Fur to Fiber

HISTORY OF CLOTHES

After people began to settle in agriculture communities, they learnt to weave twigs and grass into mats and baskets. Vines, animals fleece or hairs were twisted together into long strands. These were woven into fabrics. The early Indians wore fabrics made out of cotton that grew in the regions near the river Ganga. Flax is also a plant that gives natural fibers. In ancient Egypt, cotton as well as flax were cultivated near the river Nile and were used for making fabrics.
In those days, stitching was not known. People simply draped the fabrics around different parts of their body. There are many different ways of draping fabrics around different parts of body. Many different ways of draping fabrics were used. With the invention of sewing needle, people started stitching fabrics to make clothes. Stitched clothes have gone through many variations since this invention. But it is amazing that even today sari, dhoti, lungi or turban is used as un-stitched piece of fabric.
Just as there is a large variety in the food eaten all over country, a large variety exists also in fabric and clothing items.