Before electric dryers became widespread, people depended on simple wooden tools like clothespins to dry their laundry. Initially just a solid wooden peg, the clothespin was revolutionized in 1853 when David M. Smith patented a spring-loaded version that held garments more securely in the wind—addressing what he described as a “serious evil to washerwomen.”
As time passed, clothespins transitioned from handcrafted wooden items to mass-produced household staples during the rise of industrialization.
While plastic clothespins are now widely available, wooden ones continue to be favored for their strength, environmental benefits, and nostalgic charm.
