From Grass to Glass: A History of Fibres

• Week 1: Leaves and stems
  Humans made cordage from grass and used sinew for binding before spinning continuous lengths of fibre. Weaving flax dates from 12,000 years ago in the Mediterranean and Middle East, expanded to Europe then arrived in Britain about 2,000 years ago. Other fibres in early use include hemp, jute, ramie and sisal.
• Week 2: Wool and hair
  People harvested wool by around 6000 BCE, while the earliest extant woven wool garments date from 4000 BCE. By the Bronze Age, domesticated sheep were common throughout Western Asia, North Africa and Northern Europe. Sources of hair fibres for textiles include sheep, goats, camelids, reindeer and musk oxen.
• Week 3: Silk, the queen of fibres
  From ancient times, people have been captivated by silk: no other fibre has its texture, sheen, strength and drape. Silk in China dates from 3000 BCE, while sericulture may have begun as much as 7,000 years ago. By the first century, Chinese silk was the most sought-after commodity in the West.
  
• Week 4: King cotton
  From around 5000 BCE domesticating, spinning and weaving cotton developed independently in numerous places; by 1500 CE it was known worldwide. The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 and other innovations fuelled the industry’s growth, while sustaining huge profits demanded an enormous rise in the use of slave labour.
• Week 5: Early synthetic fibres
  Extensive research was devoted to overcoming the disadvantages of natural fibres. Synthetic fibres do not depend on agricultural output, are cheaper to produce than natural fibres and today account for nearly half of all fabric production. Many are created from synthesized polymers that come from raw materials such as petrochemicals.
• Week 6: High-tech fibres and the future
  Manufacturers take advantage of raw materials and technological progress to create new fibres and textiles that are capable of containing explosions, blocking radiation, thwarting bacteria, replacing damaged tissue and reinforcing buildings. On the downside, worldwide demand for textiles has exacerbated the environmental impact of producing fibres of all kinds.

By the end of the course, you should be able to:

• Identify the main sources of cellulose and protein natural fibres
• Describe how technological advancements in textile production triggered the Industrial Revolution
  
• Discuss the development of two generations of synthetic fibres
• Compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of natural and synthetic fibres 

• Lectures
• Participation in discussions
  
• Supplementary resources accessed through Canvas
  
• Reflective essay (applicable only to certificate students)

No textbook is required. We will provide all course materials online.