improved sources of natural-fibre with greater yields. It further improved the production and processing methods, and modification of fibre yarn or fabric properties.

Localized skills and arts from different countries, related to textile manufacture, gained momentum with improvement in transportation and communication facilities. New fibre plants sprung up and its usage was extensively explored by producers.

The improvement gradually increased total production, and the natural fibres` actual share of the market decreased with influx of cheaper, synthetic fibres that required lesser man-hours for production.

Textiles-as a growing industry
Today, we can see that textiles and woven fabrics are used worldwide in a wide variety of applications such as the apparel industry, household textiles and furnishings, medical items, industrial uses and technical products. Fabric weaving consumes about 28 million tons of fibres per annum, equivalent to over half of the global textile market.

The global textile market stands high with the fabric weaving consumption reaching about 28 million tons of fibre every year. The figure is equivalent to over half of the global textile market. It has been predicted that global production of woven products will grow by 25% between 2002 and 2010, reaching more than 35 million tons.

Period	Major Textile Development & Facts
500-1000 AD	AD 80 -Woollen factory in existence in England. During 1st century, Cotton cultivation started in Egypt and Greece Silk throwing mills known to exist in Chinaca during 350 AD Silk culture introduced in India - 400 AD Wool dyers, guild set up in Germany – 925 AD Wool combing practised in France in the 9th century.
1000-1500 AD	Leonardo Da Vinci designs a mechanical loom to be driven by water power. The law of cloth decreed in 1197 in England, fixed a single standard for wool fabric. Linen combing common in western Europe during 12th century.
1500-1700 AD	The denier system of count for silk is introduced in France in 1535. The term is derived from " denarius" a coin from caesar's times against which lengths of silk are balanced. Leonardo da vinci designed a spinning wheel in 1490. Unaware, Johann Jurgens of Germany invents an almost identical spinning wheel in 1530. Pile weaving introduced in India under emperor Akbar's patronage - CA 1575. Beginning of the concept of readymade garments in England – 1681
1700-1740 AD	Dacca muslins appear in India in 3rd century B.C & was exported to England during CA- 1700. Sir Thomas Lombe patents silk throwing machine in 1718. David Donald invents a roller mechanism for scutching Flax in 1727. John Kay, an English man is credited with the invention of the flying shuttle in 1733. Degumming of silk by steeping in use - 18th century.
1740-1780 AD	For increased whiteness bleached linen fabrics were after-treated with horse chestnut extrract which contains aesculien a derivative of caumarin - 18th century. Sir Richard Arkwright invents the water frame - 1769. His later developments include improvements to the carding machine (1772) and the lantern frame (1780). James Hargreaves discovers, in 1764, the spinning jenny, named after his wife. A machine for frizzing of woolen fabrics developed around 1750 replacing the manual method used. Lewis Paul and Daniel Bourne secure a patent for a carding machine during 1748. A cotton mill was set up in Birmingham, England - 1742. Keen and platt secure a patent for a three colour printing machine - 1743. An improvement by bell Scotland in 1783 incorporates a doctor blade. Developments in weft knitting machines: tuck presser - 1740.
1780-1800 AD	Richard March from England invents a rope making machine - 1784. Berthollet (France) uses chlorine as a bleaching agent - 1785. Charles Taylor of England prepares turkey red dyes - 1785. Edmund Cartwright develops the power loom, England - 1785 L.J. Daubenton from France developed a microscopic method of measuring the fineness of wool fibres -CA 1790. Crane from Edmonton introduced warp frames, the forerunner of warp knitting machine during 1775-1780. Chaptal of France suggested boiling of fabrics with hot alkali and steam followed by bleaching in the sun - 1799.
