ABSTRACT
Synthetic fibres were introduced to the UK market on a small scale during the Second World War. Nylon (a polyamide fibre) was first produced in the UK in 1941 by British Nylon Spinners (BNS), a jointly owned ICI and Courtaulds subsidiary, though substantial commercial development was delayed until after the war. The two other major synthetic fibres, polyester and acrylic, were introduced in the 1950s. Polyester fibre was first produced commercially in the UK by ICI in 1954. Acrylic fibre was first produced in the UK by Courtaulds and Monsanto (an American-owned firm) between 1957 and 1959. Synthetic fibres today are used in a wide range of clothing, household and industrial textile products.
