I'd say the following factors added up: 1. A reason to create coal-driven machines in the first place (to pump water from mines, when labor and other fuel sour

I'd say the following factors added up: 1. A reason to create coal-driven machines in the first place (to pump water from mines, when labor and other fuel sources like timer were low), to kick-start the process of mechanical innovation 2. Enough technical/scientific knowhow + conditions for entrepreneurialism (inventor gets to actually make a profit) leading to progressive mechanical innovations, spreading to other sectors like textile manufacturing 3. Easy access to coal (near the surface, in Britain itself) to provide energy for the new machines 4. Access to raw materials to drive textile factories, namely cotton produced by slaves in the Americas 5. An market for low-cost textiles produced using machines, to a great extent India (Indian textile imports were taxed, and exports were encouraged) 6. Capital for new machines/factories, often derived from excess capital from slave-plantations + re-invested profits from industry It's going to require quite a lot of expertise to tease out the relative importance of these factors, so us laymen should be okay with a general picture. It's okay to admit that.