No one is certain when exactly humans started making and using textiles, but it’s sure been a while. The earliest sewing needles and dyed fibers ever discovered (in Europe) are almost 40,000 years old.

Since then the textile industry has seen many significant developments. Fabrics began to be made in factories during the Industrial Revolution of the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries. In fact, the textile industry was the first ever to use modern factory production methods, and employed more people than any other sector during the Industrial Revolution.

In the mid-20^th century, as demand for new applications grew, synthetic fibers were invented. Polyester, one of the more well-known such fibers, first arrived on the scene in 1953.

Naturally, new manufacturing and material innovations meant that textiles could be used in new ways. Albarrie has been at the forefront of this innovation ever since our beginnings in 1981. Our advanced technical textiles, which we design and manufacture in our 79,000 square foot North American facility, are used all over the world to keep dust and particulates out of the air, to contain oil spills and to make industrial processes safer and more efficient.

Who would have thought that textiles could serve such an important role in making our lives, and our planet, better?