Historically, what materials were used to create clothing?
The first clothes are thought to have been fashioned from natural elements, such as animal skin, fur, bones, ivory, and shells. Evidence of sewn leather and fur garments dates back to at least 30,000 years ago, with cave paintings suggesting the existence of skin-drape dresses in the Paleolithic period. Actual fragments of textile clothing have been found by archeologists dating back to 7000 B.C. These were made from natural fibers obtained from plants and animal sources and include cotton, flax, wool, and silk.