Looms and weaving are nothing new. In fact, the art of weaving dates back thousands of years; the oldest loom dating back to 5th-millennium B.C.E. It consisted of bars or beams fixed in place to form a frame to hold a number of parallel threads in two sets, alternating with each other. This process allowed a rough fabric to be created. The basic function and operation of the loom remained the same for many years.
Many advancements in the components of the loom would happen years later, and they fundamentally changed the way they operated. A loom, most probably invented in Asia, was optimized for the weaving of silk. It was made possible by creating a mechanism that weaved more intricate patterns. It was only mechanized in the 18th century in France, where the process became more efficient.
Looms continued to get more and more mechanical, so as to reduce the number of workers required in the factory and to reduce the number of imperfections in the fabric. Nowadays, looms are completely automated and can be commanded remotely. Garments are churned out at a fabulous rate. Thousands of articles of clothing fly off the production line, ready to be purchased by the consumer.
Fun Facts:
- The first power loom was designed in 1784 by Edmund Cartwright.
- Cartwright's design was later perfected by William Horrocks.
- By 1850, 250,000 of Cartwright's inventions were in use all around the world.
An old mechanical loom:
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