TEXTILES. Processing fiber into thread and transforming those threads into fabrics, possibly the oldest human technology, first appear on the cultural horizon during the Neolithic period, between twelve and fifteen thousand years ago. Not until the...

The weaving culture of the landlocked Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is centuries old. Silk, wool, acrylic, metallic threads, and cotton, intricately and deftly woven on hand-hewn backstrap and treadle or shaft looms, meet a wide range of daily clothing...

Textile production has played a key role in the initial stages of industrialization of the East Asian economies by generating manufacturing output, employment, and exports, often with government support. As labor-intensive industries, textile and...

Historically, Lao women of most ethnic groups weave. The resulting textiles were woven for personal use and were a representation of daily life and cultural traditions. Intricate and complex designs performed such supernatural functions as warding off...

Animal hides, such as leather, provided the first material for the making of clothing; they came in one large, supple piece that could be cut to any shape and sewn together with thin leather strips. However, its hides were not ideal for all purposes or...

Sunday textile market on the sidewalks of Karachi, Pakistan. A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial fibers often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw wool fibers, linen, cotton, or...