When yo-yos caught on starting in 1928, silk yo-yo string (see the Flores yo-yo exhibit) was sold besides cotton yo-yo string. With time, cotton strings became the standard for all fixed axle wooden yo-yos. Even after the introduction of metal axle yo-yos, cotton string was still used. It wasn't until the 90s that new string formulations and materials were introduced that further optimized play and string life.
More than 80 years later, Duncan continues to manufacture and sell 100% cotton string, even in eye-catching colors like those seen in this exhibit.