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Comment by vidanay | Hacker News Reader

It always amazes me to think about the influence of the industrial revolution and mass production. Prior to the industrial period, things like linens, blankets, lace, etc. considered extremely valuable and were part of your estate to be inherited by future generations. The only textile that retains a portion of this (aura? mystique?) is silk - but even this is largely mass produced now.

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Mass production only looks at the supply side. I don't think it fully explains consumer behavior.

The advent of mass marketing and consumerism has given an expectation for everything to be convenient and disposable.

Those linens, blankets, and lace even if hand made from the finest fabrics are to discarded once they are out of fashion.

This too is explained by mass production. Without it, the ability to regularly discard linens and blankets and buy new ones due to fashion would be out of reach of all but the wealthiest.

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/65506/super-luxe-history...

Pineapples used to be rented for parties.

It’s why a lot old decorations had so many in it.

There may be some rare exceptions like woolen blankets and such made in low batches by artisanal folks. They are relatively expensive but not by historical standards (one months earnings, for example, but may be a couple of days or more for a middle class earner.) On the other hand you can get nice down covers for cheap.

As late as the 1920s, there were city thieves specializing in stealing bed linens that were being dried outside on the fresh air and selling them through a network of fences.

Nowadays, I cannot think of anybody who would ever buy second-hand bed sheets.

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