1800-1820 AD	Thomas Kay of England obtains a patent for the wet spinning on linen - 1825. Bauwens and Didelot of France invent a machine for dressing silk -1821. Robert Owen of Scotland forms a trade union - 1833. Subsequently as a mill owner he would introduce profit sharing and other welfare schemes. Paul Moody of U.S.A. introduces belts for power transmission in textile mills - 1836. The scottish jute industry established following the successful modification of flax machinery for jute - 1838. David Bentley designs a washing machine with wooden bowls - 1828 Various devices for producing ornamental lace developed - 1820-45 Thimonier invents the sewing machine in 1830. William Dickinson deelops the blackburn loom - 1828. Danforth invents the cap spinning machine - 1828. Hornby and Kenworthy devise a tape sizing machine - 1839.
1820-1850 AD	Payen isolates cellulose in the year 1840 Schwabe of England develops a technique for spinning class and uses the filaments for weaving - 1842. Weber, R. Kohalrausch and F. Kohlrausch advance theories of elasticity for textile material, Germany - 1835 - 60. Following earlier attempts by others, noble and lister perfect machines for combing long fibers (1850s.). heilmann designs a comber for short fibers in 1830.
1850-1870 AD	Ozanam a frenchman, invents the spinnerette - 1862. Following the introduction of the brussels power loom for carpets in 1845, the spool and gripper axminster looms appear between 1850 and 1900. Linen loom with oscillatingf backrest introduced - 1850. Reid and Johnson invent the shuttle changing automatic loom - 1854. Cowasji Nanabhai Davar sets up a mill in Bombay in 1854 which marks the beginning of the textile industryu in India. Perkin of England synthesises mauve - 1856, this marks the beginning of the era of synthetic dyes Patent granted for a two-for one twister spindle - 1856. The commercial machine on this principal introduced by sheperd and ayron of England - 1896. Porcupine rollers introduced for wool drafting (continental system) - 1856. Raschel and flat bedknitting machines introduced - 1859-63. Morton invents the tape condenser system of spinning - 1861.
1870-1890 AD	Count chardonner of France demonstrates the "chardonnet silk" in Paris - 1889 Angus campbell invents the spindle type cotton picking machine - 1889. Ambronn observes dichroism in dyed fibers - 1888 European countries introduce the metric numbering system for woollen and worsted yarns - ca- 1880. The first attempt to po\roduce artificial silk silk are by aydemars (1855) and sir Joseph swan (1880). Warp drawing in machine introduced - 1880s Para red process developed in 1880. It consists of padding the fabric with B-naphthol and developing with diazo solution. Skein testing of yarns proposed - 1871.
1890-1900 AD	Despeissis process for cuprammonium rayon developed in France - 1890. Mill strike on a serious scale in India - 1892 Cross, bevan and beadle discover viscose, England - 1892. Becke suggests a method for measuring the refractive index of fibres - 1893. Swivel weaving mechanism invented - 1896. Northrop invents the bobbin changing automatic loom, U.S.A. - 1895. Sodium peroxide finds use in the bleaching of wool ands silk - 1896.
1900-1910 AD	Malt used for removing starch from fabrics - 1857. Pure enzymes appear as desizing agenmt, Germany - 1900 Chlorination of wool for anti-fetling finds commercial application - 1900. Several new dyes appear, Germany -1901-11 Commercial production of viscose filaments bigins in England - 1904 Textilemills switch over from mechanical to electrical power, England - 1905 Hoffman invents a garment pressing machine U.S.A. - 1905 Hollingworth and hutchinson introduce center weft fork motion, England - 1905 A german patent on solvent dyeing issued - 1908.
1910-1920 AD	First attempts to produce high tenacity viscose by adding zinc sulphate to the spinning bath or using two godets - 1911-14. Paster develops weaving with small shuttles, England - 1911. The "Echtheitskommission" in Germany lays down standards for light fastness of dyed cotton and woollen fabrics - 1914. Commercial production of cellulose treacetate begind, U.S.A. - 1914. A method for producing staple fibers is introduced, Germany - 1915. Gunther, a German, discovers synthetic surfactants - 1916
