All rubber clothing and all rubber bed sheets. A dominatrix's ears just perked up somewhere.

I'm glad you touched on some of the atrocities enacted by Europeans on native populations in the DRC. You just can't overstate how brutal Belgian (and other European colonizers) were during this period. They're was actually a huge English/Belgian partnership in rubber exploitation in the area until around 1900. Men, women, AND children were forced to meet unreasonable quotas and then punished with brutal deaths and amputations when they couldn't meet them. I feel so much pain and sadness when I think of this part of my home country's history and continued exploitation. I appreciate when channels that focus on history don't completely ignore these truths. I know, the bar is on the ground, but so many people who don't grow up knowing this history through family who endured it, refuse to learn. You're in the small handful of KZfaqrs who are at least willing to research a fuller history. I encourage you to continue in that direction.

I remember doing a summer camp at a living history village, and all the kids were super confused when we were given shoes with elastic in them! It seemed so quintessentially modern to us that we had to be reassured that, really, elastic shoes existed in 1868.

You're a mind reader, I just had a heated discussion with my dad (an enthusiast about medieval clothing) about when humanity ™️ first had elastic

This was really interesting! As a person with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hypermobility disorder), I am highly dependent on neoprene (braces for joints), rubber (the feet & handles of my canes, my wheelchair tires…), and Lycra (Ace bandages, kinesiology tape). It was fascinating to learn some more of the history. I think my reliance on these problematic products has driven my move toward natural and sustainable products everywhere else. Thank you for sharing!!

I work in the notions department of a huge fabric store, and we actually stock one whole non-fabric coated elastic! It's called performance elastic and it's basically a super long rubber band that comes in a spool and is lightly covered in powder to keep it from sticking to itself. I think it sucks! But apparently some people like it for legs of swimsuits but because it has no fabric coating it must go in a fabric channel and you can't sew through it like braided elastics.

I remember reading Little House On The Prairie when Pa gave Laura and Mary black rubber comb/headbands that had a star in the center. When I read this as a child, I thought it sounded odd, but after this video, it makes WAY more sense! Thank you!

If anyone around here is old enough to have played Clarinet as a kid during the 1960s to 1980s, they have experience with vulcanized natural rubber if they ever played an Ebonite clarinet made by Selmar/Bach/Bundy or Yamaha. Sometime in the late 1990s, the lower priced clarinets stated being made of ABS plastic, but if they ever played one made prior to about 1995 that wasn't wood, it was Ebonite.

in Britain, we still call waterproof coats macs/rain macs because of the mackintosh brand, like people use hoover to mean vacuum cleaner

I remember finding out in second year engineering that plastic and elastic are mechanical properties 🤯 and that we call things elastic and plastic because these materials are most famous for those specific properties. i was shook

“(But in Narnia your good clothes were never your uncomfortable ones. They knew how to make things that felt beautiful as well as looking beautiful in Narnia: and there was no such thing as starch or flannel or elastic to be found from one end of the country to the other.)”

I was so excited when you got to the part about vulcanization. Hockey pucks to this day are made with vulcanized rubber!

I absolutely love these videos about materials and their history. So fascinating to realize how old they are, how they changed and how people figured things out. 🥰🤣That sweet pupper!

Very timely as I am so frustrated with sewing elastics right now. It seems that over the years the quality has degraded with “stretch and recovery” becoming dismal. 😭 This video’s content is terrific and it covers so much!! The “School of Nicole” delivers again!! Well done!! 💯

Really interesting stuff, I can't imagine how much that Goodyear house exhibition must have smelled of tyres 🤣

Over the past few years I've come to the point of not being able to stand the feel of synthetic fabrics. I'm transitioning my wardrobe over to all natural fabrics. But this history of Elastic was so amazing! Thank you, M'am, for all this research and work to get this to us!

