The story of Toyota threads back to the textile industry and Sakichi Toyota’s wooden hand loom patented in 1891. Then only twenty-four years old, the Japanese inventor and entrepreneur would go on to found Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd, and eventually establish the Toyota Motor Company as a division in 1933. The automotive spin-off expanded rapidly, exporting cars throughout the 60s and 70s. Toyota Motors continued to innovate and grow, introducing the luxury Lexus in 1989, and the first mass-produced hybrid-powered vehicle in the world, Prius, in 1997. Although best known today for its cars, the Toyota Group still makes and sells automatic looms and electric sewing machines worldwide.