The textile industry was swept along by the Industrial Revolution during the late 1700s and early 1800s, changing from a cottage industry to one where inventions like the spinning jenny, cotton gin, and power looms created more efficient production and more jobs. During the twentieth century, jobs and production shifted from the developed world, like the United States and Great Britain, to the developing world, where wages were lower and raw materials more abundant. It’s still one of the largest global industries, generating over $450 billion annually and employing 25 million people worldwide.