Natural fibers have been around for thousands of years and have been used for everything from apparel to home décor. While natural fibers such as flax and cotton have been around for thousands of years, the man-made fiber industry was only established in 1910. By the 1950's the man-made fiber industry had a great deal of success and was constantly coming up with new technology, which continues to evolve today.
Natural Fibers:
Flax – 5,000 BC
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Considered by most to be the oldest natural fiber used for textiles.
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Egyptian pharaohs burial shrouds were made of fine linen developed out of flax.
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The Soviet States are the largest producers of flax; Northern Ireland and Belgium are its largest exporters.
Cotton – 3,000 BC
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Was found to be worn by the Egyptians in 2,500 BC and probably even earlier.
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In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin which revolutionized how cotton was processed.
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In 1884 the power loom was developed and caused cotton fabrics to significantly improve and become varied.
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Major cotton producers include: China, India, and the U.S..
Wool – 3,000 BC
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People from the late Stone Age used wool.
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There are roughly 200 types of wool with varying grades produced by 40 different breeds of sheep.
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Major wool producers include: New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Argentina.
Silk – 2,600 BC
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It is believed that a Chinese princess discovered silk.
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Silk is made from combining two continuous filaments which are cemented together and used to form a silkworm cocoon.
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In 1725 BC, silk culture began and was sponsored by the wife of the Chinese Emperor.
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For approximately 3,000 years, the Chinese closely guarded the secrets of silk cultivation and fabric manufacturing.
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India learned of the silk culture after an Indian prince was married by a Chinese princess.
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Japan is the major producer and exporter of silk.
Man-Made Fibers:
Rayon – 1910
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Rayon was the first synthetic or man-made fiber.
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In 1910 the American Viscose Company became the first commercial producer of rayon in the U.S.
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There are two types of rayon, viscose rayon and cuprammonium rayon, which are developed by applying two different chemicals and manufacturing techniques.
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Today, the U.S. does not have any rayon producers.
Acetate – 1924
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In 1924 the Celanese Corporation were the first commercial producer of acetate fiber in the U.S..
Nylon – 1939
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In 1939, E. I. Du Pont De Nemours & Company became the first commercial producer of nylon in the U.S.
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Nylon is the second most used synthetic fiber in the U.S.
Acrylic – 1950
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In 1950 the E. I. Du Pont De Nemours & Company were the first commercial producers of acrylic in the U.S.
Polyester – 1953
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E. I. Du Pont Nemours & Company became the first commercial producer in 1953 of polyester in the U.S..
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The most used man-made fiber in the U.S. is polyester.
Triacetate – 1954
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In 1954 the Celanese Corporation were the first commercial producers of triacetate in the U.S..
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In 1985 triacetate production in the U.S. was discontinued.
Spandex – 1959
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1959 was the first year spandex fiber was commercially produced in the U.S. by the E. I. Du Pont De Nemours & Company.
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Spandex is considered an elastomeric fiber meaning it is able to stretch 100% and snap back like natural rubber.
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Spandex is used in a filament form.
Polyolefin/Polypropylene – 1961
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In 1961 the Hercules Corporation became the first commercial producer of an olefin fiber in the U.S.
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In 1966, polyolefin became the world's first and only Nobel Prize winning fiber.
Microfiber – 1989
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Microfibers are produced in a number of different synthetic fibers including polyester, acrylic, and nylon.
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Microfiber is the thinnest and finest of all the man-made fibers and is finer than the most delicate silks.
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Some microfibers are so small that a human hair is more than 100 times their size.
Lyocell – 1993
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Lyocell is produced from the wood of pulp of trees that are specifically for this purpose.
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Lyocell is processed with a solvent spinning technique where the resolving agent is recycled which reduces environmental effluents.
Further Resources:
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The History of Fabric & Textiles – An in-depth article discussing the history of fabric and other textiles.
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History of Fabrics – A list of different man-made and natural fibers and fabrics and their history.
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Fiber & Fabric – An easy to understand history of fibers and fabrics including a list of resources.
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Alternative Field Crops Manual – Including the history, uses, growth habits, environment requirements, cultural practices, yield potential, etc.
Article written by Carolyn J Todd