     thumb|clothing in history, showing (from top) egyptians, ancient greeks, romans, byzantines, franks, and 13th- through 15th-century europeans.  clothing is fiber and textile material worn on the body. the wearing of clothing is a feature of nearly all human societies. the amount and type of clothing worn is dependent on physical stature, gender, as well as social and geographic considerations. physically, clothing serves many purposes: it can serve as protection from weather, and can enhance safety during hazardous activities such as hiking and cooking. it protects the wearer from rough surfaces, rash-causing plants, insect bites, splinters, thorns and prickles by providing a barrier between the skin and the environment. clothes can insulate against cold or hot conditions. further, they can provide a hygienic barrier, keeping infectious and toxic materials away from the body. clothing also provides protection from harmful uv radiation. clothes can be made out of fiber plants such as cotton, plastics such as polyester, or animal skin and hair such as wool. humans began wearing clothes roughly 83,000 to 170,000 years ago.human evolution and male aggression, anne innis dagg, lee harding - 2012 ==origin and history==  ===first recorded use=== knowledge of the origin of clothing remains inferential, since clothing materials deteriorate quickly compared to stone, bone, shell and metal artifacts, but some information has been inferred by studying lice. the body louse specifically lives in human clothing and when it diverged from head lice it can be inferred that clothing existed at that time. one study estimated that this happened between 83,000 to 170,000 years ago,"...lice indicates early clothing use ...", mol biol evol (2011) 28 (1): 29-32. another estimates between 65,000 and 149,000 years ago.{{citation|author=ralf kittler, manfred kayser & mark stoneking |journal=current biology |volume=13 |pages=1414â1417 |year=2003 |title=molecular evolution of pediculus humanus and the origin of clothing |url=http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/s0960-9822%2803%2900507-4 |doi=10.1016/s0960-9822(
Clothing