The term button is derived from the word “bouton” which is defined as a knob or a disk-like piece that is used to fasten and decorate clothing. Among the first item that closely represented a button can be dated back to around 200 B.C.. It was determined that the buttons were used for decorative and not for functional reasons. Near the 13th century a button found much more significance in clothing as it replaced sharp pins to keep together clothes and give them more of a form. French society further emphasized the value of a button as King Louis XIV spent over five million dollars on buttons during his lifetime. Read more...