Textile Manufacturing By Pre-industrial Methods

Textile Manufacturing By Pre-industrial Methods

Textile manufacturing is one of the oldest human activities. The oldest known textiles date back to about 5000 B.C. In order to make textiles, the first requirement is a source of fibre from which a yarn can be made, primarily by spinning. The yarn is processed by knitting or weaving to create cloth. The machine used for weaving is the loom. Cloth is finished by what are described as wet processes to become fabric. The fabric may be dyed, printed or decorated by embroidering with coloured yarns.

The three main types of fibres are natural vegetable fibres (such as cotton, linen, jute and hemp), man-made fibers (made by industrial processes) and protein based fibers (such as wool, silk).

Almost all commercial textiles are produced by industrial methods. Textiles are still produced by pre-industrial processes in village communities in Asia, Africa and South America, as an artisan craft and a hobby in Europe and North America.