National Women Inventors Month - Women’s Early Innovations in Fashion
Posted on February 10 2023
In 1790, The Patent Act allowed a woman to apply for a patent for the first time. Previously, only men could apply for U.S. patents to copyright or trademark their work.
The first two women to receive patents created advancements in sewing.
Hannah Wilkinson Slater was born in 1774 into a prominent business family and married a cotton mill entrepreneur. Hannah, was the first woman to receive a patent, although she applied using her husband’s name - Mrs. Samuel Slater. She received a patent in 1793, at the age of 19, for a new double cotton thread for sewing.
Her husband Samuel is credited with building the first water-powered cotton mill in the United States. Samuel showed Hannah some cotton yarn he intended to use to make cloth. Hannah had the idea for using the cotton to spin into two strands of the cotton yarn into thread using a hand spinning wheel. Previously, linen was the only thread used for sewing and it was not strong.
Hannah’s new method produced a stronger and smoother thread. As a result, her husband Samuel and his business partners created an extremely successful New England company manufacturing thread.
Mary Dixon Kies, born in 1752, was the second woman to receive a patent and the first to have it issued in her name. In 1809, at the age of 57, she received a patent for a unique process of weaving straw with silk.
In 1807, the United States government was encouraging Americans to manufacture products domestically. Straw hats were popular and hat making innovations in this country happened because of Betsey Metcalf, who started the American straw hat industry.
Mary used her process to produce and sell cost effective fashionable hats and bonnets. She was recognized by First Lady Dolley Madison, wife of President James Madison for helping to boost the U.S. hat business. And in 2006, she was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
In 1885, Sarah Goode was the first African-American woman to receive a U.S. patent; and it was in the area of home furnishings design. While not related to apparel design and fashion this is an important and notable achievement.
In 1892, former slave Sarah Boone patented a new and improved ironing board that could better accommodate women’s clothes. Previously, the ironing board only worked well for men’s clothes. Sarah’s invention was unique in that it was specially adapted for ironing the sleeves and bodies of women’s garments.
Let’s all express our gratitude to all the female inventors during National Women Inventors Month, observed throughout February along with Black History Month.
Female inventors are responsible for so many useful things we enjoy today, as well as playing a pivotal role in the fields of science, technology, and the arts.
Resources
-https://www.sikaa.com/blogs/blog/everyday-bits-and-bobs-invented-by-black-women
