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History of Textiles Timeline

(c. 34,000 BCE–Present)

The history of textiles traces how humans developed fibers, spinning, weaving, dyeing, and clothing technologies from prehistory to the present. Less

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Prehistoric textiles

Study proposes clothing by 107,000 years ago

107000 BC

A 2003 study speculated that clothing may have developed approximately 107,000 years ago.

Image source: History of clothing and textiles

Study proposes clothing by 107,000 years ago

Textile clothing comes to archaeological notice

27000 BC

Textile clothing came to archaeological notice around 27,000 years ago, marking an important stage in the history of fabricated garments.

Vegetable-fiber textiles appear

8000 BC

Textiles woven from vegetable fiber date back to approximately 8000 BC, demonstrating early use of plant materials in textile production.

Earliest discovered textile fragments

7000 BC

Archaeologists have discovered actual textile fragments dating from approximately 7000 BC.

Nålebinding appears in Israel

6500 BC

Surviving examples of nålebinding, a textile method that emerged after animal-skin textile use, have been found in Israel and date to about 6500 BC.

Image source: Nålebinding

Nålebinding appears in Israel

Early net gauges are used

5000 BC

Archaeological artifacts from around 5000 BC include net gauges, suggesting the development of specialized textile arts.

Research into prehistoric textiles begins

1970

Since the late 20th century, scholars have undertaken extensive studies of the development of textiles and clothing in prehistory.

Morocco evidence dates early clothing

Sep 2021

Scientists reported evidence from Moroccan deposits indicating that clothing was made between 90,000 and 120,000 years ago.

Ancient textile traditions

Flax cultivation begins in the Near East

8000 BC

Evidence indicates that flax was cultivated in the Near East from approximately 8000 BC, providing a major fiber source for later linen production.

Domesticated wild flax is cultivated

6000 BC

Cultivation of domesticated wild flax, probably imported from the Levant, is documented in Egypt as early as approximately 6000 BC.

Linen production develops in Ancient Egypt

5500 BC

Evidence exists for the production of linen cloth in Ancient Egypt during the Neolithic period, around 5500 BC.

Silk production begins in China

5000 BC - 3000 BC

The earliest known evidence of silk production in China comes from Yangshao culture sites in Xia, Shanxi, where a cut Bombyx mori cocoon dates between 5000 and 3000 BC.

Image source: Silk

Silk production begins in China

Primitive looms appear at Hemudu

4000 BC

Fragments of primitive looms have been found at Hemudu culture sites in Yuyao, Zhejiang, dating to about 4000 BC.

Image source: Hemudu culture

Primitive looms appear at Hemudu

Linen textiles from the Cave of the Warrior

3200 BC

Well-preserved linen textiles found in Judea's Cave of the Warrior date from approximately 3200 BC.

Sheep with woolly fleece are bred

3000 BC

The breeding of sheep with woolly fleece rather than hair occurred much later than early flax cultivation, around 3000 BC.

Image source: Wool

Sheep with woolly fleece are bred

Silk scraps appear at Qianshanyang

2700 BC

Silk scraps discovered at a Liangzhu culture site at Qianshanyang in Huzhou, Zhejiang, date back to approximately 2700 BC.

Silk appears in Shang Dynasty tombs

1600 BC - 1046 BC

Fragments of silk have been recovered from royal tombs of China's Shang Dynasty.

Image source: Shang dynasty

Silk appears in Shang Dynasty tombs

Loom technology changes in Egypt

1600 BC - 1100 BC

A horizontal ground loom was used before Egypt's New Kingdom, when a vertical two-beam loom was introduced, probably from Asia.

Image source: Loom

Loom technology changes in Egypt

Yayoi period follows in Japan

1000 BC - 300

The Japanese Yayoi period followed the earlier context described in the textile record and was associated with the development of rice cultivation.

Image source: Yayoi period

Yayoi period follows in Japan

Indian cotton is described by Herodotus

500 BC

In the 5th century BCE, the Greek historian Herodotus described Indian cotton as a wool exceeding sheep's wool in beauty and goodness.

Image source: Herodotus

Indian cotton is described by Herodotus

Pyu textile artifacts are produced

300 BC - 300

Archaeologists discovered 90 spindle-whorl fragments in contexts dated from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD, associated with early textile production in Myanmar.

Image source: Pyu city-states

Pyu textile artifacts are produced

European clothing and fashion

European dress changes gradually

400 - 1100

European dress changed gradually between 400 and 1100, while clothing remained relatively simple and broadly uniform.

European clothing remains simple

1100 - 1300

Clothing in 12th- and 13th-century Europe remained simple for men and women and was relatively uniform across the subcontinent.

Wool dyeing and working advance

1200 - 1299

The 13th century saw major progress in dyeing and working wool, the most important material for European outerwear.

Recognizable European fashion emerges

1350

Costume historians identify the mid-14th century as the emergence of recognizable fashion in Europe, after which Western styles changed at an unusually rapid pace.