1920-1925 AD	Systematic application of scientific principles to textile processes and materials begins - ca. - 1920. Multiple blenders introduced - 1920s. 1920 markes the beginning of intensive studies in fibre structure. Fabric reinforced v-belts introduced, U.S.A. - 1921. Chemicals for moth-proofing of wool become available, Germany - 1922. Ellis discovers dispersed azo dyes for acetate rayon - 1923. Baddiley of England discovers disperse dyes - 1923. The Indian central cotton committee formed - 1923; Kenneth lord (sr.) of U.S.A. coins the term "Rayon" - 1924. The society of dyers and colourists, England publishes the colour index - 1924.
1925-1935 AD	Systematic application of scientific principles to textile processes and materials begins - ca. - 1920. The lilienfeld process for the manufacture of high tenacity rayon is introduced in England - 1926. Weft thread cutter and midget seft feeler introduced on automatic looms - 1926-28. Foulds marsh and wood of England developp a process for treating cotton fabrics with aminoaldehyde condensation products - 1926 Methods for classifying and testing raw silk are standardised in U.S.A. - 1928. Meunier and guyot develop the concept of crosslinking of cellulose - 1929. A process for texturising of filaments is developed and applied to viscose, Switzerland - 1930s Hydrogen peroxide used for bleaching cotton - 1930. Non-wovens produced from thermoplastic fibres, U.S.A. - 1932. Tire corda from viscose produced, U.S.A. - 1934 Designations for twist direction - 'S' and 'Z' are introduced, U.S.A. - 1934
1935-1945 AD	Fully automatic pirn winding machine developed in Switzerland - 1936. A device for winding the pirns on the loom itself, U.S.A. - 1950. Dickson and whinfeld of England discover polyester fibres in - 1941. Rust brothers of U.S.A. invent a mechanical cotton picker - 1936. Dope-dyed filaments introduced, U.S.A. - 1936. Terafluoroethylene polymerised in U.S.A. - 1938 Yardage tufting machine introduced - 1940. Commercial manufacture under the trade name 'TEFLON' would begin in 1953.
1945-1950 AD	Fibres from peanut and maize protein manufactured in England, and U.S.A under the trade names of Ardil and Vicara - 1944-48 A continuous high temple rature machine for wool dyeing introduced - 1945. Rapier looms introduced U.S.A. - 1945. Automatic controls introduced in sizing machine U.S.A. - 1945-50 Manufacture of textile machinery begins in India - 1946. Acrylic binders for pigment printing introduced Germany - 1948. The ambler super high draft system is introduced in British woolen and worsted mills - 1949. A Japanese patent of 1941 covers the manufacture of high wet modulus viscose fibres Berlin of U.S.S.R. performs grafting on cellulose using low energy UV radiation - 1946
1950-1960 AD	Jute fabrics developed for use as carpet backing, India-1956 The universal yarn numbering system "tex" first proposed in spain in 1947, is formally adopted by iso-1956 G.G.Raper invents an autoleveller for worsted spinning-1954 Farnworth of australia develops processes for producing washable noniron wool fabrics (1954) A twistless spinning method patented u.s.a.-1951. New techniques of fabric production such as spun-needle punching etc. emerge-1950-65 Leontjev of u.s.s.r. develops a gripper looms brgins in switzerland in 1950s Production of viscose and acetate rayon and of viscose staple begins in india-1950-54
1960-1974 AD	Polyester and polyamide fibres of different cross sections appear U.S.A. - 1960-64. Dispersion Spinning asbestos yarns introduced - 1960s. Carbon fibres developed - 1967. Fully automatic spinning system introduced - 1967. Concept of multiphase weaving developed Switzerland - 1967. International institute for cotton formed, Belgium - 1966. Split film weaving and knitting introduced - 1965-70. Finishes for wool developed in Australia - 1965-70 Manufacture in India of polyamide filaments and Polyester fibres begins - 1962-65 Polyester and polyamide fibres of different cross sections appear U.S.A. - 1960-64.