About Ruth R. Benerito
Ruth Mary Rogan Benerito was an American physical chemist and inventor known for her impactful work related to the textile industry. She notably contributed to the development of wash-and-wear cotton fabrics using a technique called cross-linking, which strengthens the hydrogen bonds between cellulose molecules of cotton fibers. She held 55 patents. Ruth Mary Rogan Benerito (January 12, 1916 – October 5, 2013) was an American physical chemist and inventor known for her impactful work related to the textile industry. Benerito is most famous for her work relating to the use of mono-basic acid chlorides in the production of cotton, with which she had 55 patents. She invented these wash-and-wear cotton fabrics, which allow for more wrinkle-free and durable clothing, while working at the U.S. The invention was said to have "saved the cotton industry." While she is publicly credited for the invention of wrinkle-free fiber, she did not believe she singlehandedly invented it.
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