Cotton has been used in spinning and making cloth since ancient times. The early method of spinning was to hold fibres in one hand then twist and pull them with the other hand. Drop spinning was an improved method where a spindle and whorl were used. Spinning wheels were a great improvement and used widely for spinning cotton throughout the world including India, Persia and China. The Spinning Jenny and Spinning Mule which could spin multiple threads at once established the cotton industry in Lancashire, Great Britain.