As someone who is allergic to Lycra and some forms of rubber I have to double check everything before buying 😭 for years I suffered not knowing what was causing the problem until I was having a medical checkup and the Dr noticed my skin changing colour her reaction was to tell me off fir not informing her of my allergy to the Lycra gloves 😳😳when I told I had no idea that I was all the pennies dropped at once from all my problems over the years😹😹😹since then I have been more more aware of what I buy for myself. Funny enough because of my allergies to the natural rubber I studied up on it but I did not find as much detail as you just talked about 😳😳just goes to show how looking up things pre-internet days was a lot harder to find details unless you knew exactly where to look😹😹😹 At the moment because of the past pandemic shut downs Lycra free gloves are hard to find 😿😿 I am looking forward to this metal spring elastic option that you will be doing on your next video as this could be liberating for me 😹😹😹😹 Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us I always look forward to your weekly videos as I know I will be learning something new🤗🤗🤗🤗

I'm realizing how much our everyday language describing texture are based off natural materials even though the majority of materials we interact and feel today don't have any! Words like rubbery and silky, even though we're probably feeling polyester. Thank you for the in-depth research, that also covers the dark truths like the exploitation in production.

I got so excited when you started talking about vulcanization! I was fascinated by the term and the process as a kid. It was one of the first things that sparked my interest in materials development

Oooo history of elastic! I’ll admit, I have an unhealthy love of elastic as a fastening replacement in my wardrobe, especially for someone who is aspiring to move in a more historybounding direction. I just love the adjustability it allows for, that buttons and zippers and hooks just don’t have on their own.

I had a real Long Rider jacket!!! It was the most awesome coat I ever had. I wore a jean jacket underneath when travelling. Always had a pillow and blanket 🤣😂🤣 I actually ruined it.😭 I went to a Western Store to see if they knew anyone that repaired them. I left feeling worse. They had never seen a jacket as damaged as mine and kept asking what I did to it. I just brought it with me. I was never told about re-oiling or re-waxing it. Which i never did. Never do that!!! 7 months to travel from New Zealand in the 80's!!! My Dad ordered it he never wore it. He was the best!!!😉💚😉 Take care and have fun!!!😷😎😷

I'm pretty sure the US and "other European Nations" were more concerned about access to the Congolese Rubber Trees than about the treatment of the Congolese Natives.

Thank you!!! Especially for going into the environmental and ethical aspects. I'm trying to a) not buy clothes that I can make and b) not buy things that have a negative environmental impact. It is incredibly difficult to do....and can be super expensive when it comes to athletic wear (not athleisure, but actual gym wear)

Well done! I would like to recommend the novel "The Heart of Darkness" by J. Conrad as an entry point to understanding the insides of colonial exploitation of the Belgian Congo. Many will have read it as a high school student - but adulthood and more honed skills will make it a profitable re-read for adults. The primary character is a representative of what happens to a culture when it makes the moral compromises necessary for such wholesale immorality. It is also very short.

These classes on the history of fashion are so good, Nicole. So. GOOD. I need to get myself a hat. So I can take it off for you.

How timely! I read instructions for a women's 1860 toiletry case last night that called for a 'silk elastic loop' to act as a closure and was feeling very curious about the history of elastic.. and woke up to this!

I don't know if anyone has ever told you this but you have a really soft voice which I really appreciate.

This was so interesting- I'd love to see more videos on the history of particular textiles. Whenever I learn about historical production methods it really drives home how labour intensive and expensive it was to obtain fabric, and apreciate the work that goes into making just the raw materials for our clothes past and present

Barely 4 minutes in & delighted to be getting Mesoamerican history in here ! An area I know squat about ! (Looking at you, "American public education"!). Thanks, Nicole, for this ! ❤ Back to the video !

Excellent video essay! I love how you always put the information in context of social and political changes throughout the time period. The exploitation and horrors of the Congolese being an example.

