Originally, the textile industry was dependent upon cottage artisans who weaved on hand looms to create the cloth needed for clothing and other material. The process was slow, and required skilled craftsmen. The creation of foot looms provided the weavers with a little more efficiency. The wire harnesses of the loom were operated by foot pedals, while the hands were free to pass the thread back and forth. In 1785, Edmund Cartwright invented a practical power loom which significantly increased the output of textiles. In 1804, a French inventor perfected his attachment to the power loom, which allowed the loom to weave many of the same patterns automatically through a series of punch cards. While the industry was pleased with the expanded production, the power loom was loathed by workers. The workers argued that the machine was turning people into robots.