The innovation of manmade fibers, meaning created in a laboratory from chemicals, revolutionized the apparel and home furnishing industries. How did this evolve, and where are we today?       

In 1664, English naturalist Robert Hooke predicted a fiber “if not fully as good, nay better” than the fiber produced by the silkworm.

Nearly 200 years later in 1855, a Swiss chemist, Georges Audemars, used the fibrous inner bark of a mulberry tree as his source of cellulose to make artificial silk. He formed threads by dipping needles into the solution and drawing them out. 

In the 1880s, Sir Joseph Swan extruded this cellulose solution through fine holes to produce silk threads. He developed this technique to produce filaments for the new electric lamps. In 1885, Swan exhibited fabrics crocheted by his wife from this new fiber, but he did not pursue its textile possibilities.

In 1889, a French chemist, Count Hilaire de Chardonnet, produced an artificial silk yarn called rayon that caused a sensation at the Paris Exhibition.

In 1924, the Celanese Company began commercial textile production of acetate fiber. In 1931, an American DuPont chemist, Dr. Wallace Carothers, created a new miracle fiber, nylon — the first fiber synthesized completely from chemicals. It was strong and elastic. Initially it was used as surgical thread, bristles for toothbrushes, and, famously, for nylon stockings.

First shown in 1939 at the San Francisco World’s Fair, American women embraced the look and elasticity of nylon stockings. During World War II, nylon factories were repurposed to manufacture tents, tires, ropes, ponchos, and military supplies. Nylon replaced Japanese silk in parachutes and was even used in U.S. paper currency. 

In the search for stretchable materials for clothing, a British engineer, Charles E. Lewis, invented Lastex in the 1930s. It incorporated elastic threads, often made of natural or synthetic rubber, interlaced with or covered by cotton thread.

Lastex provided moderate stretch and was quickly put into women’s undergarments for stretch and shaping. Known to be hot to wear, the military demand for rubber in the 1940s pushed the fabric industry to new alternatives.  

Polyester was patented in 1941 by two British scientists. DuPont bought the rights to the patent in 1946 and began to sell it in textiles under the brand name Dacron. At this same time, DuPont produced acrylic, a synthetic fiber with wool-like characteristics.

In 1952, “wash and wear” first appeared in a blend of 60% acrylic and 40% cotton. Triacetate arrived in 1954, making it possible to have crisp, permanently pleated fabrics. Spandex, a stretchable fiber created by DuPont in 1959, has been used in bras, girdles, and jockstraps, as well as swimwear and sportswear.

The 1960s introduced aramid fibers, also known as Kevlar or Nomex, which are lighter and tougher than steel, in addition to being fire- and electricity-proof.

By the late 1950s, nearly 30% of fibers used by American textile mills were manmade.

Today’s basic fibers had all been created. Fiber blending became widespread. The industry introduced modifications to the basic thread composition, resulting in flame-retardant, cling-free, soil-resistant, or anti-static properties.

In the 1970s, flammability standards, initially demanded for children’s sleepwear, were legislated.

In 2022 the worldwide production of textiles measured 113.8 million metric tons — 77% from chemical fibers, 22% from natural fibers.

Polyester makes up 54% of the chemical fibers, dominating the synthetic market with multiple blends. Its advantages include that it repels water, has more luster, does not disintegrate from contact with sunlight or other means, and it is cheaper to produce in bulk.

Yet, the indestructible characteristics of synthetics have also brought them under criticism because they are not biodegradable. The fibers, basically created from petroleum and crude oil, can last for years.

Today’s reuse consciousness has encouraged the fashion industry to be ethical, environmentally friendly, and sustainable. This includes recycling materials, using biodegradable product solutions, sourcing raw materials ethically, and using more efficient manufacturing processes.

There is also renewed interest in natural fibers, including new hemp and bamboo fabrics.

What’s in your clothes?

Doris Montag is a homespun historian and an exhibit curator who researches and displays historical collections of ordinary things, such as can openers, crochet, toy sewing machines, hand corn planters, powder compacts, egg cartons, and more. Contact or follow her on Facebook, HistoryofOrdinaryThings.