I never realized just how much plastic material is in our fabric until I decided to buy clothing made of biodegradable materials. I was shocked at how much it limited my clothing choices. It was easy for me to resolve not to buy polyester clothes because polyester is less comfortable than cotton or linen, and I don't care if my clothes get wrinkly. But I wouldn't be able to cut out spandex or elastic to the same extent. Not only is it much more ubiquitous than polyester, but it's just too comfortable. There's no way I'd be able to find a well-fitting pair of pants without some spandex, and I'm not giving up clothes with elastic waistbands.

I'm just starting to watch but this is veeeery relevant to my current project of making vintage-y bras. :-)

I learn so much every time I watch Nicole’s videos. This is something I never thought about.

Very cool video! I used to collect tatting shuttles and I *think* my oldest one might be from the 1850-1860's made by the Novelty Rubber Company.

Almost the thought of latex makes me itch. I have scars from my fingers to my wrist from the worst break out I had when hospitals were still using latex glove and I was doing my clinical. Ever since then I can’t even touch a balloon or even wear a number of the masks out there without reactions including a rash and headache. I have to be very careful with my clothes thus why I’m glad I am starting to be able to make my own.

Impeccable research as always, I appreciate the newspaper clippings on the screen

Well, that explains the rubber combs the Edwardians were talking about! That has been confusing me for years...

Watched this while ironing my latest haul of fabric (some deadstock rayon, and a couple of linen/rayon remnants)... I'm only wearing one garment without any Lycra in, and that's my cotton petticoat (I made it myself, I know it's 100% cotton). Everything else (assorted underwear, #DinosaurMaxi) has at least some Lycra in it!

A fascinating history and informative video, thanks for posting. The only thing missing is a mention of Elastica, a band that needed to record more music. My Uncle had a precursor to Lego made of rubber.

History + Science + Fashion Project = Informative video from Nicole Rudolph. Excellent!

"what do you have to say for yourself?" "I regret nothing"

This Italian seamstress...absolutely adores you! Great job.

Unfortunately I don't see any major changes for the near future. Big companies will only invest in recycling if it's the cheaper option. And they probably have a "green" option to keep up with the trend of more demanding customers, not because they care about the environment. Changes must be made on institutional level, by law, and will also only work if every country have them, or else they will just move their factories around.

This was fascinating…I’m newer to your channel so you may have already answered this, how did the clothing industry and designs change in response to the neoprene shortage during WWII? Were there changes made to garments themselves, for example, what did they do to redesign women’s undergarments to adapt to not using neoprene? Or did they do anything at all?

Fascinating and so great to see someone get so passionate about their subject matter!

It’s so interesting to see how industrial innovations can influence fashion!

Fantastic and informative as ever! I knew the bit about Victoria, which I found excessively diverting when I learned it!

I love to know more about fabrics history and properties. It's wonderful you are making films like this!

Lovely academic approach to this research topic, this is what I watch for. Many thanks Birdy

Doggo was cheating! "What do you have to say for yourself?" "Slurp, more treats??" .......LOL! Love the doggo :)

Fascinating!

I love your videos on materials. It’s fascinating to find out the history and manufacturing processes behind things we take for granted.

That was great!! I really enjoy your history lessons. I had no idea how long elastics had been around!! Your next project should be amazing as well as educational! If you are ever looking for topics could I suggest linen specifically what is the differences between historical and modern linen? Is it a loom issue? A processing issue? A spinning issue? Or a combination of all or more things?

Subtitles: "rubber souls" - yet another application for rubber, I see! How useful! I had a good laugh at that! Awesome video btw

Really interesting video. Thanks for not glossing over the horrors of the rubber trade in the Congo, there's some really harrowing photos and accounts from that time. I'm a little surprised you didn't mention smocking as an early form of creating stretch fabrics just using regular cotton and thread. It's fascinating to me that just gathering the material a certain way can produce so much give!

Wow, fascinating! Thanks for doing so much research/sharing your knowledge

Thank you for having full captions!

