Fun Facts That You May Not Know About Buttons
If you have a sewing kit or a craft box, you probably have a lot of buttons. These helpful little fasteners are great for clothes, crafts, and other projects. However, while most of us may use and see them every day, there are some pretty fun facts that you may not know about buttons.
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Origins of the Word
The word “button” doesn’t seem to offer much description of what it is or what it does. That’s because, like many English words, its origins stem from another language. The French word “bouton,” which means knob or bud, served as the basis for the word button as we know it today.
Widest Material Options
Buttons are one of the most versatile things in the world, and humanity has made buttons out of almost every organic and inorganic material available. There are buttons made of solid gold, and manufacturers even use chemical resins to make buttons. You can find buttons made from wood, metal, stone, plastic, glass, and even bone if you’re willing to look for them.
Decorative Pieces
One fun fact that you may not know about buttons is that we didn’t always use them as a fastener. Before the invention of the buttonhole, many buttons were purely decorative. In the 1500s, the King of France wore a coat that supposedly had thousands of gold buttons adorning it. While buttons generally serve a more practical purpose now, we can still use them decoratively in one of many exciting craft projects that use buttons.
Once the Height of Fashion
Most modern pants use a combination of buttons and zippers, but prior to the 1930s, most pants only used buttons. It was thanks to French fashion designers who saw potential in the zipper that it really started to take off.
Collectible Crafts
Buttons are interesting and fun collectibles for any kid or adult looking to put together a collection. You can find many unique and beautiful buttons for a low price. However, the most expensive buttons may be out of your price range. The most expensive buttons sold at auction were George Washington’s inaugural buttons, which sold for 225,000 dollars.
