The industrial revolution DID NOT start with the railroad industry, it started with the TEXTILE industry. The textile industry is an industry that makes clothes. In the beginning of the industrial revolution, many companies started with making clothes with materials like wool, flax, cotton, hemp, and etc. Clothing was a big business during the beginning of the industrial revolution due to the fact that everyone was wearing and needed clothes for their daily lifestyles, and textile businesses profited a lot from it. Most people started in the textile industry from their homes, made clothes, and sold it themselves.