Although the exact date of the invention of clothing is unknown, anthropologists believe it to have been between 100,000 and 500,000 years ago. Natural materials such as animal skins, fur, grass, leaves, bones, and shells were used to create the first garments. Clothes were frequently draped or tied, but rudimentary animal bone needles show that leather and fur clothing was sewn at least 30,000 years ago. Neolithic cultures developed weaving techniques, which led to the development of cloth-making as one of humanity’s fundamental technologies. They discovered the advantages of woven fibres over animal hides. The history of textiles goes hand in hand with the history of clothes. The ability to create the materials used for clothes required the invention of weaving, spinning, tools, and other procedures, all of which were done by humans.
The first stone-based tools—hence the name of the era—as well as the origins of Stone Age clothing are also seen throughout this time period. Early clothing was created solely out of necessity and as a means of protection from the weather, and it was intended to be useful rather than fashionable. These included the climate-dependent weather as well as rough surfaces and insects. Early clothing was frequently constructed from readily available natural materials, including plants, mud, and animal hides. Those who lived in colder climates and during multiple ice ages needed Stone Age clothing made of animal skin in order to endure the harsher weather, whilst those who lived in milder climates concentrated on lighter materials like leaves and mud.
Depending on the region, the development of clothing during the Stone Age differed substantially. While people living in warmer climes frequently created protective covers out of mud and plants, and later on, flax plant fibre was used to weave linen, those living farther from the equator needed a little more protection from the weather. Animal hides were generally used to create fur and leather clothing for warmer weather. These ranged from basic loincloths to larger, stitched-together, more intricately crafted clothing that was pierced using tools like bone needles. Then, using leather string or natural materials like vines or nettles, the pieces were sewn together.
Simple fabric pieces worn around the waist or over the groyne provided protection for the wearer. All climates used these frequently; they were either made of plants, linen, or animal leather. They could be worn on their own or underneath other clothes. Leggings were similar to pants as we know them today and were frequently required in colder climes. At the waist of the loincloths, sheaves of leather or fur were made. Hats were frequently made of straw or animal hides to shield the head and neck from the sun or from colder areas. Tunics covered the upper torso and were typically worn over leggings and loincloths. They frequently used two pieces of fabric that were joined at the top and had a head opening.
When man began to settle down, lighter fabrics became accessible for all clothing thanks to the development of flax-woven fabric and looms, which were more appropriate in hotter regions than animal hides. In agrarian societies, keeping sheep allowed people to start producing wool clothing. Flax, cotton, and silkworm filaments for silk are grown in China, as are other crops, allowing for a consistent supply of textile materials. The natural pigments found in plants, flowers, minerals, and vegetables might be used to dye these new materials in a variety of hues. The apparel was also constructed using natural materials that were locally accessible. Antlers and other animal-hunted bone material were used to make bone needles and awls. Bone would be used to pierce the leather, and then thinner leather strips would be used to stitch it together.
Ancient Egypt was well known for producing linen, from which the majority of ancient Egyptian textiles were created, as depicted in scenes adorning tomb walls. Flax plants mature in around three months and are used to make linen. A thin annual, the plant has pretty blue flowers. The plants are ready for harvesting when the blossoms have withered and the seed heads have emerged. Instead of cutting them out of the ground, bundles of flax stems were grabbed and tugged. The seed heads were removed from the plants after they had dried, either by hand rippling or by combing with a long, toothed board known as the rippling comb. After being washed, dried, beaten, and combed, the fibres were prepared for spinning. Flax wasn’t the only textile material in use. Dew, sunlight, and exposure to water all worked to free the fibres within the plant stems, a process called “retting.” Additionally, textiles made of goat hair, palm fibres, grass, and reeds have been discovered. Several goat-hair textiles were discovered at the Tell el-Amarna workmen’s village, which dates to the middle of the fourteenth century BC. Other ancient sites have also yielded textiles made of goat hair.
Only humans are known to wear clothing. The use of textiles for clothing by early men dates back to the Paleolithic era and likely began there. It has progressed from simple climatic protection to comfort and maintaining decency in modern fashion. Primitive man initially used materials found in nature, such as animal hides and plant leaves, for clothing to cover and drape his body. Over time, however, he began to develop textile clothing made from natural materials, such as plant fibres like flax, cotton, and jute, as well as animal hair like wool and silk. Various man-made fibres, including synthetic substrates, underwent development with the industrial revolution of the 20th century, but even at that time, natural fibres still made up almost half of the textile garments used globally.
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