Image source: History of Western fashion

Recognizable European fashion emerges

Tailoring and fitted clothing develop

1350 - 1399

Draped garments and straight seams gave way to curved seams, tailoring, lacing, and buttons, allowing clothing to fit the human form more closely.

Mi-parti garments become fashionable

1350 - 1399

A fashion for mi-parti or parti-coloured men's garments made from two contrasting fabrics, one on each side, arose in the mid-14th century and became especially popular at the English court.

Silk weaving spreads across Europe

1400 - 1499

By the beginning of the 15th century, silk weaving was well established around the Mediterranean, and figured silks and silk velvets increasingly appeared in wealthy European dress.

Floral silk designs spread westward

1400 - 1499

Floral designs featuring pomegranate or artichoke motifs reached Europe from China and became dominant in Ottoman silk-producing cities before spreading to Italian and Iberian weavers.

Urban middle-class clothing becomes more complex

1400 - 1499

As prosperity grew in the 15th century, urban middle classes and skilled workers began wearing more complex clothing that followed elite fashions at a distance.

National clothing variations increase

1400 - 1499

National variations in European clothing increased during the 15th century.

The ruff becomes fashionable

1500 - 1599

During the 16th century, the ruff developed from a small neckline ruffle into increasingly large cartwheel-shaped collars.

Image source: Ruff (clothing)

The ruff becomes fashionable

Bobbin lace develops

1550 - 1599

Bobbin lace arose from passementerie in the mid-16th century, probably in Flanders.

The Great Male Renunciation begins

1780 - 1799

At the end of the 18th century, wealthy Western men largely abandoned bright colors, elaborate shapes, and varied dress, leaving conspicuous adornment increasingly to women's clothing.

Industrial and modern textiles

Mughal India becomes a textile center

1500 - 1799

From the 16th through the 18th centuries, Mughal India was the most important center of manufacturing in international trade.

Image source: Mughal Empire

Mughal India becomes a textile center

Indian textiles dominate global trade

1700 - 1799

In the 18th century, Indian cotton textiles were major manufactured goods in world trade, consumed from the Americas to Japan and prominent in Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and European commerce.

India reaches a quarter of world output

1750

Up until 1750, India produced approximately 25 percent of the world's industrial output.

Image source: Economic history of India

India reaches a quarter of world output

Sewing machines streamline production

1800 - 1899

Sewing machines emerged during the 19th century and streamlined the production of clothing.

Image source: Sewing machine

Sewing machines streamline production

The national clothing market expands

1810 - 1840

Between 1810 and 1840, development of a national market helped manufacturing expand, tripling the value of output.

Textile and clothing workers unionize

1900 - 1929

In the early 20th century, workers in the United States clothing and textile industries became unionized.

Modern textile applications expand

1900 - 1999

The 20th century brought new applications for textiles, synthetic fibers, computerized manufacturing controls, and improved sensing and data-processing technologies.

Synthetic fibers transform textiles

1930 - 1970

Fibers invented between 1930 and 1970 included nylon, PTFE, polyester, Spandex, and Kevlar, expanding the properties and applications of textiles.

Image source: Synthetic fiber

Synthetic fibers transform textiles

Bonas Machine Company advances textile machinery

1983

In 1983, Bonas Machine Company Ltd. marked an event in the continuing development of modern textile machinery.

A pick-and-place robot patent is awarded

1988

The first United States patent for a pick-and-place robot was awarded in 1988, reflecting increasing automation relevant to textile manufacturing.

Image source: Industrial robot

A pick-and-place robot patent is awarded

Google Images is motivated by a green dress

2000

Google developers recognized the need for image search after Jennifer Lopez's green dress became the most popular search query they had seen; Google Images was developed in response.

Image source: Google Images

Google Images is motivated by a green dress

Textile recycling investment accelerates

2010

From 2010 onward, investment in textile recycling companies boomed as businesses sought scalable responses to global demand for recycling solutions.

Image source: Textile recycling

Textile recycling investment accelerates

Global textile exports reach $772 billion

2013

The worldwide market for textile and apparel exports was valued at $772 billion in 2013 according to the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database.

Image source: Textile industry

Global textile exports reach $772 billion

China leads apparel exports

2016

In 2016, China was the largest apparel exporter at $161 billion, followed by Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, Hong Kong, Turkey, and Indonesia.

Inditex backs Circ textile recycling

Jul 2022

In July 2022, Inditex backed Circ, a textile-to-textile recycling company, as part of the expansion of commercial textile recycling.

Key Facts

  1. The earliest known textile fibers include flax, discovered in prehistoric sites dating to approximately 34,000 BCE.
  2. Ancient civilizations used wool, linen, cotton, silk, and plant fibers to create clothing, household goods, and ceremonial textiles.
  3. Silk production began in ancient China and became a major driver of long-distance trade along the Silk Roads.
  4. The Industrial Revolution transformed textile production through inventions such as the spinning jenny, water frame, and power loom.
  5. Modern textile history includes synthetic fibers, technical fabrics, digital manufacturing, and growing efforts toward sustainable production.

Source

This History of Textiles timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

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