Local Quiz

[roger1098]

Totally stuck on an everyday article of clothing first patented on 30 September 1902. Help very much appreciated!

[phizzy]

could ir be the 'zipper' ??

[Zen]

In 1902, the "making of cellulose esters" was jointly patented by William H. Walker, Arthur D. Little and Harry S. Mork of Massachusetts. (U.S. No. 709922). A month later, on 28 Oct 1902, they also patented artificial silk (No. 712,200). Viscose was an early name for the product. The term rayon was adopted by the textile industry in 1924 to replace "artificial silk" and similar names. It was said to derive from the French for "shine" - a reference to its silklike lustre. Unlike most man-made fibers, rayon is not synthetic. Made from wood pulp, a naturally-occurring, cellulose-based raw material, rayon's properties are more similar to those of natural cellulosic fibers, such as cotton or linen, than those of petroleum-based synthetic fibers such as nylon.

http://www.todayinsci.com/9/9_30.htm

[phizzy]

i guess i must be wrong then - i was sure that your clue said an "ARTICLE" of clothing, not the material it is made from ?

[roger1098]

I'm baffled too. The question specifically says article of clothing but I'm really grateful for the rayon answer because it's the only one that's come up!
Roger 1098