But it could actually boost the economy, because this was something machines could not, or at least haven't so far, replicate, so they would have to hire a metric shit ton of people to meet demand. But first they would have to learn the process.
It’s not so much that machines can’t replicate a fine weave- more that for the drawbacks there isn’t a real reason. People tended to have the same outfits, and only a few. They wore them longer, washed them less, and usually washed them by hand. Modern washing techniques and cycles tend to wear clothes out. People “update” their wardrobes and are used to being able to buy clothes cheap and on a whim. These are effects of mass production. By and large there is a practical limit to how fine a weave people can appreciate. So cheap mass produced fabrics allow almost everyone to have many outfits and combinations of pieces, and make clothes accessible for most people. A machine could be made to make very fine weaves, but cost and maintenance would be increased and production decreased, and since most people will gladly pay $50 for 4 outfits but not $50 for one pair of socks, the economic incentive is on mass produced fabrics and cheap disposable clothing.
Clothes could be so much better.