Short answers, pulled from the story.
Archaeologists discovered the oldest known twisted fiber in southern France, dating it to between 50,000 and 40,000 BCE. Early humans likely rolled fibers together using their thighs or fingers before inventing a stick to maintain tension.
Samuel Crompton invented the spinning mule in 1779 to produce softer threads than previous methods. The machine pulled roving off bobbins through rollers operating at several different speeds simultaneously.
Whorl spindles remain the predominant method for spinning fiber in certain regions today. This weighted tool helped maintain momentum during the spinning process while leaving both hands free to draft the fiber without dropping the work.
Wet spinning uses coagulating media to create rayon fibers commonly known as viscose. Dry spinning contains polymers in solvents that evaporate inside heated exit chambers.
Mechanization displaced traditional cottage industries after World War I ended global conflicts. Production centers shifted from Europe toward Asia following technological breakthroughs.