As I lived in HK back in the 1970's I'm pretty sure that was not flat nylon ribbon at all in those days, but simply strips of split bamboo or shavings from the

As I lived in HK back in the 1970's I'm pretty sure that was not flat nylon ribbon at all in those days, but simply strips of split bamboo or shavings from the surface of a broken pole. It would make sense to transition to nylon, since that could be made on a spool rather than having to be created on site. I've got used to how scanty UK scaffolding is now but at first it worried me that it would not be robust enough.