In 1628, the stocking frame, a knitting machine invented by William Lee, introduced a significant shift in the textile industry. As the first commercially viable knitting machine, it dramatically increased the speed of production for knitted goods like stockings, which altered labor dynamics by mechanizing processes previously done by hand. This led to significant job displacement among artisans and hand-knitters, caused social upheaval in communities reliant on hand-knitting, and heightened economic inequalities.