--- product_id: 113549873 title: "The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History" brand: "kassia st. clair" price: "€ 82.68" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.sk/products/113549873-the-golden-thread-how-fabric-changed-history store_origin: SK region: Slovakia --- # The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History **Brand:** kassia st. clair **Price:** € 82.68 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History by kassia st. clair - **How much does it cost?** € 82.68 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sk](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/113549873-the-golden-thread-how-fabric-changed-history) ## Best For - kassia st. clair enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted kassia st. clair brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81eVX+qtuCL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fascinating history book *by B***R on November 10, 2024* Was not expecting this to be so well written and well thought out. Ms. St. Clair has a brisk and captivating writing style . Her historical research is astounding. A most excellent read for anyone regardless of your care for textiles. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely informative and interesting to read *by D***P on September 2, 2024* I loved this book, it started out a bit slowly but took off in directions that were so interesting and intriguing and fascinating. I can’t believe we understand so little about something that everyone of us depends on daily. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Textile Origins & Progression *by F***I on May 15, 2019* Hearing St. Clair describing her book on public radio, caught my attention, and led me to look into this text. My mother ran/owned a fabric store for many years where she and my sister were involved with many aspects of sewing personally and as part of the business. Given my family involvement, I was fascinated to see this history and context for textile origins, its progression, and perspective on its influence in our lives.After an Introduction, the author proceeds through almost self-contained thirteen chapters that ‘cover’ her subject and ‘weave the story.’ More specifically, she deals with: (1) Fibers in the Cave: The Origins of Weaving, (2) Dead Men’s Shroud: Wrapping and Unwrapping Mummies, (3) Gifts and Horses: Silk in Ancient China, (4) Cities that Silk Built: The Silk Roads, (5) Surf Dragons: The Vikings Woolen Sails, (6) A King’s Ransom: Wool in Medieval England, (7) Diamonds and the Ruff: Lace and Luxury, (8) Solomon’s Coats: Cotton, America and Trade, (9) Layering in Extremis: Clothing to Conquer Everest and the South Pole, (10) Workers in the Factory: Rayon’s Dark Past, (11) Under Pressure: Suites Suitable for Space, (12) Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger: Record Breaking Sports Fabrics, (13) The Golder Cape: Harnessing Spider Silk. There is also a concluding chapter ‘Golden Threads: A Coda’ as well as helpful Acknowledgements, Glossary, Notes, Bibliography, and Index sections.My favorite parts include those when St. Clair uses poetic and literary allusions and descriptors starting early on in the book. For instance, in the Introduction she offers the explanation of the 3 fates of Greek mythology that create a person’s life thread with a beginning, middle and end (each a story line) affected by forces and woven into the culture. I was also particularly interested in the evolution of weaving from a household activity to business and industry (see Robertson’s Essays in Medieval Culture (Princeton Legacy Library) and Khanna’s The Future Is Asian for more on the silk road). Then, there is the development of synthetic textiles leading eventually to global sourcing (see Khanna’s Connectography: Mapping the Future of Global Civilization). The prominence of women in this movement both empowering and exploitative comes through the narrative (see also Paglia’s Free Women, Free Men: Sex, Gender, Feminism). The observation that we have reached the point of having disposable clothing and the need for environmental consumers to turn the tide against that trend was revelatory. Having been a swimmer and had aerospace business familiarity, it was fun to read the author’s accounts regarding those and other high-performance fabric applications.From a personal stance, I would have liked more on the fabric business and individual sewing which has now become more of an art form in the developed countries. Some charts about the economics and additional illustrations would have been useful as well. Textbooks like “Going Global: The Textile and Apparel Industry” by Kunz et al may be useful sources in that regard (see also my review of Pulizzi's "Content Inc." re the Missouri Star Quilt Company). But obviously these books do not have the charm and artistic quality of St. Clairs’ presentation.For those with such interests and tastes, this book is clearly worth your attention. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sk/products/113549873-the-golden-thread-how-fabric-changed-history](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/113549873-the-golden-thread-how-fabric-changed-history) --- *Product available on Desertcart Slovakia* *Store origin: SK* *Last updated: 2026-05-19*