The dashiki's brilliant colors, loose fit, and bold motifs represent freedom and African American identity with their African origin. African Americans first wore the dashiki in the 1970s to rebel against mainstream fashion, racism, white dominance, and Western cultural values. Before then, they don't seem to have had any particular dress code. There are several theories about how and why Africans started wearing clothes. It is believed that some early Africans lived without clothing and when they needed protection from the sun or cold weather, they used leaves or branches instead. As they got more advanced, they began using animal skins for clothing. Around 1500 AD, European settlers brought cotton plants from America to Africa, which led to the start of a new type of textile industry there. The seeds from the cotton plant were introduced into Africa by Portuguese and Spanish traders. In 1750, an Englishman named Edward Jenks invented a machine called a "Cotton Gin" that could separate the seeds from the cotton fibers. This invention allowed for more efficient production of cotton fabric, so it became popular all over the world. In the United States, most African Americans wore clothes that were acceptable by society at large. However, there was still a trend among some black people toward wearing "outrageous" clothes such as flamboyant styles, wide-brimmed hats, and leather shoes.