Nicole, you're a gem, great video ❤

this is super interesting/informative I just finished my textiles A-Level, and I've been trying to research the origins of certain textile materials more thoroughly than what the course covered. it's great to see that this is a near-complete history (as in it doesn't start with just the mass production of rubber/elastic)

This was so informative! Thank you for the great research and sources!

I just want to thank you for how you do these videos, you could focus soley on fashion or certain time periods but I love the broader context

Love your videos. Fascinating. Thanks

i love the visuals you use, you are so informative. thank you for your videos.

Thank you! Once again, an informative vlog. I really appreciate the research you do and share.

Well, they were very right when they predicted that it would be everywhere in everything. And OH! The Beauty of the Edwardian Sylph dress!!! Excellent video!

Thank you for the video! This is so good to know and really fascinating

This is somewhat related: I've seen snippets here and there about velour being manufactured before the Industrial Revolution, if you ever do deep dives into knits/velvets/etc could you look into it?

Another fantastic video! You are really the best in KZfaq!!

This was so informative and again very neatly and clearly told. Thank you!

I think this was a segment on the Great British Sewing Bee, but there was a woman (can't remember her name) that revolutionized the use of spandex from athleticwear to fashion items. She still has a boutique in London, I believe. I just wish I could remember her name.

Thank you again. I just love these in depth look a t particular fibers

You always have the best topics.

So much fascinating information! Thank you.

This was fascinating, thank you so much!

Fascinating! Thank you.

I always learn So much from your posts

interesting and informative! thank you.

Not exactly what I was expecting, but I learned a lot. Keep it up!

Thank you for the great information! Plus, thank you for sharing your sweet dog. 🐶

This is beyond fascinating.

Interesting history. Thanks!

My schedule is messed up for the foreseeable future. :( I'm finally watching this video at 11pm est. I usually watch them when they are posted.

Well this is fascinating!

I love stretchy everything! So forgiving!

Fascinating.

So fascinating!

Thank you for yet another fascinating and educative video! I always find this type of history, which links directly to the daily lives of ordinary people, super interesting. Rubber boots, most of which are probably not actually made of rubber, are still very much a thing in Finland, even in cities. xD

So interesting great information!

thank you. Oh also your pup is adorable

I love your content dear. I'm always watching your videos! But as someone of Mexican descent I just wanted to point out that it's Moctezuma instead of Montezuma. Montezuma was easier for the Spanish to say so it stuck.

...INCRÍVEL...ESPETACULAR....MARAVILHOSA

at 6.00 re india rubbers, in the UK, or at least my age group in Scotland, we still use the word rubber rather than eraser for rubbing out pencil marks. I have one at all times when doing crosswords. Having now watched to the end, re gutta percha, in the 60's/70's a popular name for what I called gym shoes was 'guttees' and boys used to get 'cahouchy' for using with their catapults. I always wondered where this word came from.

I visited a rubber plantation in Malaya many years ago. Very interesting.

If possible, could you add some audio-clip, ping, whatever, when you show a picture or text? I mainly listen (not watch, but glance sometimes) to these videos, and some audio-hint that there is a visual, would really help to get the most out of these videos for me.

Great video Nicole! Just a little piece of info in case you need it again in the future, it's Hernán Cortés instead of "Hernando". I hope it helps a little, I know names in different languages can be easy to mix up sometimes 🤗

She is now a famous model and is trying to renegotiate her contract. That's what she has to say for herself. 😉

I see that you and Abby really do post same day lol. I caught you both today! Is rare I have a Sunday off lol thank you for sharing

I’m not sure why, but the sound on this kept dropping out and at times was out of synch. I’m going to download and try again😟

Hi, Nicole! I love your science-nerd self!🤓 This is fascinating!🤗

NICOLE!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE YOUR MAKEUP!!! ESPECIALLY YOUR EYESHADOW!