Over 300 million years ago, vast prehistoric forests and microscopic sea life were buried under layers of earth. Over time, heat and pressure transformed this ancient biomass into coal and crude oil—two carbon-rich resources that would later fuel human civilization. Despite the popular myth, dinosaurs didn’t become oil—it was mostly algae, plankton, and plants. But the result was the same: trapped energy, waiting to be unlocked.
Coal powered the Industrial Revolution, lighting cities and driving steam engines. Then came oil - more versatile, more energy-dense, and easier to transport. By the late 19th century, oil had become central to modern life. It fueled cars, powered ships and aircraft, heated homes, and eventually enabled the global economy as we know it. It wasn’t just a source of energy; it became the foundation of the plastics and chemicals industries too.
As engineers explored oil’s potential, they discovered that burning heavy petroleum fractions under controlled conditions produced carbon black - a fine, soot-like powder. This substance wasn’t just dark pigment—it was revolutionary. Carbon black reinforced rubber, significantly improving durability. Its most iconic application? Tires. Without carbon black, the modern car tire - strong, flexible, and long-lasting - wouldn’t exist.
Then, in the 1950s, a new chapter in the carbon story began. British scientists at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, led by Dr. W. Watt, developed a breakthrough material: carbon fiber. Unlike carbon black, carbon fiber aligned carbon atoms into long, crystalline chains. The result? A material five times stronger than steel at a fraction of the weight.
One of the first machines to showcase carbon fiber's potential was the McLaren MP4/1, the first Formula 1 car with a full carbon fiber monocoque, launched in 1981. It changed motorsport forever. Around the same time, fighter jets like the F-117 aircraft began using carbon composites to enhance performance and reduce radar visibility. Today, carbon fiber is used in everything from spacecraft and satellites to bicycles and medical implants.
And now, that same space-age material finds its way into something far more personal: your pocket. At Anthread, we bring the strength and elegance of carbon fiber into everyday lifestyle products, designed with the same engineering mindset that shaped machines of speed and flight.
So the next time you hold an Anthread product, remember: it carries the legacy of ancient organisms, the innovation of oil and rubber, the breakthroughs of war rooms and racetracks, and the spirit of human curiosity that transformed carbon from buried matter into bold design.
Here's to you - writing the next chapter.