With a history of over 6000 years, buttons have become a staple clothing accessory. The Persians, who are the ancestors of Iran, were already using stones to make buttons as early as 4000 years ago. During the Zhou Dynasty in China, both men and women wore two pieces of clothing and officials were responsible for making tuxedos in the court. During grand ceremonies, all civil and military officials would wear these attire.
During ancient times, clothing was quite standardized and the clothing system was well-established. Even back then, the term "button" was in use. It was a knot that intersected with each other, similar to a knot. Historical resources such as Zhou Li and Li Ji both contain the word "button," which reflects the customs of the Zhou Dynasty. Research on Western Zhou Dynasty bronze buttons and archaeological discoveries indicate that buttons were used as far back as the spring and autumn periods, and even the Warring States period. In Yunnan, a variety of blue, apple green, and light gray turquoise buttons with unique shapes and beautiful patterns have been unearthed in Shizhai Mountain. Moreover, we can still find simple buttons that were made from stones, shells, animal horns, walnuts, and coconut shells. These items indicate that some ancient Chinese people used buttons during the Zhou Dynasty, and in the spring and autumn periods, and Warring states period.
The discovery of an ancient tomb in Japan has shed some light on the country's fashion history. The tomb, dating back to ancient times, showcases intricate wheel carvings made of human figures. The carvings depict men's clothing with a unique combination of clothes and skirts, featuring narrow sleeved tops and buttoned chests. Surprisingly, this suggests that the Japanese used buttons before the ancient tomb period.
It wasn't until the 16th century that buttons were introduced to Europe by the Chinese. Initially, men were the only ones who used them, while women used buttons less frequently. People mainly used them for clothing, and some nobles even used precious materials like gold and silver, pearls, diamonds, rhino horns, antelope horns and ivory to make buttons as a sign of their wealth. Records from France state that King Louis XIV owned a royal robe adorned with 13000 precious buttons.