Virginia Postrel has a new book on the history of textiles. I gave it to my wife but haven't yet read it myself. Based on online interviews/discussions with her I expect it to be very good. One theory I've developed from them is there's a general parallel between the evolution of the making and use of textiles and the evolution of the growing and eating of food. There's a gradual shift from individual hand labor to mass production and marketing of textiles, just as there's a gradual shift from hand labor to mass production and marketing of food.
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