Fiber and Fabrication

Before the development of synthetic
products such as nylon, orlon, and plastics, people were dependent
upon plants for fibers and building materials. Wood products
were, and still are, a major source of construction materials.
Nearly all of the written and printed matter produced through
history has depended on the use of paper products derived from plant
fibers or wood. Fibers from the cotton, flax, and hemp plants and
wool from animals grazing on plants were the major textiles used
for cloth. Even synthetics are in most cases plant products since
most are made from petroleum or coal, which are remnants of plants
from millions of years ago. Before synthetic rubber was developed
during World War II, the United States and the world rolled on tires
made of latex from the sap of the rubber tree. Latex is still widely
used for surgical tubing and many other products that require its
unique properties.