The loose fibres were spun into threads and made using a loom. The cotton was often dyed to make multi-coloured clothes. Dyes were made of insects, molluscs (shellfish), indigo and plants.

It consists of “a cotton textile dyed purple which ... assisted the scientists in distinguishing the clothing’s identity.

At the same time, the textile industry in Great Britain was exploding, creating enormous international demand for cotton clothing. Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin, which easily ...