Is there a site w/ dates for when the various synthetic fabrics were introduced?

Oops - Right under my nose.

I was looking for the more generic "acrylic" because I am listing a few Beacon robes and I see some other sellers note that their robes have "acrylic" on the label, yet they date them as 20's or 30's. I didn't think that was correct, and I am right. However, the original 'acrylic' does go back further than I thought.

"The Dupont Corporation created the first acrylic fibers in 1941 and trademarked them under the name "Orlon"."

By the way, I have some wonderfully soft acrylic sweaters - just as nice as cashmere to my skin.
 
The problem with most histories of materials is that the date it was invented, first used, and commercially available are three different dates. Rayon is the worst of any - I have forgotten the exact dates, but it was invented in something like 1850, first used in 1890, but didn't become commercially available until something like 1910, and even then it wasn't popular until 1930. Polyester was invented in 1943, I think it was, but it wasn't being first used until 1951, and it wasn't common until 1960 (don't take my dates as correct, I would have to check)
 
Yes, that tallies with my experience Ruth: I haven't seen any Orlon/acrylic earlier than the '50s and most of it is from the late '50s onwards.

I saw a listing recently for a "1930s dress" that the seller said was nylon jersey. Such laziness.
 
This contains a timeline of the first commercial use of manufactured fibers.
http://vintagefashionguild.org/fabric-resource/manufactured-fiber

I used quite a few sources to come up with these dates, and there is some discrepancy. It should help give a good idea of when you'd find an item of acrylic, etc.

For more specific information about the history of each of the manufactured fibers, including the date of invention, go to each of the fabrics by name. There is a clickable link to each in the manufactured fiber article above.
 
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